Simpson's closedness conjecture in arbitrary rank

Abstract

For a compact Riemann surface $X$, Simpson associated to each stable graded Higgs bundle $(E,θ)$ a locus $W_{[(E,θ)]}^1 \subset M_{\mathrm{dR}}(X,n)$, consisting of flat bundles that admit a Simpson filtration whose associated graded Higgs bundle is $(E,θ)$. He conjectured that $W_{[(E,θ)]}^1$ is Zariski closed in $M_{\mathrm{dR}}(X,n)$. We prove this conjecture in arbitrary rank. The proof is based on the Quillen geometry of the determinant-of-cohomology line bundle over the moduli of holomorphic bundles. To any holomorphic family of flat bundles, we associate a determinant-of-cohomology line bundle equipped with a canonical holomorphic determinant connection, and derive explicit formulas for its curvature. For a family of flat bundles in $W_{[(E,θ)]}^1$, we then prove that the determinant connection form is exact. This exactness forces the associated determinant frame to extend as a nowhere-vanishing frame across any one-parameter degeneration, which controls the limiting filtration and yields the desired closedness.