Symmetric obstruction theories and Hilbert schemes of points on threefolds (Q1005867)

The authors introduce symmetric obstruction theories, and compute the weighted Euler characteristic for schemes \(X\) that admit a \(\mathrm{G}_m\)-action and a compatible symmetric obstruction theory. They show that the weighted Euler characteristic is given by the formula \[ \tilde{\chi} (X) = \sum (-1)^{\mathrm{dim}T_{X\mid P}}, \] where the sum runs over the fixed points for the \(\mathrm{G}_m\)-action, where the fixed points are assumed finite and isolated. If the scheme \(X\) furthermore is projective, their formula above expresses the virtual count; the degree of the associated virtual fundamental class of \(X\). A scheme which is locally the critical locus of a regular function on a smooth manifold, have a canonical symmetric obstruction theory. An example of such a scheme is the Hilbert scheme \(\mathrm{Hilb}^nY\) of \(n\)-points on a smooth three-fold \(Y\). In the article it is shown that the weighted Euler characteristic of \(\mathrm{Hilb}^nY\), where \(Y\) is a smooth three-fold, is up to a sign, the ordinary Euler characteristic of \(\mathrm{Hilb}^nY\). For projective \(Y\) they then obtain the formula for the virtual count of \(\mathrm{Hilb}^nY\), as conjectured in [\textit{D. Maulik, N. Nekrasov, A. Okounkov} and \textit{R. Pandharipande}, Compos. Math. 142, No. 5, 1263--1285 (2006; Zbl 1108.14046)]