Novikov homology, jump loci and Massey products (Q2248504)

Let \(X\) be a finite CW complex, and \(\rho :\pi_1(X)\to GL(l,\mathbb C)\) a representation. For any class \(\alpha \in H^1(X,\mathbb C)\) there is a deformation \(\gamma_t\) of \(\rho\) defined by \(\gamma_t(g):= e^{t<\alpha,g>}\rho(g)\). The authors obtain a spectral sequence starting from the cohomology groups of \(X\) with local coefficients in \(\rho\) and converging to the cohomology of \(X\) with coefficients in \(\gamma_t\) for generic \(t\). They compute the differentials of the spectral sequence in terms of Massey products. The spectral sequence degenerates in certain cases, in particular, when \(X\) is a Kähler manifold and \(\rho\) is semi-simple. In the case of a trivial representation it happens also when \(X\) is formal, by the work of \textit{P. Deligne} et al. [Invent. Math. 29, 245--274 (1975; Zbl 0312.55011)]. In the nontrivial case the notion of strongly formal space is required. The authors also relate the twisted Novikov Betti numbers to the Betti numbers of \(X\) in the coefficients in \(\gamma_t\).