arXiv subjects

Michael Thaddeus

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Thaddeus.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2015

Compactifications of reductive groups as moduli stacks of bundles

Let G be a split reductive group. We introduce the moduli problem of "bundle chains" parametrizing framed principal G-bundles on chains of lines. Any fan supported in a Weyl chamber determines a stability condition on bundle chains. Its moduli stack provides an equivariant toroidal compactification of G. All toric orbifolds may be thus obtained. Moreover, we get a canonical compactification of any semisimple G, which agrees with the wonderful compactification in the adjoint case, but which in other cases is an orbifold. Finally, we describe the connections with Losev-Manin's spaces of weighted pointed curves and with Kausz's compactification of GL(n).

math.AG↗

arXiv2012

Variations on a theme of Grothendieck

Grothendieck and Harder proved that every principal bundle over the projective line with split reductive structure group (and trivial over the generic point) can be reduced to a maximal torus. Furthermore, this reduction is unique modulo automorphisms and the Weyl group. In a series of six variations on this theme, we prove corresponding results for principal bundles over the following schemes and stacks: (1) a line modulo the group of nth roots of unity; (2) a football, that is, an orbifold of genus zero with two marked points; (3) a gerbe over a football whose structure group is the nth roots of unity; (4) a chain of lines meeting in nodes; (5) a line modulo an action of a split torus; and (6) a chain modulo an action of a split torus. We also prove that the automorphism groups of such bundles are smooth, affine, and connected.

math.AG↗

arXiv2012

On Non-Abelian Symplectic Cutting

We discuss symplectic cutting for Hamiltonian actions of non-Abelian compact groups. By using a degeneration based on the Vinberg monoid we give, in good cases, a global quotient description of a surgery construction introduced by Woodward and Meinrenken, and show it can be interpreted in algebro-geometric terms. A key ingredient is the `universal cut' of the cotangent bundle of the group itself, which is identified with a moduli space of framed bundles on chains of projective lines recently introduced by the authors.

math.SG↗

arXiv2009

Resolving toric varieties with Nash blow-ups

It is a long-standing question whether an arbitrary variety is desingularized by finitely many normalized Nash blow-ups. We consider this question in the case of a toric variety. We interpret the normalized Nash blow-up in polyhedral terms, show how continued fractions can be used to give an affirmative answer for a toric surface, and report on a computer investigation in which over a thousand 3- and 4-dimensional toric varieties were successfully resolved.

math.AG↗

arXiv2002

Generators for the cohomology ring of the moduli space of rank 2 Higgs bundles

The moduli space of stable vector bundles on a Riemann surface is smooth when the rank and degree are coprime, and is diffeomorphic to the space of unitary connections of central constant curvature. A classic result of Newstead and Atiyah-Bott asserts that its rational cohomology ring is generated by the universal classes, that is, by the Kunneth components of the Chern classes of the universal bundle. This paper studies the larger, non-compact moduli space of Higgs bundles, as introduced by Hitchin and Simpson, with values in the canonical bundle K. This is diffeomorphic to the space of all connections of central constant curvature, whether unitary or not. The main result of the paper is that, in the rank 2 case, the rational cohomology ring of this space is again generated by universal classes. The spaces of Higgs bundles with values in K(n) for n > 0 turn out to be essential to the story. Indeed, we show that their direct limit has the homotopy type of the classifying space of the gauge group, and hence has cohomology generated by universal classes. A companion paper treats the problem of finding relations between these generators in the rank 2 case.

math.AG↗

arXiv2002

Relations in the cohomology ring of the moduli space of rank 2 Higgs bundles

The moduli space of stable bundles of rank 2 and degree 1 on a Riemann surface has rational cohomology generated by the so-called universal classes. The work of Baranovsky, King-Newstead, Siebert-Tian and Zagier provided a complete set of relations between these classes, expressed in terms of a recursion in the genus. This paper accomplishes the same thing for the non-compact moduli spaces of Higgs bundles, in the sense of Hitchin and Simpson. There are many more independent relations than for stable bundles, but in a sense the answer is simpler, since the formulas are completely explicit, not recursive. The results of Kirwan on equivariant cohomology for holomorphic circle actions are of key importance. Together, Parts I and II describe the cohomology rings of spaces of rank 2 Higgs bundles at essentially the same level of detail as is known for stable bundles.

math.AG↗

arXiv2002

Mirror symmetry, Langlands duality, and the Hitchin system

We study the moduli spaces of flat SL(r)- and PGL(r)-connections, or equivalently, Higgs bundles, on an algebraic curve. These spaces are noncompact Calabi-Yau orbifolds; we show that they can be regarded as mirror partners in two different senses. First, they satisfy the requirements laid down by Strominger-Yau-Zaslow (SYZ), in a suitably general sense involving a B-field or flat unitary gerbe. To show this, we use their hyperkahler structures and Hitchin's integrable systems. Second, their Hodge numbers, again in a suitably general sense, are equal. These spaces provide significant evidence in support of SYZ. Moreover, they throw a bridge from mirror symmetry to the duality theory of Lie groups and, more broadly, to the geometric Langlands program.

math.AG↗

arXiv2001

Examples of mirror partners arising from integrable systems

In this note we present pairs of hyperkaehler orbifolds which satisfy two different versions of mirror symmetry. On the one hand, we show that their Hodge numbers (or more precisely, stringy E-polynomials) are equal. On the other hand, we show that they satisfy the prescription of Strominger, Yau, and Zaslow (which in the present case goes back to Bershadsky, Johansen, Sadov and Vafa): that a Calabi-Yau and its mirror should fiber over the same real manifold, with special Lagrangian fibers which are tori dual to each other. Our examples arise as moduli spaces of local systems on a curve with structure group SL(n); the mirror is the corresponding space with structure group PGL(n). The special Lagrangian tori come from an algebraically completely integrable Hamiltonian system: the Hitchin system.

math.AG↗

arXiv2001

Variation of moduli of parabolic Higgs bundles

We study moduli spaces of parabolic Higgs bundles on a curve and their dependence on the choice of weights. We describe the chamber structure on the space of weights and show that, when a wall is crossed, the moduli space undergoes an elementary transformation in the sense of Mukai.

math.AG↗

arXiv2001

Mirror symmetry, Langlands duality, and commuting elements of Lie groups

By normalizing the space of commuting pairs of elements in a reductive Lie group G, and the corresponding space for the Langlands dual group, we construct pairs of hyperkahler orbifolds which satisfy the conditions to be mirror partners in the sense of Strominger-Yau-Zaslow. The same holds true for commuting quadruples in a compact Lie group. The Hodge numbers of the mirror partners, or more precisely their orbifold E-polynomials, are shown to agree, as predicted by mirror symmetry. These polynomials are explicitly calculated when G is a quotient of SL(n).

math.AG↗

arXiv2001

On the quantum cohomology of a symmetric product of an algebraic curve

The dth symmetric product of a curve of genus g is a smooth projective variety. This paper is concerned with the little quantum cohomology ring of this variety, that is, the ring having its 3-point Gromov-Witten invariants as structure constants. This is of considerable interest, for example as the base ring of the quantum category in Seiberg-Witten theory. The main results give an explicit, general formula for the quantum product in this ring unless d is in the narrow interval [3/4 g, g-1). Otherwise, they still give a formula modulo third order terms. Explicit generators and relations are also given unless d is in [4/5 g - 3/5, g-1). The virtual class on the space of stable maps plays a significant role. But the central ideas ultimately come from Brill-Noether theory: specifically a formula of Harris-Tu for the Chern numbers of determinantal varieties. The case d = g-1 is especially interesting: it resembles that of a Calabi-Yau 3-fold, and the Aspinwall-Morrison formula enters the calculations. A detailed analogy with Givental's work is also explained.

math.AG↗

arXiv2001

Complete collineations revisited

The space of complete collineations is a compactification of the space of matrices of fixed dimension and rank, whose boundary is a divisor with normal crossings. It was introduced in the 19th century and has been used to solve many enumerative problems. We show that this venerable space can be understood using the latest quotient constructions in algebraic geometry. Indeed, there is a detailed analogy between the complete collineations and the moduli space of stable pointed curves of genus zero. The remarkable results of Kapranov exhibiting the latter space as a Chow quotient, Hilbert quotient, and so on, all have counterparts for complete collineations. This analogy encompasses Vainsencher's construction of the complete collineations, as well as a form of the Gel'fand-MacPherson correspondence. There is also a tangential relation with the Gromov-Witten invariants of Grassmannians. The symmetric and anti-symmetric versions of the problem are considered as well. An appendix explains the original motivation, which came from the space of broken Morse flows for the moment map of a circle action.

math.AG↗

arXiv1998

A perfect Morse function on the moduli space of flat connections

The moduli space of flat SU(2) connections on a punctured surface, having prescribed holonomy around the punctures, is a compact smooth manifold if the prescription is generic. This paper gives a direct, elementary proof that the trace of the holonomy around a certain loop determines a Bott-Morse function on the moduli space which is perfect, meaning that the Morse inequalities are equalities. This leads to an attractive recursion for the Betti numbers of the moduli space, which agrees with the Harder-Narasimhan formula in the case of one puncture with holonomy -1.

math.SG↗

arXiv1994

Geometric invariant theory and flips

We study the dependence of geometric invariant theory quotients on the choice of a linearization. We show that, in good cases, two such quotients are related by a flip in the sense of Mori, and explain the relationship with the minimal model programme. Moreover, we express the flip as the blow-up and blow-down of specific ideal sheaves, leading, under certain hypotheses, to a quite explicit description of the flip. We apply these ideas to various familiar moduli problems, recovering results of Kirwan, Boden-Hu, Bertram-Daskalopoulos- Wentworth, and the author. Along the way we display a chamber structure, following Duistermaat-Heckman, on the space of all linearizations. We also give a new, easy proof of the Bialynicki-Birula decomposition theorem.

alg-geom↗

arXiv1992

Stable pairs, linear systems and the Verlinde formula

We study the moduli problem of pairs consisting of a rank 2 vector bundle and a nonzero section over a fixed smooth curve. The stability condition involves a parameter; as it varies, we show that the moduli space undergoes a sequence of flips in the sense of Mori. As applications, we prove several results about moduli spaces of rank 2 bundles, including the Harder-Narasimhan formula and the SU(2) Verlinde formula. Indeed, we prove a general result on the space of sections of powers of the ideal sheaf of a curve in projective space, which includes the Verlinde formula.

alg-geom↗