Moduli of representations of the fundamental group of a smooth projective variety. II (Q1805180)

[For part I of this paper see ibid. 79, 47-129 (1994; see the preceding review).] In this second part on moduli of representations of the fundamental group of a smooth projective variety the results of part I are applied to obtain the Betti moduli space \(\mathbf{M}_B(X,n)\) as a coarse moduli space for rank \(n\) representations of the fundamental group of the usual topological space \(X^{\text{top}}\) associated with the smooth complex variety \(X\). Also, the de Rham moduli space \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}(X,n)\) is constructed as a coarse moduli space for rank \(n\) vector bundles with integrable connection on \(X\), and finally, one has the Dolbeault moduli space \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{Dol}}(X,n)\) as a coarse moduli space for rank \(n\) semistable Higgs bundles on \(X\) with vanishing Chern classes in rational cohomology. There are various correspondences between the three types of objects, in particular, they are isomorphic as sets of points. Also, the relative cases \(X\rightarrow S\) are treated. This causes some difficulties for \(\mathbf{M}_B\) which can be solved by the introduction of local systems of schemes over a topological space. Parallel to the moduli spaces the so-called representation spaces \(\mathbf{R}_B(X,x,n)\), \(\mathbf{R}_{DR}(X,x,n)\) and \(\mathbf{R}_{\text{Dol}}(X,x,n)\) are constructed. These are fine moduli spaces classifying objects provided with a frame for the fiber over a base point \(x\in X\), where \(X\) is assumed to be connected. As the set of isomorphism classes of rank \(n\) representations of \(\pi_1(X)\) is the first non-abelian cohomology set \(H^1(X,\text{Gl}(n,{\mathbb C}))\), one is led to think of the underlying theory as a study of a non-abelian motive with Betti, de Rham and Dolbeault realizations. No \(\ell\)-adic or crystalline interpretations in characteristic \(p\) are available (for the moment). To define \(\mathbf{M}_B(X,n)\) one starts from a finitely generated group \(\Gamma\), and for fixed \(n\), one puts \(\mathbf{R}(\Gamma,n):=\Hom(\Gamma,\text{Gl}(n,{\mathbb C}))\). Then there is a universal categorical quotient \(\mathbf{R}(\Gamma,n)\rightarrow\text\textbf{M}(\Gamma,n)\) by the action of \(\text{Gl}(n,{\mathbb C})\). The scheme \(\mathbf{M}(\Gamma,n)\) is affine of finite type over \(\text{Spec}({\mathbb C})\). Its closed points represent the Jordan equivalence classes of representations. One puts \(\mathbf{M}_B(X,n):=\text\textbf{M}(\Gamma,n)\). One also writes \(\mathbf{R}_B(X,x,n):=\text\textbf{R}(\Gamma,n)\) for the Betti representation space. This does not depend on the choice of base point \(x\). Neither does \(\mathbf{M}_B(X,n)\). A local system of schemes over a topological space \(T\) is a functor from the category of \({\mathbb C}\)-schemes to the category of sets over \(T\) with suitable properties. This notion makes it possible to define a relative version \(\mathbf{M}_B(X/S,n)\) for \(X\rightarrow S\), \(S\) any \({\mathbb C}\)-scheme of finite type, such that the stalk of \(\mathbf{M}_B(X/S,n)_s\) over \(s\in S\) is just \(\mathbf{M}_B(X_s,n)\). For a section \(\xi:S\rightarrow X\) one obtains a local system of schemes \(\mathbf{R}_B(X/S,\xi,n)\). Let \(\mathbf{M}^{\natural}_B(X/S,n)\) denote the functor from \({\mathbb C}\)-schemes to sheaves of sets over \(S^{\text{an}}\) which associates to each scheme \(Y\) and each open set \(U\subset S^{\text{an}}\) the set of isomorphism classes of locally constant sheaves of free \(H^0(Y,{\mathcal O}_Y)\)-modules of rank \(n\) on \(f^{-1}(U)\), where \(f:X\rightarrow S\) is smooth and projective (with connected fibers). Then there is a map of functors \(\mathbf{M}_B^{\natural}(X/S,n)\rightarrow\text\textbf{M}_B(X/S,n)\). For any local system of schemes over \(S^{\text{an}}\) with natural transformation of functors \(\mathbf{M}_B^{\natural}(X/S,n)\rightarrow Z\), there is a unique factorization through a map \(\mathbf{M}_B(X/S,n)\rightarrow Z\). For smooth projective \(f:X\rightarrow S\) a Higgs sheaf on \(X\) is an \({\mathcal O}_X\)-coherent \(\Lambda^{\text{Higgs}}\)-module on \(X\), where \(\Lambda^{\text{Higgs}}= \text{Sym}^{\bullet}(T(X/S))\). For an \(S\)-scheme \(S'\), the functor \(\mathbf{M}^{\natural}_{\text{Higgs}}(X/S,P)\) associates to \(X'/S'\) the set of isomorphism classes of \(p\)-semistable Higgs sheaves \(E\) on \(X'\). It is universally corepresented by the moduli space \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{Higgs}}(X/S,P):=\text\textbf{M}(\Lambda^{\text{Higgs}},P)\). If \(P_0\) denotes the Hilbert polynomial of \({\mathcal O}_X\), \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{Dol}}^{\natural}(X/S,n)\) denotes the functor which associates to an \(S\)-scheme \(S'\) the set of isomorphism classes of \(p\)-semistable Higgs sheaves \(E\) on \(X'/S'\) with Hilbert polynomial \(nP_0\) such that the Chern classes \(c_i(E_s)\in H^{2i}(X_s,{\mathbb C})\) vanish for all closed points \(s\in S'\). It is universally corepresented by a scheme \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{Dol}}(X/S,n)\). For \(X\rightarrow S\) smooth projective the points of \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{Dol}}(X/S,n)\) correspond to direct sums of \(\mu\)-stable Higgs bundles with vanishing rational Chern classes on the fibers \(X_s\). Again for \(X\rightarrow S\) smooth projective, let \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}^{\natural}(X/S,n)\) be the functor which assigns to an \(S\)-scheme \(S'\) the set of isomorphism classes of vector bundles with integrable connection on \(X'/S'\) of rank \(n\), then there is a quasi-projective scheme \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}(X/S,n)\) which universally corepresents \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}^{\natural}(X/S,n)\). If \(\xi:S\rightarrow X\) is a section, there is a quasi-projective scheme \(\mathbf{R}_{DR}(X/S,n)\) representing the functor which assigns to \(S'\rightarrow S\) the set of isomorphism classes of vector bundles with integrable connection on \(X'/S'\) and frame \(\alpha:E_{|\xi(S')}\widetilde{\longrightarrow}{\mathcal O}_{S'}^n\) along the section. This depends on the section. One has the Riemann-Hilbert correspondence for the \(\mathbf{R}_B^{(\text{an})}\) and \(\mathbf{R}_{DR}^{\text{an}}\), and for \(\mathbf{M}_B^{(\text{an})}(X/S,n)\) and \({\mathbf M}_{DR}^{\text{an}}(X/S,n),\) similarly, for smooth projective \(X\rightarrow S\). Also, there is a homeomorphism \[ \mathbf{M}^{\text{top}}_{\text{Dol}}(X/S,n) \widetilde{\rightarrow}\text\textbf{M}_{DR}^{\text{top}}(X/S,n) \] for the topological spaces underlying the analytic spaces. As a corollary one gets the interesting result: Any representation of the fundamental group of a smooth projective variety can be deformed to one which comes from a complex variation of Hodge structure. One has a connection on \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}^{\text{an}}(X/S,n)\). It is shown, via a crystalline interpretation of integrable connections, that this comes from an algebraic connection on \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}(X/S,n)\). This can be considered as a non-abelian analogue of the Gauß-Manin connection. For a complex linear algebraic group \(G\), let \(\text{Rep}(G)\) be the tensor category of complex linear representations of \(G\). A morphism \(u:E\rightarrow F\) in the tensor category \(\text{Vect}(X)\) of vector bundles over \(X\) is called strict if \(\text{coker}(u)\) is locally free. For a principal right \(G\)-bundle \(P\) on \(X\), one has the functor \(\rho:\text{Rep}(G)\rightarrow\text{Vect}(X)\), \(\rho_P(V)=P\times^GV\). Then \(\rho_P\) is strict, exact and faithful, and actually, any such functor comes from a principal right \(G\)-bundle as described above. One defines principal Higgs bundles in a rather obvious way. Then, if \(\xi:S\rightarrow X\) is a section, the functor associating to \(S'\rightarrow S\) the set of pairs \((P,b)\) with \(P\) a principal Higgs bundle for the group \(G\) on \(X'=X\times_SS'\) over \(S'\), semistable with vanishing Chern classes, and \(b:S'\rightarrow\xi^*(P)\) a section over \(\xi\), is representable by a scheme \(\mathbf{R}_{\text{Dol}}(X/S,\xi,G)\), compatible with closed embeddings of groups \(G\hookrightarrow H\). A corresponding result holds for \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{Dol}}(X/S,G)\). Mutatis mutandis one has a scheme \(\mathbf{R}_{DR}(X/S,\xi,G)\). There are isomorphisms of complex analytic spaces \(\mathbf{R}_{DR}^{\text{ an}}(X/S,\xi,G){\buildrel\sim\over\rightarrow} \text\textbf{R}_B^{(\text{ an})}(X/S,\xi,G)\), and for reductive \(G\), \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}^{\text{ an}}(X/S,G) \widetilde{\rightarrow}\text\textbf{M}_B^{(\text{ an})}(X/S,G)\). Many other results on \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{ Dol}}\) and \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}\) are discussed. As a final result one can state: Let \(G\) be a reductive complex algebraic group, then any representation \(\pi_1(X,x)\rightarrow G\) of the fundamental group of a smooth projective variety \(X\) with base point \(x\) can be deformed into one coming from a complex variation of Hodge structure. Going over to Lie-algebras one may study the local properties and the deformation theory of the various \(\mathbf{R}\)'s and \(\mathbf{M}\)'s. The final section gives a nice result on the representations of the fundamental group of a Riemann surface of genus \(\geq 2\): Let \(X\) be a connected smooth projective curve of genus \(g\geq 2\). Then the moduli spaces \(\mathbf{M}_B(X,n)\), \(\mathbf{M}_{DR}(X,n)\) and \(\mathbf{M}_{\text{ Dol}}(X,n)\) are normal irreducible varieties of dimension \(2gn^2-2n^2+2\). The representation spaces \(\mathbf{R}_B(X,x,n)\), \(\mathbf{R}_{DR}(X,x,n)\) and \(\mathbf{R}_{\text{ Dol}}(X,x,n)\) are normal irreducible varieties of dimension \(2gn^2-n^2+1\).