A resolution of singularities for the orbit spaces $G_{n,2}/T^n$

Abstract

The problem of the description of the orbit space $X_{n} = G_{n,2}/T^n$ for the standard action of the torus $T^n$ on a complex Grassmann manifold $G_{n,2}$ is widely known and it appears in diversity of mathematical questions. A point $x\in X_{n}$ is said to be a critical point if the stabilizer of its corresponding orbit is nontrivial. In this paper, the notion of singular points of $X_n$ is introduced which opened the new approach to this problem. It is showed that for $n>4$ the set of critical points $\text{Crit}X_n$ belongs to our set of singular points $\text{Sing}X_{n}$, while the case $n=4$ is somewhat special for which $\text{Sing}X_4\subset \text{Crit}X_4$, but there are critical points which are not singular. The central result of this paper is the construction of the smooth manifold $U_n$ with corners, $\dim U_n = \dim X_n$ and an explicit description of the projection $p_{n} : U_{n}\to X_{n}$ which in the defined sense resolve all singular points of the space $X_n$. Thus, we obtain the description of the orbit space $G_{n,2}/T^n$ combinatorial structure. Moreover, the $T^n$-action on $G_{n,2}$ is a seminal example of complexity $(n-3)$ - action. Our results demonstrate the method for general description of orbit spaces for torus actions of positive complexity.