On higher direct images of convergent isocrystals

Let k be a perfect field of characteristic p>0 and let W be the ring of Witt vectors of k. In this article, we give a new proof of the Frobenius descent for convergent isocrystals on a variety over k relative to W. This proof allows us to deduce an analogue of the de Rham complexes comparison theorem of Berthelot [D-modules arithmétiques. II. Descente par Frobenius, Mém. Soc. Math. Fr. (N.S.) 81 (2000)] without assuming a lifting of the Frobenius morphism. As an application, we prove a version of Berthelot’s conjecture on the preservation of convergent isocrystals under the higher direct image by a smooth proper morphism of k-varieties