Open surfaces of small volume

Abstract

We construct a surface with log terminal singularities and ample canonical class that has $K_X^2=1/48 983$ and a log canonical pair $(X,B)$ with a nonempty reduced divisor $B$ and ample $K_X+B$ that has $(K_X+B)^2 = 1/462$. Both examples significantly improve known records.

v.2 adds a connection to the algebraic Montgomery-Yang problem. 15 pages, 4 figures