Motives and representability of algebraic cycles on threefolds over a field

Abstract

We study links between algebraic cycles on threefolds and finite-dimensionality of their motives with coefficients in Q. We decompose the motive of a non-singular projective threefold X with representable algebraic part of CH_0(X) into Lefschetz motives and the Picard motive of a certain abelian variety, isogenous to the corresponding intermediate Jacobian J^2(X) when the ground field is C. In particular, it implies motivic finite-dimensionality of Fano threefolds over a field. We also prove representability of zero-cycles on several classes of threefolds fibered by surfaces with algebraic H^2. This gives another new examples of three-dimensional varieties whose motives are finite-dimensional.