The virtual Hodge polynomials of nested Hilbert schemes and related varieties (Q1384618)

Let \(X\) be an \(r\)-dimensional smooth complex quasiprojective variety and denote the Hilbert scheme parametrizing zero-dimensional subschemes of length \(n\) of \(X\) by \(\text{Hilb}^nX\). A nested Hilbert scheme on \(X\) is defined to be a scheme of the form \[ Z_{\mathbf n}(X):=\{(Z_1, Z_2,\dots, Z_m) : Z_i \in \text{Hilb}^{n_i}X \] and \(Z_i\) is a subscheme of \(Z_j\) if \(i < j\},\) where the symbol \(\mathbf n\) is used as a shorthand for the \(m\)-tuple \((n_1, n_2,\dots,n_m)\). If \(({\mathcal U}_1, {\mathcal U}_2,\dots, {\mathcal U}_m)\) is the universal element over the nested Hilbert scheme \(Z_{\mathbf n}(X)\), we call the scheme \({\mathcal U}_1\times_{Z_{\mathbf n}(X)}{\mathcal U}_2 \times_{Z_{\mathbf n}(X)}\cdots \times_{Z_{\mathbf n}(X)} {\mathcal U}_m\) the universal family over \(Z_{\mathbf n}(X)\). \textit{J. Cheah} [J. Algebr. Geom. 5, No. 3, 479-511 (1996)], expressed the virtual Hodge polynomials of the smooth Hilbert schemes \(\text{Hilb}^n X\) in terms of that of \(X\). In the paper under review we indicate how the arguments of the cited paper can be modified to express the virtual Hodge polynomials of all the smooth nested Hilbert schemes (and those of their universal families when \(r\geq 2\)) in terms of that of \(X\). More generally, we obtain the virtual Hodge polynomials of the schemes \[ \begin{cases} \text{Hilb}^nX,\\ Z_{n-1,n}(X),\\ {\mathcal F}_n(X), \\ {\mathcal F}_{n-1,n}(X),\\ \{(P,Z_1,Z_2)\in X\times \text{Hilb}^{n-1}X\times \text{Hilb}^n X: \\ \qquad P \text{ lies in the support of }Z_2, Z_1 \text{ is a subscheme of }Z_2\} \\ \{(P, Q, Z) \in X \times X\times \text{Hilb}^nX: P \text{ and }Q\text{ lie in the support of }Z\}\end{cases}\tag{1} \] in terms of the virtual Hodge polynomial of \(X\) and those of the reduced schemes \[ \text{Hilb}^k (\mathbb{A}^r,0) = \{Z \in \text{Hilb}^k\mathbb{A}^r : Z\text{ is supported at the origin\}} \] and \[ {\mathcal Z}_{k-1,k}(\mathbb{A}^r, 0)=\{(Z_1, Z_2) \in \text{Hilb}^{k-1}(\mathbb{A}^r,0)\times \text{Hilb}^k(\mathbb{A}^r,0): Z_1\text{ is a subscheme of }Z_2\}. \] When \(r= 2\) or \(n\geq 3\), the virtual Hodge polynomials of the spaces listed in (1) can be given purely in terms of that of \(X\). Note that when \(r\geq 2\), this includes all the smooth nested Hilbert schemes \(Z_{\mathbf n}(X)\) and their universal families. If \(r = 1\), the schemes \(Z_{\mathbf n}(X)\) are products of symmetric powers of \(X\) and their virtual Hodge polynomials are easily determined using the formula for the virtual Hodge polynomials of symmetric powers given in the paper cited above. From the equations of virtual Hodge polynomials, we obtain for free analogous equations of virtual Poincaré polynomials and Euler characteristics. In fact, since the Euler characteristics of the spaces \(\text{Hilb}^k(\mathbb{A}^r,0)\) and \({\mathcal Z}_{k-1,k}(\mathbb{A}^r,0)\) can be expressed in terms of the numbers of certain higher dimensional partitions, the Euler characteristics of the schemes listed in (1) are expressible in terms of these numbers and the Euler characteristic of \(X\). If \(X\) is projective, we also obtain formulae giving the Hodge (resp. Poincaré) polynomials of the smooth nested Hilbert schemes in terms of that of \(X\).