Higher direct images of dualizing sheaves. II (Q1084143)

Applying the results found in part I of this paper [ibid. 123, 11-42 (1986; Zbl 0598.14015)] the author has shown that the higher direct images \({\mathcal R}^ if_*\omega_ x\) of dualizing sheaves for a projective morphism \(f: X\to Y\) is obtained as the upper-canonical extension of the variation of Hodge structures \({\mathcal R}^ jf^ 0_*{\mathbb{C}}_{X^ 0}\), if f is smooth outside a normal crossing divisor on Y. Further he obtains a decomposition theorem: \(R^{\bullet}f_*\omega_ x\cong \sum R^ if_*\omega [-i],\quad and\) studies the relation to the perverse sheaves \(P^{\bullet}(R^ jf^ 0_*{\mathbb{C}}_{X^ 0}).\) In the last section, he discusses some conjectures arising on geometric variations of Hodge structures, which seem to be solved by the work of \textit{Morihiko Saito} [cf. ''Modules de Hodge polarisables'', preprint, Res. Inst. Math. Sci. (Kyoto)].