Higgs bundles for the non-compact dual of the unitary group (Q351833)

The authors show that the connectedness of the moduli space of Higgs bundles for the non-compact dual of the unitary group over a compact Riemann surface. Let us be more precise. Let \(X\) be a compact Riemann surface of genus \(b\geq2\) and \({\mathcal M}_G\) be the moduli space of polystable \(G\)-Higgs bundles over \(X\). Let \(U^*(2n)\) be the subgroup of \(\text{GL}(2n,{\mathbb C})\) consisting in matrices \(M\) such that \(\bar M J_n= J_nM\) where \(J_n:=\begin{pmatrix} 0 & I_n \\ -I_n & 0 \end{pmatrix}\). Then, the image of \({\mathcal M}_{U^*(2n)}\) in \({\mathcal M}_{\text{GL}(2n,{\mathbb C})}\) is \({\mathcal M}_{\text{GL}(2n,{\mathbb R})}\) together a fixed point subvariety under the involution \((V,\phi)\mapsto (V^*,\phi^t)\) (where \(V\) is a holomorphic bundle on \(X\) and \(\phi\) is a section of \(\text{End}(V)\otimes K_X\)). Then, Morse-theoretic techniques, previously used by \textit{N. J. Hitchin} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 55, 59--126 (1987; Zbl 0634.53045)], allow the authors to prove that the moduli space \({\mathcal M}_{U^*(2n)}\) of \({U^*(2n)}\)-Higgs bundles over \(X\) is connected. It is worth citing a couple of papers where the connectedness problem for the subgroups \(U(p,q)\) and \(\text{GL}(2n,{\mathbb R})\) have been studied: [\textit{S. B. Bradlow, O. García -Prada} and \textit{P. B. Gothen}, J. Differ. Geom. 64, No. 1, 111--170 (2003; Zbl 1070.53054); Representations of surface groups in the general linear group. Publicaciones de la Real Sociedad Matemática Espaõla 7, 83--94 (2004; Zbl 1074.14010); \textit{N. J. Hitchin} [Topology 31, No. 3, 449--473 (1992; Zbl 0769.32008)].