Real algebraic differential forms on complex algebraic varieties (Q5935886)

For a nonsingular real algebraic variety \(M\) denote by \({\mathcal E}^i(M)\) (respectively \(d^i:{\mathcal E}^i(M)\rightarrow {\mathcal E}^{i+1}(M)\)) the vector space of complex-valued \(C^{\infty}\) differential \(i\)-forms (respectively the exterior derivative). The de Rham cohomology \(H_{\text{dR}}^i(M)\) of the differentiable manifold \(M\) is the homology \(h^i({\mathcal E}^.(M),d^.)\) of the \(C^{\infty}\) de Rham complex of \(M\). The vector subspaces \({\mathcal R}^i(M)\subseteq {\mathcal E}^i(M)\) of complex-valued real algebraic differential \(i\)-forms on \(M\) define \(({\mathcal R}^.(M),d^.)\), the real algebraic de Rham complex of \(M\). The inclusion \({\mathcal R}^i(M)\rightarrow {\mathcal E}^i(M)\) of vector spaces induces a map on homology \(\alpha ^i: h^i({\mathcal R}^.(M),d^.)\rightarrow H_{\text{dR}}^i(M)\). The \(i\)-th real algebraic de Rham cohomology group \(H_{\text{dR}}^i(M)_{\text{alg}}\) of the variety \(M\) is by definition im\((\alpha ^i)\). A de Rham cohomology class in \(H_{\text{dR}}^i(M)\) of \(M\) is said to be realizable by a real algebraic differential form if it is contained in \(H_{\text{dR}}^i(M)_{\text{alg}}\). The basic result of the paper is that for a non-singular quasiprojective complex algebraic variety \(X\) every de Rham cohomology class of the differentiable manifold \(X({\mathbb C})\) can be realized by a real algebraic differential form, i.e. \(H_{\text{dR}}^i(X({\mathbb C}))_{\text{alg}}=H_{\text{dR}}^i(X({\mathbb C}))\) for any integer \(i\). The author raises the question whether any harmonic differential \(i\)-form on \(X({\mathbb C})\) is real algebraic, i.e. whether \({\mathcal H}^i(X({\mathbb C}))\subseteq {\mathcal R}^i(X({\mathbb C}))\), and provides evidence that the answer should be affirmative.