Torsion in $p$-adic étale cohomology: remarks and conjectures

Abstract: Let $C$ be a complete algebraically closed extension of $\mathbb{Q}_p$, and let $\mathfrak{X}$ be a smooth formal scheme over $\mathcal{O}_C$. By the work of Bhatt--Morrow--Scholze, it is known that when $\mathfrak{X}$ is proper, the length of the torsion in the integral $p$-adic \'etale cohomology of the generic fiber $\mathfrak{X}_C$ is bounded above by the length of the torsion in the crystalline cohomology of its special fiber. In this note, we focus on the non-proper case and observe that when $\mathfrak{X}$ is affine, the torsion in the integral $p$-adic \'etale cohomology of $\mathfrak{X}_C$ can even be expressed as a functor of the special fiber, unlike in the proper case. As a consequence, we show that, surprisingly, if $\mathfrak{X}$ is affine, the integral $p$-adic \'etale cohomology groups of $\mathfrak{X}_C$ have finite torsion subgroups. We discuss further applications and propose conjectures predicting the torsion in the integral $p$-adic \'etale cohomology of a broader class of rigid-analytic varieties over $C$.