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Richard A. Wentworth

Publications and source records attributed to Richard A. Wentworth.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2022

A Donaldson-Uhlenbeck-Yau theorem for normal varieties and semistable bundles on degenerating families

In this paper, we first prove a Donaldson-Uhlenbeck-Yau theorem over projective normal varieties smooth in codimension two. As a consequence we deduce the polystability of (dual) tensor products of stable reflexive sheaves, and we give a new proof of the Bogomolov-Gieseker inequality, along with a precise characterization of the case of equality. This also improves several previously known algebro-geometric results on normalized tautological classes. We study the limiting behavior of semistable bundles over a degenerating family of projective normal varieties. In the case of a family of stable vector bundles, we study the degeneration of the corresponding HYM connections and these can be characterized from the algebro-geometric perspective. In particular, this proves another version of the singular Donaldson-Uhlenbeck-Yau theorem for the normal projective varieties in the central fiber. As an application, we apply the results to the degeneration of stable bundles through the deformation to projective cones, and we explain how our results are related to the Mehta-Ramanathan restriction theorem.

math.AG↗
arXiv2022

A Meyer-Vietoris formula for the determinant of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator on Riemann surfaces

This paper presents a Meyer-Vietoris type gluing formula for a conformal invariant of a Riemannian surface with boundary that is defined by the determinant of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator. The formula is used to bound the asymptotics of the invariant under degeneration. It is shown that the associated height function on the moduli space of hyperbolic surfaces with geodesic boundary is proper only in genus zero. Properness implies a compactness theorem for Steklov isospectral metrics in the case of genus zero. The formula also provides asymptotics for the determinant of the Laplacian with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions. For the proof, we derive an extension of Kirchhoff's weighted matrix tree theorem for graph Laplacians with an external potential.

math.DG↗
arXiv2022

Complex Chern--Simons bundles in the relative setting

Complex Chern-Simons bundles are line bundles with connection, originating in the study of quantization of moduli spaces of flat connections with complex gauge groups. In this paper we introduce and study these bundles in the families setting. The central object is a functorial direct image of characteristic classes of vector bundles with connections, for which we develop a formalism. Our strategy elaborates on Deligne-Elkik's intersection bundles, and a refined Chern-Simons theory which parallels the use of Bott-Chern classes in Arakelov geometry. In the context of moduli spaces, we are confronted with flat relative connections on families of Riemann surfaces. To be able to rely on the functorial approach, we prove canonical extension results to global connections, inspired by the deformation theory of harmonic maps in non-abelian Hodge theory. The relative complex Chern-Simons bundle $\mathcal{L}_{CS}$ is then defined as a functorial direct image of the second Chern class on the relative moduli space of flat vector bundles. We establish the crystalline nature of $\mathcal{L}_{CS}$, and the existence of a holomorphic extension of natural metrics from Arakelov geometry. The curvature of $\mathcal{L}_{CS}$ can be expressed in terms of the Atiyah-Bott-Goldman form, in agreement with the classical topological approach. To highlight a few applications, we first mention a characterization of projective structures of Riemann surfaces in terms of connections on intersection bundles. In particular, we settle a conjecture of Bertola-Korotkin-Norton on the comparison between the Bergman and the Bers projective structures. This is the problem of determining the accessory parameters of quasi-Fuchsian uniformizations. A conjecture of Cappell-Miller is also established, to the effect that their holomorphic torsion satisfies a Riemann-Roch formula.

math.AG↗
arXiv2021

Compactness for $Ω$-Yang-Mills connections

On a Riemannian manifold of dimension $n$ we extend the known analytic results on Yang-Mills connections to the class of connections called $Ω$-Yang-Mills connections, where $Ω$ is a smooth, not necessarily closed, $(n-4)$-form. Special cases include $Ω$-anti-self-dual connections and Hermitian-Yang-Mills connections over general complex manifolds. By a key observation, a weak compactness result is obtained for moduli space of smooth $Ω$-Yang-Mills connections with uniformly $L^2$ bounded curvature, and it can be improved in the case of Hermitian-Yang-Mills connections over general complex manifolds. A removable singularity theorem for singular $Ω$-Yang-Mills connections on a trivial bundle with small energy concentration is also proven. As an application, it is shown how to compactify the moduli space of smooth Hermitian-Yang-Mills connections on unitary bundles over a class of balanced manifolds of Hodge-Riemann type. This class includes the metrics coming from multipolarizations, and in particular, the Kaehler metrics. In the case of multipolarizations on a projective algebraic manifold, the compactification of smooth irreducible Hermitian-Yang-Mills connections with fixed determinant modulo gauge transformations inherits a complex structure from algebro-geometric considerations.

math.DG↗
arXiv2021

The nonabelian Hodge correspondence for balanced hermitian metrics of Hodge-Riemann type

This paper extends the nonabelian Hodge correspondence for Kaehler manifolds to a larger class of hermitian metrics on complex manifolds called balanced of Hodge-Riemann type. Essentially, it grows out of a few key observations so that the known results, especially the Donaldson-Uhlenbeck-Yau theorem and Corlette's theorem, can be applied in our setting. Though not necessarily Kaehler, we show that the Sampson-Siu Theorem proving that harmonic maps are pluriharmonic remains valid for a slightly smaller class by using the known argument. Special important examples include those balanced metrics arising from multipolarizations.

math.DG↗
arXiv2018

Analytic cycles, Bott-Chern forms, and singular sets for the Yang-Mills flow on Kaehler manifolds

It is shown that the singular set for the Yang-Mills flow on unstable holomorphic vector bundles over compact Kaehler manifolds is completely determined by the Harder-Narasimhan-Seshadri filtration of the initial holomorphic bundle. We assign a multiplicity to irreducible top dimensional components of the singular set of a holomorphic bundle with a filtration by saturated subsheaves. We derive a singular Bott-Chern formula relating the second Chern form of a smooth metric on the bundle to the Chern current of an admissible metric on the associated graded sheaf. This is used to show that the multiplicities of the top dimensional bubbling locus defined via the Yang-Mills density agree with the corresponding multiplicities for the Harder-Narasimhan-Seshadri filtration. The set theoretic equality of singular sets is a consequence.

math.DG↗
arXiv2016

Flat line bundles and the Cappell-Miller torsion in Arakelov geometry

In this paper, we extend Deligne's functorial Riemann-Roch isomorphism for hermitian holomorphic line bundles on Riemann surfaces to the case of flat, not necessarily unitary connections. The Quillen metric and star-product of Gillet-Soule are replaced with complex valued logarithms. On the determinant of cohomology side, the idea goes back to Fay's holomorphic extension of determinants of Dolbeault laplacians, and it is shown here to be equivalent to the holomorphic Cappell-Miller torsion. On the Deligne pairing side, the logarithm is a refinement of the intersection connections considered in previous work. The construction naturally leads to an Arakelov theory for flat line bundles on arithmetic surfaces and produces arithmetic intersection numbers valued in ${\mathbb C}/πi {\mathbb Z}$. In this context we prove an arithmetic Riemann-Roch theorem. This realizes a program proposed by Cappell-Miller to show that the holomorphic torsion exhibits properties similar to those of the Quillen metric proved by Bismut, Gillet and Soule. Finally, we give examples that clarify the kind of invariants that the formalism captures; namely, periods of differential forms.

math.DG↗
arXiv2015

A symplectic analog of the Quot scheme

We construct a symplectic analog of the Quot scheme that parametrizes the torsion quotients of a trivial vector bundle over a compact Riemann surface. Some of its properties are investigated.

math.AG↗
arXiv2015

Deligne pairings and families of rank one local systems on algebraic curves

For smooth families of projective algebraic curves, we extend the notion of intersection pairing of metrized line bundles to a pairing on line bundles with flat relative connections. In this setting, we prove the existence of a canonical and functorial "intersection" connection on the Deligne pairing. A relationship is found with the holomorphic extension of analytic torsion, and in the case of trivial fibrations we show that the Deligne isomorphism is flat with respect to the connections we construct. Finally, we give an application to the construction of a meromorphic connection on the hyperholomorphic line bundle over the twistor space of rank one flat connections on a Riemann surface.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

Gluing formulas for determinants of Dolbeault laplacians on Riemann surfaces

We present gluing formulas for zeta regularized determinants of Dolbeault laplacians on Riemann surfaces. These are expressed in terms of determinants of associated operators on surfaces with boundary satisfying local elliptic boundary conditions. The conditions are defined using the additional structure of a framing, or trivialization of the bundle near the boundary. An application to the computation of bosonization constants follows directly from these formulas.

math.DG↗
arXiv2011

Cohomology of U(2,1) representation varieties of surface groups

In this paper we use the Morse theory of the Yang-Mills-Higgs functional on the singular space of Higgs bundles on Riemann surfaces to compute the equivariant cohomology of the space of semistable U(2,1) and SU(2,1) Higgs bundles with fixed Toledo invariant. In the non-coprime case this gives new results about the topology of the U(2,1) and SU(2,1) character varieties of surface groups. The main results are a calculation of the equivariant Poincare polynomials, a Kirwan surjectivity theorem in the non-fixed determinant case, and a description of the action of the Torelli group on the equivariant cohomology of the character variety. This builds on earlier work for stable pairs and rank 2 Higgs bundles.

math.DG↗
arXiv2010

Morse theory and stable pairs

We study the Morse theory of the Yang-Mills-Higgs functional on the space of pairs $(A,Φ)$, where $A$ is a unitary connection on a rank 2 hermitian vector bundle over a compact Riemann surface, and $Φ$ is a holomorphic section of $(E, d_A")$. We prove that a certain explicitly defined substratification of the Morse stratification is perfect in the sense of $\G$-equivariant cohomology, where $\G$ denotes the unitary gauge group. As a consequence, Kirwan surjectivity holds for pairs. It also follows that the twist embedding into higher degree induces a surjection on equivariant cohomology. This may be interpreted as a rank 2 version of the analogous statement for symmetric products of Riemann surfaces. Finally, we compute the $\G$-equivariant Poincaré polynomial of the space of $τ$-semistable pairs. In particular, we recover an earlier result of Thaddeus. The analysis provides an interpretation of the Thaddeus flips in terms of a variation of Morse functions.

math.DG↗
arXiv2010

Cohomology of SL(2,C) character varieties of surface groups and the action of the Torelli group

We determine the action of the Torelli group on the equivariant cohomology of the space of flat SL(2,C) connections on a closed Riemann surface. We show that the trivial part of the action contains the equivariant cohomology of the even component of the space of flat PSL(2,C) connections. The non-trivial part consists of the even alternating products of degree two Prym representations, so that the kernel of the action is precisely the Prym-Torelli group. We compute the Betti numbers of the ordinary cohomology of the moduli space of flat SL(2,C) connections. Using results of Cappell-Lee-Miller we show that the Prym-Torelli group, which acts trivially on equivariant cohomology, acts non-trivially on ordinary cohomology.

math.GT↗
arXiv2006

Energy of Twisted Harmonic Maps of Riemann Surfaces

The energy of harmonic sections of flat bundles of nonpositively curved (NPC) length spaces over a Riemann surface $S$ is a function $E_ρ$ on Teichmüller space $\Teich$ which is a qualitative invariant of the holonomy representation $ρ$ of $π_1(S)$. Adapting ideas of Sacks-Uhlenbeck, Schoen-Yau and Tromba, we show that the energy function $E_ρ$ is proper for any convex cocompact representation of the fundamental group. More generally, if $ρ$ is a discrete embedding onto a normal subgroup of a convex cocompact group $Γ$, then $E_ρ$ defines a proper function on the quotient $\Teich/Q$ where $Q$ is the subgroup of the mapping class group defined by $Γ/ρ(π_1(S))$. When the image of $ρ$ contains parabolic elements, then $E_ρ$ is not proper. Using the recent solution of Marden's Tameness Conjecture, we show that if $ρ$ is a discrete embedding into $\SLtC$, then $E_ρ$ is proper if and only if $ρ$ is quasi-Fuchsian. These results are used to prove that the mapping class group acts properly on the subset of convex cocompact representations.

math.DG↗
arXiv2005

Eigenvalues of Products of Unitary Matrices and Lagrangian Involutions

This paper introduces a submanifold of the moduli space of unitary representations of the fundamental group of a punctured sphere with fixed local monodromy. The submanifold is defined via products of involutions through Lagrangian subspaces. We show that the moduli space of Lagrangian representations is a Lagrangian submanifold of the moduli of unitary representations.

math.GT↗