Ghost classes in \({\mathbb{Q}} \)-rank two orthogonal Shimura varieties (Q2205601)

Let \(S = \Gamma\backslash X\) be a locally symmetric variety defined by a reductive algebraic group \(G\) over \(\mathbb{Q}\) (assume that the \(\mathbb{Q}\)-rank of \(G\ge1\) ), a Hermitian symmetric domain \(X\) associated with \(G(\mathbb{R})\), and a neat arithmetic subgroup \(\Gamma\subset G(\mathbb{Q})\). Let \(\mathbb{V}\) be the local system on \(S\) defined by a finite dimensional irreducible representation of \(G\). Then \(\mathbb{V}\) extends to the Borel-Serre compactification \(\overline{S}\) of \(S\). The Borel-Serre boundary \(\partial\overline{S}\) has a natural stratification. Let \(q\ge0\) be an integer. A \(q\)-ghost class in \(H^q(S,\mathbb{V})\) is a cohomology class whose restriction to \(\partial\overline{S}\) is non-zero, yet whose restriction to each stratum of \(\partial\overline{S}\) is zero. \textit{M. Harris} and \textit{S. Zucker} [Invent. Math. 116, No. 1--3, 243--308 (1994; Zbl 0860.11031)] have shown that the space of \(q\)-ghost classes carries a mixed Hodge structure and so Hodge theory should give strong constrains on the existence of ghost classes. For example, it is expected to be true that the weights of the \(q\)-ghost classes are \(\le q+wt(\mathbb{V})+1\), i.e. satisfy the `weak middle weight property'. Here \(wt(\mathbb{V})\) is the weight of the variation of Hodge structure defined by the local system \(\mathbb{V}\). In this paper, the authors, by applying mixed Hodge theory and Eisenstein cohomology, show that the ghost classes satisfy the weak middle weight property for \(G=GO(2, n)\). The author also provide a detailed study of the existence of the ghost classes in the cases \(n=4\) and \(n=5\) and prove the non-existence of ghost classes for most of the irreducible representations of \(GO(2,n), (n=4, 5)\).