Positivity properties of metrics and delta-forms

Abstract

In previous work, we have introduced delta-forms on the Berkovich analytification of an algebraic variety in order to study smooth or formal metrics via their associated Chern delta-forms. In this paper, we investigate positivity properties of delta-forms and delta-currents. This leads to various plurisubharmonicity notions for continuous metrics on line bundles. In the case of a formal metric, we show that many of these positivity notions are equivalent to Zhang's semipositivity. For piecewise smooth metrics, we prove that plurisubharmonicity can be tested on tropical charts in terms of convex geometry. We apply this to smooth metrics, to canonical metrics on abelian varieties and to toric metrics on toric varieties.