Cohomology jump loci of 3-manifolds (Q2066285)

Let \(X\) be a finite connected CW-complex with fundamental group \(\pi\). The \textit{characteristic variety} \(\mathcal{V}_k^i (X)\) consist of the characters \(\rho :\pi \to \mathbb{C}^*\) for which the \(i\)-th homology group of \(X\) with coefficients the rank \(1\) local system defined by \(\rho\) has dimension \(\geq k\). Each \(a\in H^1 (X,\mathbb{C})\) determines via left multiplication a certain cochain complex \((H,a)\) and the classes \(a\) for which the \(i\)-th cohomology of \((H,a)\) has dimension \(\geq k\) form the \textit{resonance variety} \(\mathcal{R}_k^i (X)\). The author studies the geometry of these varieties and their interplay for closed orientable \(3\)-manifolds and link complements in \(\mathbb{S}^3\). In particular he obtains detailed results about characteristic and resonance varieties for connected sums of closed \(3\)-manifolds and graph manifolds. An important role in the analysis is played by the classical multivariable Alexander polynomial.