Segre invariants of principal bundles over a curve

Abstract

For a vector bundle $V$ over a curve $X$, the Segre invariant $s_n (V)$ encodes the maximal degree attained by rank $n$ subbundles of $V$. The functions $s_n$ define stratifications on moduli of $V$ which are well studied. Let $G$ be a connected reductive algebraic group, and $E \to X$ a principal $G$-bundle. For each parabolic subgroup $P \subset G$ there is a Segre number $s_P (E)$, generalising $s_n (V)$. We show that $s_P$ is semicontinuous in families of $G$-bundles, and thus defines stratifications on moduli spaces of $G$-bundles over $X$. We study the invariance properties of $s_P$, relating the behaviour of $s_P$ and $s_{\phi(P)}$ for a surjective homomorphism $\phi \colon G \to H$ and allowing us to compare the Segre stratifications for $G$ and $H$. Finally, we analyse the stratification for the Borel subgroup $B$ of ${\rm GL}_3$, identifying patterns in the geometry and proving, in particular, a sharp Hirschowitz-type bound on $s_B (E)$ for certain topological types.