Manin's conjecture for certain spherical threefolds

Abstract

We prove Manin's conjecture on the asymptotic behavior of the number of rational points of bounded anticanonical height for a spherical threefold with canonical singularities and two infinite families of spherical threefolds with log terminal singularities. Moreover, we show that one of these families does not satisfy a conjecture of Batyrev and Tschinkel on the leading constant in the asymptotic formula. Our proofs are based on the universal torsor method, using Brion's description of Cox rings of spherical varieties.