Topology and arithmetic of resultants, I: spaces of rational maps

Abstract

We consider the interplay of point counts, singular cohomology, \'etale cohomology, eigenvalues of the Frobenius and the Grothendieck ring of varieties for two families of varieties: spaces of rational maps and moduli spaces of marked, degree $d$ rational curves in $\mathbb{P}^n$. We deduce as special cases algebro-geometric and arithmetic refinements of topological computations of Segal, Cohen--Cohen--Mann--Milgram, Vassiliev and others.