Direct images of vector bundles and connections (Q1728776)

Let \(X\) be an irreducible projective variety defined over an algebraically closed field \(k\). The first problem considered in the paper is: Given a vector bundle over \(X\), when is there an étale cover \(\beta: Y \to X\) (of degree greater than \(1\)) and a vector bundle \(F\) on \(Y\) such that \(E = \beta_*F\)? The authors show that the realisations \((\beta, F)\) of \(E\) as a direct image under an étale cover of \(X\) are in bijective correspondence with the torus subgroup-schemes of the adjoint bundle \(\mathrm{Ad}(E) = \mathrm{Aut}(E)\) of \(E\). Let \((E, \theta)\) be a Higgs bundle, \(\theta \in H^0(\mathrm{End}(E)\otimes \Omega_X)\) being the Higgs field. Since \(\beta^*\Omega_X = \Omega_Y\), a Higgs field on \(F\) induces a Higgs field on \(E = \beta_* F\). The authors prove that a Higgs field \(\theta\) on \(E\) is induced by a Higgs field on \(F\) if and only if the action of \(\mathcal{T}\) on \(H^0(\mathrm{End}(E)\otimes \Omega_X)\) fixes \(\theta\), where \(\mathcal{T}\) is the subgroup-scheme corresponding to \((\beta,F)\). Assume that \(X\) is smooth and \(E\) has a connection \(D\). Since \(\beta\) is étale, a connection on \(F\) induces a connection of \(\beta_*F = E\). On the other hand, the connection \(D\) on \(E\) induces one on \(\mathrm{Ad}(E)\). The authors prove that there is a connection on \(F\) inducing the connection \(D\) on \(E\) if and only if the subgroup-scheme \(\mathcal{T}\) is preserved by the connection on \(\mathrm{Ad}(E)\) induced by \(D\).