Universal stacky semistable reduction

Abstract

Given a log smooth morphism f: X → S of toroidal embeddings, we perform a Raynaud-Gruson type operation on f to make it flat and with reduced fibers. We do this by studying the geometry of the associated map of cone complexes C(X) → C(S). As a consequence, we show that the toroidal part of semistable reduction of Abramovich-Karu can be done in a canonical way.