Motivic decomposition and intersection Chow groups, I

Abstract

For a quasiprojective variety S, we define a category CHM(S) of pure Chow motives over S. Assuming conjectures of Grothendieck and Murre, we show that the decomposition theorem holds in CHM(S). As a consequence, the intersection complex of S makes sense as an object IS of CHM(S). In the forthcoming part II we will give an unconditional definition of intersection Chow groups and study some of their properties.