Motivic invariants of birational maps

Abstract

We construct invariants of birational maps with values in the Kontsevich–Tschinkel group and in the truncated Grothendieck groups of varieties. These invariants are morphisms of groupoids and are well-suited to investigating the structure of the Grothendieck ring and L-equivalence. Building on known constructions of L-equivalence, we prove new unexpected results about Cremona groups.