Numerically effective line bundles associated to a stable bundle over a curve. (Q1428215)

Let \(X\) be a compact connected Riemann surface of genus \(\geq 2\) and \(G\) a complex semisimple linear algebraic group. Let \(E\) be a flat principal \(G\)-bundle over \(X\) and \(\rho:\pi_1(X,x_0)\to G\) the monodromy of \(E\) (at \(x_0\in X\)). Let \(P\) be a parabolic subgroup of \(G\) and \(\chi:P\to \mathbb{C}^*\) a character such that the associated line bundle over \(G/P\) is ample. Since the projection \(E\to E/P\) defines a principal \(P\)-bundle, we have an associated line bundle \(L_\chi\) over \(E/P\). The authors show that if the image of \(\rho\) is contained and dense (with respect to the Euclidean topology) in a maximal compact subgroup \(K\) of \(G\) (this happens for a general \(\rho\in \Hom(\pi_1(X,x_0),K)\) for the compact-open topology) then \(c_1(t_\chi)^d= 0\), where \(d= \dim E/P\), but the restriction of \(L_\chi\) to any proper closed subvariety of \(E/P\) is ample. This generalizes a well-known example, due to D. Mumford, of a numerically effective non-ample line bundle on a surface. Mumford's example, which corresponds to the case \(G=\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})\), has been described by \textit{S. L. Kleiman} [Ann. Math. (2) 84, 293--344 (1966; Zbl 0146.17001)].