On the Kawamata–Viehweg vanishing theorem for log del Pezzo surfaces in positive characteristic

Abstract

We prove the Kawamata–Viehweg vanishing theorem for surfaces of del Pezzo type over perfect fields of positive characteristic $p>5$. As a consequence, we show that klt threefold singularities over a perfect base field of characteristic $p>5$ are rational. We show that these theorems are sharp by providing counterexamples in characteristic $5$.