arXiv subjects

Stefan Papadima

Publications and source records attributed to Stefan Papadima.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Homological finiteness in the Johnson filtration of the automorphism group of a free group

We examine the Johnson filtration of the (outer) automorphism group of a finitely generated group. In the case of a free group, we find a surprising result: the first Betti number of the second subgroup in the Johnson filtration is finite. Moreover, the corresponding Alexander invariant is a non-trivial module over the Laurent polynomial ring. In the process, we show that the first resonance variety of the outer Torelli group of a free group is trivial. We also establish a general relationship between the Alexander invariant and its infinitesimal counterpart.

math.GR↗

arXiv2012

The abelianization of the Johnson kernel

We prove that the first complex homology of the Johnson subgroup of the Torelli group $T_g$ is a non-trivial unipotent $T_g$-module for all $g\ge 4$ and give an explicit presentation of it as a $\Sym H_1(T_g,\C)$-module when $g\ge 6$. We do this by proving that, for a finitely generated group $G$ satisfying an assumption close to formality, the triviality of the restricted characteristic variety implies that the first homology of its Johnson kernel $K$ is a nilpotent module over the corresponding Laurent polynomial ring, isomorphic to the infinitesimal Alexander invariant of the associated graded Lie algebra of $G$. In this setup, we also obtain a precise nilpotence test.

math.GR↗

arXiv2010

Quasi-Kähler groups, 3-manifold groups, and formality

In this note, we address the following question: Which 1-formal groups occur as fundamental groups of both quasi-Kähler manifolds and closed, connected, orientable 3-manifolds. We classify all such groups, at the level of Malcev completions, and compute their coranks. Dropping the assumption on realizability by 3-manifolds, we show that the corank equals the isotropy index of the cup-product map in degree one. Finally, we examine the formality properties of smooth affine surfaces and quasi-homogeneous isolated surface singularities. In the latter case, we describe explicitly the positive-dimensional components of the first characteristic variety for the associated singularity link.

math.AG↗

arXiv2009

Universal representations of braid and braid-permutation groups

Drinfel'd used associators to construct families of universal representations of braid groups. We consider semi-associators (i.e., we drop the pentagonal axiom and impose a normalization in degree one). We show that the process may be reversed, to obtain semi-associators from universal representations of 3-braids. We view braid groups as subgroups of braid-permutation groups. We construct a family of universal representations of braid-permutation groups, without using associators. All representations in the family are faithful, defined over $\bbQ$ by simple explicit formulae. We show that they give universal Vassiliev-type invariants for braid-permutation groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2009

Geometric and algebraic aspects of 1-formality

Formality is a topological property, defined in terms of Sullivan's model for a space. In the simply-connected setting, a space is formal if its rational homotopy type is determined by the rational cohomology ring. In the general setting, the weaker 1-formality property allows one to reconstruct the rational pro-unipotent completion of the fundamental group, solely from the cup products of degree 1 cohomology classes. In this note, we survey various facets of formality, with emphasis on the geometric and algebraic implications of 1-formality, and its relations to the cohomology jump loci and the Bieri-Neumann-Strebel invariant. We also produce examples of 4-manifolds W such that, for every compact Kähler manifold M, the product M\times W has the rational homotopy type of a Kähler manifold, yet M\times W admits no Kähler metric.

math.AT↗

arXiv2009

The spectral sequence of an equivariant chain complex and homology with local coefficients

We study the spectral sequence associated to the filtration by powers of the augmentation ideal on the (twisted) equivariant chain complex of the universal cover of a connected CW-complex X. In the process, we identify the d^1 differential in terms of the coalgebra structure of H_*(X,\k), and the \kπ_1(X)-module structure on the twisting coefficients. In particular, this recovers in dual form a result of Reznikov, on the mod p cohomology of cyclic p-covers of aspherical complexes. This approach provides information on the homology of all Galois covers of X. It also yields computable upper bounds on the ranks of the cohomology groups of X, with coefficients in a prime-power order, rank one local system. When X admits a minimal cell decomposition, we relate the linearization of the equivariant cochain complex of the universal abelian cover to the Aomoto complex, arising from the cup-product structure of H^*(X,\k), thereby generalizing a result of Cohen and Orlik.

math.AT↗

arXiv2009

Bieri-Neumann-Strebel-Renz invariants and homology jumping loci

We investigate the relationship between the geometric Bieri-Neumann-Strebel-Renz invariants of a space (or of a group), and the jump loci for homology with coefficients in rank 1 local systems over a field. We give computable upper bounds for the geometric invariants, in terms of the exponential tangent cones to the jump loci over the complex numbers. Under suitable hypotheses, these bounds can be expressed in terms of simpler data, for instance, the resonance varieties associated to the cohomology ring. These techniques yield information on the homological finiteness properties of free abelian covers of a given space, and of normal subgroups with abelian quotients of a given group. We illustrate our results in a variety of geometric and topological contexts, such as toric complexes and Artin kernels, as well as Kähler and quasi-Kähler manifolds.

math.GR↗

arXiv2009

Algebraic monodromy and obstructions to formality

Given a fibration over the circle, we relate the eigenspace decomposition of the algebraic monodromy, the homological finiteness properties of the fiber, and the formality properties of the total space. In the process, we prove a more general result about iterated group extensions. As an application, we obtain new criteria for formality of spaces, and 1-formality of groups, illustrated by bundle constructions and various examples from low-dimensional topology and singularity theory.

math.AT↗

arXiv2009

Finite Galois covers, cohomology jump loci, formality properties, and multinets

We explore the relation between cohomology jump loci in a finite Galois cover, formality properties and algebraic monodromy action. We show that the jump loci of the base and total space are essentially the same, provided the base space is 1-formal and the monodromy action in degree 1 is trivial. We use reduced multinet structures on line arrangements to construct components of the first characteristic variety of the Milnor fiber in degree 1, and to prove that the monodromy action is non-trivial in degree 1. For an arbitrary line arrangement, we prove that the triviality of the monodromy in degree 1 can be detected in a precise way, by resonance varieties.

math.AG↗

arXiv2009

Topology and geometry of cohomology jump loci

We elucidate the key role played by formality in the theory of characteristic and resonance varieties. We define relative characteristic and resonance varieties, V_k and R_k, related to twisted group cohomology with coefficients of arbitrary rank. We show that the germs at the origin of V_k and R_k are analytically isomorphic, if the group is 1-formal; in particular, the tangent cone to V_k at 1 equals R_k. These new obstructions to 1-formality lead to a striking rationality property of the usual resonance varieties. A detailed analysis of the irreducible components of the tangent cone at 1 to the first characteristic variety yields powerful obstructions to realizing a finitely presented group as the fundamental group of a smooth, complex quasi-projective algebraic variety. This sheds new light on a classical problem of J.-P. Serre. Applications to arrangements, configuration spaces, coproducts of groups, and Artin groups are given.

math.AT↗

arXiv2008

Toric complexes and Artin kernels

A simplicial complex L on n vertices determines a subcomplex T_L of the n-torus, with fundamental group the right-angled Artin group G_L. Given an epimorphism χ\colon G_L\to \Z, let T_L^χbe the corresponding cover, with fundamental group the Artin kernel N_χ. We compute the cohomology jumping loci of the toric complex T_L, as well as the homology groups of T_L^χwith coefficients in a field \k, viewed as modules over the group algebra \k\Z. We give combinatorial conditions for H_{\le r}(T_L^χ;\k) to have trivial \Z-action, allowing us to compute the truncated cohomology ring, H^{\le r}(T_L^χ;\k). We also determine several Lie algebras associated to Artin kernels, under certain triviality assumptions on the monodromy \Z-action, and establish the 1-formality of these (not necessarily finitely presentable) groups.

math.AT↗

arXiv2007

Formality, Alexander invariants, and a question of Serre

We elucidate the key role played by formality in the theory of characteristic and resonance varieties. We show that the I-adic completion of the Alexander invariant of a 1-formal group G is determined solely by the cup-product map in low degrees. It follows that the germs at the origin of the characteristic and resonance varieties of G are analytically isomorphic; in particular, the tangent cone to V_k(G) at 1 equals R_k(G). This provides new obstructions to 1-formality. A detailed analysis of the irreducible components of the tangent cone at 1 to the first characteristic variety yields powerful obstructions to realizing a finitely presented group as the fundamental group of a smooth, complex quasi-projective algebraic variety. This sheds new light on a classical problem of J.-P. Serre. Applications to arrangements, configuration spaces, coproducts of groups, and Artin groups are given.

math.AT↗

arXiv2007

Characteristic varieties of nilpotent groups and applications

We compute the characteristic varieties and the Alexander polynomial of a finitely generated nilpotent group. We show that the first characteristic variety may be used to detect nilpotence. We use the Alexander polynomial to deduce that the only torsion-free, finitely generated nilpotent groups with positive deficiency are $\Z$ and $\Z^2$, extending a classical result on nilpotent link groups.

math.AT↗

arXiv2007

On the monodromy action on Milnor fibers of graphic arrangements

We analyze the monodromy action, over the rationals, on the first homology group of the Milnor fiber, for arbitrary subarrangements of Coxeter arrangements. We propose a combinatorial formula for the monodromy action, involving Aomoto complexes in positive characteristic. We verify the formula, in cases A, B and D.

math.AG↗

arXiv2007

Alexander polynomials: Essential variables and multiplicities

We explore the codimension one strata in the degree-one cohomology jumping loci of a finitely generated group, through the prism of the multivariable Alexander polynomial. As an application, we give new criteria that must be satisfied by fundamental groups of smooth, quasi-projective complex varieties. These criteria establish precisely which fundamental groups of boundary manifolds of complex line arrangements are quasi-projective. We also give sharp upper bounds for the twisted Betti ranks of a group, in terms of multiplicities constructed from the Alexander polynomial. For Seifert links in homology 3-spheres, these bounds become equalities, and our formula shows explicitly how the Alexander polynomial determines all the characteristic varieties.

math.AG↗

arXiv2007

Non-finiteness properties of fundamental groups of smooth projective varieties

For each integer n\ge 2, we construct an irreducible, smooth, complex projective variety M of dimension n, whose fundamental group has infinitely generated homology in degree n+1 and whose universal cover is a Stein manifold, homotopy equivalent to an infinite bouquet of n-dimensional spheres. This non-finiteness phenomenon is also reflected in the fact that the homotopy group π_n(M), viewed as a module over Zπ_1(M), is free of infinite rank. As a result, we give a negative answer to a question of Koll'ar on the existence of quasi-projective classifying spaces (up to commensurability) for the fundamental groups of smooth projective varieties. To obtain our examples, we develop a complex analog of a method in geometric group theory due to Bestvina and Brady.

math.AG↗

arXiv2007

Algebraic invariants for Bestvina-Brady groups

Bestvina-Brady groups arise as kernels of length homomorphisms from right-angled Artin groups G_\G to the integers. Under some connectivity assumptions on the flag complex Δ_\G, we compute several algebraic invariants of such a group N_\G, directly from the underlying graph \G. As an application, we give examples of Bestvina-Brady groups which are not isomorphic to any Artin group or arrangement group.

math.GR↗

arXiv2006

Quasi-Kähler Bestvina-Brady groups

A finite simple graph \G determines a right-angled Artin group G_\G, with one generator for each vertex v, and with one commutator relation vw=wv for each pair of vertices joined by an edge. The Bestvina-Brady group N_\G is the kernel of the projection G_\G \to \Z, which sends each generator v to 1. We establish precisely which graphs \G give rise to quasi-Kähler (respectively, Kähler) groups N_\G. This yields examples of quasi-projective groups which are not commensurable (up to finite kernels) to the fundamental group of any aspherical, quasi-projective variety.

math.AG↗