arXiv subjects

Jesse Vogel

Publications and source records attributed to Jesse Vogel.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Motivic (Representation) Stability of Representation Varieties and Character Stacks

In this paper, we introduce the notions of motivic representation stability that is an algebraic counterpart of the notion of representation stability. In the process, we also introduce the notion of motivic decomposition for varieties equipped with an action of a finite group $G$. This motivic decomposition decomposes the virtual class of the variety with respect to irreducible rational representations of $G$. We also formulate conjectures on motivic representation stability in the context of representation varieties and character stacks, and we verify the conjectures for groups whose virtual classes have been extensively studied.

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arXiv2024

The log Grothendieck ring of varieties

We define a Grothendieck ring of varieties for log schemes. It is generated by one additional class ``$P$'' over the usual Grothendieck ring. We show the na\"ive definition of log Hodge numbers does not make sense for all log schemes. We offer an alternative that does.

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arXiv2024

Cohomology of character stacks via TQFTs

We study the cohomology of $G$-representation varieties and $G$-character stacks by means of a topological quantum field theory (TQFT). This TQFT is constructed as the composite of a so-called field theory and the 6-functor formalism of sheaves on topological stacks. We apply this framework to compute the cohomology of various $G$-representation varieties and $G$-character stacks of closed surfaces for $G = \text{SU}(2), \text{SO}(3)$ and $\text{U}(2)$. This work can be seen as a categorification of earlier work, in which such a TQFT was constructed on the level of Grothendieck groups to compute the corresponding Euler characteristics.

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arXiv2023

Arithmetic-Geometric Correspondence of Character Stacks via Topological Quantum Field Theory

In this paper, we introduce Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFTs) generalizing the arithmetic computations done by Hausel and Rodríguez-Villegas and the geometric construction done by Logares, Muñoz, and Newstead to study cohomological invariants of $G$-representation varieties and $G$-character stacks. We show that these TQFTs are related via a natural transformation that we call the 'arithmetic-geometric correspondence' generalizing the classical formula of Frobenius on the irreducible characters of a finite group. We use this correspondence to extract some information on the character table of finite groups using the geometric TQFT, and vice versa, we greatly simplify the geometric calculations in the case of upper triangular matrices by lifting its irreducible characters to the geometric setting.

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arXiv2023

A Topological Quantum Field Theory for Character Varieties of Non-orientable Surfaces

In this paper, we study the $G$-representation and character varieties of non-orientable closed surfaces. By means of a geometric method based on a Topological Quantum Field Theory (TQFT), we compute the virtual classes of these varieties in the Grothendieck ring of varieties for $G$ equal to $\textrm{AGL}_1$ and $\textrm{SL}_2$. This method was already known and used in the case of orientable closed surfaces, and we extend it to the case of non-orientable surfaces. Furthermore, we provide a practical approach for explicitly computing the TQFT, allowing for more simplified and structured computations. Finally, for $G = \textrm{SL}_2$ we describe and explain the relationship between the representation varieties of the orientable and non-orientable closed surfaces.

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arXiv2023

Motivic Higman's Conjecture

The $G$-representation variety $R_G(Σ_g)$ parametrizes the representations of the fundamental groups of surfaces $π_1(Σ_g)$ into an algebraic group $G$. Taking $G$ to be the groups of $n \times n$ upper triangular or unipotent matrices, we compare two methods for computing algebraic invariants of $R_G(Σ_G)$. Using the geometric method initiated by González-Prieto, Logares and Muñoz, based on a Topological Quantum Field Theory (TQFT), we compute the virtual classes of $R_G(Σ_g)$ in the Grothendieck ring of varieties for $n = 1, \ldots, 5$. Introducing the notion of algebraic representatives we are able to efficiently compute the TQFT. Using the arithmetic method initiated by Hausel and Rodriguez-Villegas, we compute the $E$-polynomials of $R_G(Σ_g)$ for $n = 1, \ldots, 10$. For both methods, we describe how the computations can be performed algorithmically. Furthermore, we discuss the relation between the representation varieties of the group of unipotent matrices and Higman's conjecture. The computations of this paper can be seen as positive evidence towards a generalized motivic version of the conjecture.

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arXiv2022

Virtual Classes of Representation Varieties of Upper Triangular Matrices via Topological Quantum Field Theories

In this paper, we use a geometric technique developed by González-Prieto, Logares, Muñoz, and Newstead to study the $G$-representation variety of surface groups $\mathfrak{X}_G(Σ_g)$ of arbitrary genus for $G$ being the group of upper triangular matrices of fixed rank. Explicitly, we compute the virtual classes in the Grothendieck ring of varieties of the $G$-representation variety and the moduli space of $G$-representations of surface groups for $G$ being the group of complex upper triangular matrices of rank $2$, $3$, and $4$ via constructing a topological quantum field theory. Furthermore, we show that in the case of upper triangular matrices the character map from the moduli space of $G$-representations to the $G$-character variety is not an isomorphism.

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arXiv2022

Virtual Classes of Character Stacks

In this paper, we extend the Topological Quantum Field Theory developed by Gonz\'alez-Prieto, Logares, and Mu\~noz for computing virtual classes of $G$-representation varieties of closed orientable surfaces in the Grothendieck ring of varieties to the setting of the character stacks. To this aim, we define a suitable Grothendieck ring of representable stacks, over which this Topological Quantum Field Theory is defined. In this way, we compute the virtual class of the character stack over $BG$, that is, a motivic decomposition of the representation variety with respect to the natural adjoint action. We apply this framework in two cases providing explicit expressions for the virtual classes of the character stacks of closed orientable surfaces of arbitrary genus. First, in the case of the affine linear group of rank $1$, the virtual class of the character stack fully remembers the natural adjoint action, in particular, the virtual class of the character variety can be straightforwardly derived. Second, we consider the non-connected group $\mathbb{G}_m \rtimes \mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$, and we show how our theory allows us to compute motivic information of the character stacks where the classical na\"ive point-counting method fails.

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