Hypergeometric integrals and arrangements (Q1301987)

Let \(\mathcal A\) be an arrangement of hyperplanes in a complex affine space \(V\) and let \(M=V-\bigcup_{H\in\mathcal A}H\). Let \(\alpha_H\) be a defining equation of a hyperplane \(H\in\mathcal A\). Let \(\lambda_H\) be a complex number for each \(H\in\mathcal A\). Then \(\{\lambda_H\}\) gives a rank one local system \(\mathcal L\) over \(M\) with monodromy \(\exp(-2\pi i\lambda_H)\) around \(H\). Let \(\Phi=\prod_{H\in\mathcal A}\alpha_H^{\lambda_H}\). The classical hypergeometric integrals of Appell, Lauricella, Dirichlet and Selberg have the form \(\int_{\gamma}\Phi \eta\), where \(\eta\) is a \(p\)-form representing an element in the cohomology group \(H^p(M,\mathcal L)\) and \(\gamma\) is a \(p\)-cycle representing an element in the homology group \(H_p(M,\mathcal L^\vee)\)(\(\mathcal L^\vee\) is the dual of \(\mathcal L\)). This paper explains how those analytic objects \(H^p(M,\mathcal L)\) and topological object \(H_p(M,\mathcal L^\vee)\) can be calculated in a purely combinatorial manner from the arrangement \(\mathcal A\). The detailed exposition is in the monograph by \textit{P. Orlik} and \textit{H. Terao} [Arrangements and hypergeometric integrals, Mem. Jap. Math. Soc. (to appear)].