Motivic degree zero Donaldson-Thomas invariants (Q1949224)

Let \(K_0(\mathrm{Var}_{\mathbb{C}})\) be the Grothendieck ring of the category of varieties over \(\mathbb{C}\), and let \(\mathbb{L}=[\mathbb{A}^1]\in K_0(\mathrm{Var}_{\mathbb{C}})\). The ring of motivic weights is defined by \[ \mathcal{M}_{\mathbb{C}}=K_0(\mathrm{Var}_{\mathbb{C}})[\mathbb{L}^{-\frac{1}{2}}]. \] There is a weight polynomial homomorphism \(W:\mathcal{M}_{\mathbb{C}}\to \mathbb{Z}[q^{\pm\frac{1}{2}}]\) defined by specializing the \(E\)-polynomial homomorphism. For smooth varieties \(W\) gives the Poincaré polynomial. Further specialization of the \(E\)-polynomial gives \(\chi: \mathcal{M}_{\mathbb{C}}\to \mathbb{Z}\) the compactly supported Euler characterisitc. We also use \(\mathcal{M}^{\hat{\mu}}_{\mathbb{C}}\) the \(\hat{\mu}\)-equivariant version of the ring of motive weights where \(\hat{\mu}\) is the group of roots of unity. Let \(f:X\to \mathbb{C}\) be a regular function on a smooth variety \(X\). Denef and Loeser defined the motivic vanishing cycle of \(f\) denoted by \([\phi]_f\in \mathcal{M}^{\hat{\mu}}_{\mathbb{C}}\) by using arc spaces. By means of motivic integration the vanishing cycle is expressed explicitly in terms of an embedded resolution of \(f\). The paper under review shows that there is natural virtual motive for \(Z\) the degeneracy locus of \(f\) given by the formula \[ [Z]_{\mathrm{vir}}=-\mathbb{L}^{-\frac{\dim X}{2}}[\phi]_f. \] The paper under review proves an important formula allowing one to effectively compute \([\phi]_f\) in the case that \(f\) is \(T\)-equivariant, where \(T\) is a torus acting on \(X\) satisfying certain conditions. The formula is \[ [\phi]_f=[f^{-1}(1)]-[f^{-1}(0)]\in \mathcal{M}_{\mathbb{C}} \subset \mathcal{M}^{\hat{\mu}}_{\mathbb{C}}. \] A crucial property of the virtual motive is that \(\chi([Z]_{\mathrm{vir}})\) is the Euler characteristic of \(Z\) weighted by Behrend's functions. If \(Z\) is proper and admits a perfect symmetric obstruction theory then \(\chi([Z]_{\mathrm{vir}})\) is the degree of the virtual cycle of \(Z\). An important example of this is when \(Z\) is the moduli space of sheaves on a projective Calabi-Yau threefold in which case \(\chi([Z]_{\mathrm{vir}})\) is the corresponding Donaldson-Thomas invariant. \([Z]_{\mathrm{vir}}\) is then called the motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariant. The main application in the paper under review is finding a closed formula for the virtual motive of the Hilbert scheme of points on a threefold \(X\). The essential calculation is carried out for the case \(X=\mathbb{C}^3\) which leads to the nice and closed formula: \[ \sum_{n=0}^\infty[\text{Hilb}^n(\mathbb{C}^3)]_{\mathrm{vir}}t^n=\prod_{m=1}^\infty\prod_{k=0}^{m-1}(1-\mathbb{L}^{k+2-m/2}t^m)^{-1}. \] For general \(X\) the formula for the virtual motive of \(\text{Hilb}^n(X)\) is deduced from the case \(X=\mathbb{C}^3\). The results of the paper can be used for the categorification of Donaldson-Thomas invariants.