One-forms on singular curves and the topology of real curve singularities (Q1813432)

The authors consider analytic germs \(C\) of reduced curves and meromorphic 1-forms \(\alpha\) on \(C\) whose restriction to each branch is not identically zero (called ``finite forms''). Then they introduce the vector spaces \[ R^ +(\alpha)=\omega_ C/\omega_ C\cap{\mathcal O}_ C\alpha,\quad R^ -(\alpha)={\mathcal O}_ c\alpha/\omega_ C\cap{\mathcal O}_ C\alpha \] \((\omega_ C\)=dualizing sheaf = module of Rosenlicht differentials on \(C\), i.e. the annihilator of \({\mathcal O}_ C\) under the residue pairing \[ \Omega^ 1_ C(*)\otimes{\mathcal O}_ C(*)\to\mathbb{C},\quad w,h\mapsto\text{Res}_ 0(hw) \] \(\Omega^ 1_ C(*)\) = meromorphic 1-forms, \({\mathcal O}_ C(*)\) = meromorphic functions). The residue pairing together with the isomorphism \(\Omega^ 1_ C(*)\simeq{\mathcal O}_ C(*)\) induced by \(\alpha\) gives perfect pairings \[ \psi^ \pm_ \alpha:R^ \pm(\alpha)\otimes R^ \pm(\alpha)\to\mathbb{C} \] (since \({\mathcal O}_ C\) is the annihilator of \(\omega_ C\) under the residue pairing). The one gets numerical invariants \(\rho(\alpha)=\dim R^ +(\alpha)-\dim R^ -(\alpha)\) and in case, when \((C,\alpha)\) is defined over \(\mathbb{R}\), the quadratic spaces \(R^ \pm(\alpha)\) have natural real forms and the signature of \(R^ \pm(\alpha)\) is defined. It is shown: \(\rho(\alpha)\) is constant under deformations (if \(\alpha\) on each fibre is induced from a given relative 1-form on the total space). A topological interpretation of \(\rho(\alpha)\) together with a result of \textit{V. I. Arnol'd} [Russ. Math. Surv. 34, No. 2, 1-42 (1979); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 34, No. 2, 3-38 (1979; Zbl 0405.58019)] gives a new proof of a result of \textit{R.-O. Buchweitz} and \textit{G.-U. Greuel} [Invent. Math. 58, 241-281 (1980; Zbl 0458.32014)] that for (good representatives of) small deformations of a germ of a curve \(\mu(C_ s)- \mu(C_ 0)=\chi(C_ s)-\chi(C_ 0)\). In the real case, the form \(\alpha\) induces orientations on each component of \(C\backslash\{0\}\) (``half-branches'') and it is shown \#\{outbound half branches\} \(-\#\{\text{ inbound half branches}\} = 2\text{sgn}(R^ +(\alpha))+2\text{sgn}/R^ -(\alpha))\) (``outbound/inbound'' means ``oriented toward/away from the origin 0 of the germ''). Thus, if \(C\subset(\mathbb{R}^ n,s)\) and \(\alpha=d\sum^ n_{i=1}x^ 2_ i\) the number of half branches is \(2\text{sgn}(R^ +(\alpha))\). It is shown that this generalizes a result of \textit{K. Aoki}, \textit{T. Fukuda}, and \textit{T. Nishimura} [Kodai Math. J. 9, 179-187 (1986; Zbl 0611.58010)].