Simpson filtration and oper stratum conjecture (Q2114202)

Let \(X\) be compact Riemann surface of genus \(g>1\), \(\mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}(X, r)\) be the coarse moduli space of semistable \(\lambda\)-flat bundles over \(X\) of fixed rank \(r\) with vanishing Chern class, called the Hodge moduli space. There is a natural fibration \(\pi: \mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}(X, r) \rightarrow \mathbb{C},\left(E, D^\lambda, \lambda\right) \mapsto \lambda\) such that the fiber \(\pi^{-1}(\lambda)=: \mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}^\lambda(X, r)\) is the coarse moduli space of semistable \(\lambda\)-flat bundles over \(X\) of rank \(r\) with vanishing Chern class. In particular, \(\pi^{-1}(0)=\mathbb{M}_{\text {Dol }}(X, r)\) the coarse moduli space of semistable Higgs bundles over \(X\) of rank \(r\) with vanishing Chern class, called the Dolbeault moduli space; \(\pi^{-1}(1)=\mathbb{M}_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\) the coarse moduli space of flat bundles over \(X\) of rank \(r\), called the de Rham moduli space, which is algebraically isomorphic to \(\mathbb{M}_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\) for any \(\lambda \neq 0\). There is a natural \(\mathbb{C}^*\)-action on \(\mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}(X, r)\) via \(t \cdot\left(E, D^\lambda, \lambda\right):=\left(E, t D^\lambda, t \lambda\right)\) for \(t \in \mathbb{C}^*\). Simpson showed that for each \(\left(E, D^\lambda, \lambda\right) \in \mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}(X, r)\), the limit \(\lim _{t \rightarrow 0} t \cdot\left(E, D^\lambda, \lambda\right)\) exists uniquely as a \(\mathbb{C}^*\)-fixed point lying in \(\mathbb{M}_{\text {Dol }}(X, r)\) [Zbl 1215.14037]. Let \(V(X, r)\) be the set of \(\mathbb{C}^*\)-fixed points, and \(V(X, r)=\coprod_\alpha V_\alpha\) the union of connected components. Then we have a stratification \(\mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}(X, r)=\coprod_\alpha G_\alpha\), where \(G_\alpha=\left\{\left(E, D^\lambda, \lambda\right) \in \mathbb{M}_{\text {Hod }}(X, r): \lim _{t \rightarrow 0} t \cdot\left(E, D^\lambda, \lambda\right) \in V_\alpha\right\}\). The restriction to the fiber \(\pi^{-1}(0)\) leads to the Bialynicki-Birula stratification of \(\mathbb{M}_{\text {Dol }}(X, r)\), and the restriction to the fiber \(\pi^{-1}(1)\) gives rises to the oper stratification of \(\mathbb{M}_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\). The main aim of the paper under review is to study the oper stratification of \(M_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\) (stable locus of \(\mathbb{M}_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\)). The authors proved that open dense stratum of \(M_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\) consisting of irreducible flat bundles such that the underlying vector bundles are stable is the unique maximal stratum with dimension \(2r^2(g-1)+2\), and the closed oper stratum of \(M_{\mathrm{dR}}(X, r)\) consisting of opers is the unique minimal stratum with dimension \(r^2(g-1)+g+1\). This gives a partially affirmative answer to a problem proposed by \textit{C. Simpson} [Contemp. Math. 522, 183--206 (2010; Zbl 1215.14037)].