Virtual classes of parabolic \(\operatorname{SL}_2(\mathbb{C})\)-character varieties (Q2180904)

Let \(\Sigma_g\) be the closed orientable surface of genus \(g\) and \(Q\) a parabolic structure on \(\Sigma_g\). In this paper, the author completes his study of the virtual classes of the \(\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})\)-character varieties of \((\Sigma_g,Q)\) by considering the case where there are parabolic points of semi-simple type. More precisely, let \({\mathfrak X}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q)\) denote the representation variety of \((\Sigma_g,Q)\) and \({\mathcal R}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q):={\mathfrak X}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q)//\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})\) the corresponding character variety. Now let \(\operatorname{K\mathbf{Var}}_{\mathbb C}\) be the Grothendieck ring of complex algebraic varieties and \(\operatorname{\widetilde{K}\mathbf{Var}}_{\mathbb C}\) the localisation of this ring with respect to the multiplicative set generated by \(q\), \(q+1\) and \(q-1\), where \(q\) is the class of \({\mathbb C}\) in \(\operatorname{K\mathbf{Var}}_{\mathbb C}\). Then the author computes explicitly the virtual class of \({\mathfrak X}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q)\) in \(\operatorname{\widetilde{K}\mathbf{Var}}_{\mathbb C}\) when there is at least one parabolic point with semi-simple holonomy and possibly some additional parabolic points with holonomy of Jordan type \(J_+\) (Theorem 5.6). From this, he deduces a formula for the virtual class of \({\mathcal R}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q)\), valid for all holonomies (Theorem 6.1). Character varieties have been much studied in recent years by both arithmetic and geometric methods. Both methods have limitations when there are parabolic points. In his thesis, the author developed a method involving TQFTs to avoid these limitations and used this method to compute the classes of \({\mathfrak X}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q)\) and \({\mathcal R}_{\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})}(\Sigma_g,Q)\) in \(\operatorname{K\mathbf{MHS}}\) where the punctures are of Jordan type or type \(-\operatorname{Id}\). Here, \(\operatorname{K\mathbf{MHS}}\) is the Grothendieck ring of the category of mixed Hodge structures. (The relevant part of the author's et al. [Bull. Sci. Math. 161, Article ID 102871, 33 p. (2020; Zbl 1441.57031)]). However, there are new complications when parabolic points of semi-simple type are involved. In particular, the ``core submodule'' constructed by the author is no longer invariant under the TQFT. Moreover, if the punctures are non-generic, a new interaction phenomenon arises. These problems are addressed in the current paper. In section 2, the author sketches the construction of the TQFT mentioned above together with a modification which allows computations in \(\operatorname{\widetilde{K}\mathbf{Var}}_{\mathbb C}\). The key section 3 is concerned with \(\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})\)-representation varieties and is preliminary to the computation of the geometric TQFT in section 4. The interaction phenomenon is described in section 5, culminating in Theorem 5.6. Section 6 is directed towards proving Theorem 6.1. The author comments that there is much work still to be done in extending his results to groups other than \(\operatorname{SL}_2({\mathbb C})\) and to more general spaces, for example singular and non-orientable surfaces or knot complements.