Non vanishing loci of Hodge numbers of local systems (Q1003148)

The author proves a series of properties for the Hodge structure of local systems, generalizing earlier results of himself and other authors. For example: Let \(X\) be a quasi-projective complex manifold and \(\rho:\pi_1(X)\rightarrow U(N,\mathbb C)\) a character inducing a rank \(N\) local unitary system \(V_{\rho}\) on \(X\). The cohomology groups \(H^i(X,V_{\rho})\) support a canonical mixed Hodge structure and a Hodge filtration \(\dots\subset F^{p+1}H^n(V_\rho)\subset F^{p}H^n(V_\rho)\subset\dots\). Consider the family \({\mathcal W}=\{V_\rho\otimes L_\chi\,|\,\chi\in \text{ Hom}(\pi_1(X),S^1)\,\}\), where \(L_\chi\) is the rank one unitary local system induced by \(\chi\). The author describes for \(l\in\mathbb N\) the structure of the family \(S^{n,p}_l=\{W\in {\mathcal W}\,|\,\text{dim}F^pH^n(W)/F^{p+1}H^n(W)\geq l\,\}\) under the additional assumption that \(H^1(\overline{X},\mathbb C^*)=0\) for some non-singular compactification \(\overline{X}\) of \(X\). Assuming that \(H_1(X,\mathbb Z)\) is torsionfree and identifying the universal cover of the group Hom \((\pi_1(X),S^1)\) with the tangent space \(T\) at the neutral element , the universal covering map with the exponential map and the fundamental domain \({\mathcal U}\) of the \(\text{ Hom }(\pi_1(X),S^1)\)-action on \(T\) with the unit cube in \(T\) he proves that the family \(S^{n,p}_l\) is a finite union of polytopes in \({\mathcal U}\). The proof is based on a study of Deligne extensions of local systems on \(X\) to bundles on \(\overline{X}\) [\textit{P. Deligne}, Equations différentielles à points singuliers réguliers. Lecture Notes in Mathematics. 163. (Berlin-Heidelberg-New York): Springer-Verlag. (1970; Zbl 0244.14004)]. Another main result of the article deals with a local version of this setting: Let \({\mathcal X}\) be a germ of a complex space with isolated normal singularity such that the intersection of \({\mathcal X}\) with a sufficiently small sphere around the singularity is simply connected , and let \({\mathcal D}\) be a divisor on \({\mathcal X}\) with \(r\) irreducible components and \(X:={\mathcal X}\backslash {\mathcal D}\). The family of rank one local systems is then parametrized by the affine torus \(H^1(X,\mathbb C^*)=\mathbb C^{*r}\). The author proves that the characteristic varieties \[ S^n_l=\{\chi\in H^1({\mathcal X}\backslash{\mathcal D},\mathbb C^*)\,|\,\text{ dim }{\mathcal X}\backslash{\mathcal D},L_\chi)\geq l\,\}, 1\leq n\leq\text{dim }X, \] of \(({\mathcal X},{\mathcal D})\) have a decomposition as a finite union of subtori of \(H^1({\mathcal X}\backslash{\mathcal D},\mathbb C^*)\), translated by points of finite order. For the proof he uses a Mayer-Vietoris spectral sequence for the union of tori bundles on quasi-projective manifolds which degenerates in the term \(E_2\), and also the results of \textit{D. Arapura} [J. Algebr. Geom. 6, No. 3, 563--597 (1997; Zbl 0923.14010)] in the global Kähler setting. The author also introduces twisted characteristic varieties as a multivariable generalization of twisted Alexander polynomials. He uses these varieties to obtain information about the homology of non unitary local systems. Finally explicit calculations of the graded components of the Hodge filtration are given for several examples where \(X\) is the complement of an arrangement of hypersurfaces in \(\mathbb P^n, n\leq 3\).