Rationality of secondary classes (Q1126437)

Let \(X\) be a smooth complex projective variety, \(\rho\) a representation of \(\pi_1(X)\) in \(\text{SL}_2(\mathbb{C})\) and \(E_\rho\) the corresponding algebraic vector bundle of rank 2 over \(X\). The author proves that the second Chern class \(c_2(E_\rho)\) of \(E_\rho\) in the Deligne cohomology group \(H^4_D(X,\mathbb{Z}(2))\) is a torsion class. He also proves that, if Vol( ) denotes the Borel hyperbolic volume and \(M\) is a compact hyperbolic \(n\)-manifold, then any representation \(\mu\) of \(\pi_1(M)\) in \(\text{PSO}(1,n)\) satisfies the higher Milnor inequality \(\text{Vol}(\mu)\leq \text{Vol}(M)\). The same argument shows that, if \(M^3\) is a Seifert fibration and \(\rho\) a representation of \(\pi_1(X)\) in \(\text{SL}_2(\mathbb{C})\), then the Chern-Simons class \(\text{Ch }S(\rho)\) of \(\rho\) is rational. The author shows finally that \(\text{Ch }S(\rho)\) is also rational for \(M\) a compact arithmetic hyperbolic 3-manifold and \(\rho\) the defining representation of \(\pi_1(M)\) in \(\text{PSL}_2(\mathbb{C})\). The proofs involve rational algebraic \(K\)-theory, the homological finiteness of \(S\)-arithmetic groups, the existence theory of twisted harmonic maps and the Sin-Sampson-Carlson-Toledo rigidity theory.