A rationality criterion for projective surfaces—partial solution to Kollár’s conjecture

Abstract

Kollar's conjecture states that a complex projective surface $S$ with quotient singularities and with $H^2(S,\bbQ)\cong \bbQ$ should be rational if its smooth part $S^0$ is simply connected. We confirm the conjecture under the additional condition that the exceptional divisor in a minimal resolution of $S$ has at most 3 components over each singular point of $S$.