Topology of character varieties and representations of quivers (Q2269659)

Let \(\mathcal{C}_{\mu}=(\mathcal{C}_1,\dots ,\mathcal{C}_k)\) be an ordered \(k\)-tuple of semi-simple conjugacy classes in \(G=\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{C})\) where \(\mu=(\mu_1,\dots ,\mu_k)\) and \(\mu_i\) is the vector of multiplicities of the eigenvalues of any representative from \(\mathcal{C}_i\). Let \((A,B,X)\) denote \((A_1,B_1,\dots ,A_g,B_g, X_1,\dots ,X_k)\in G^{2g}\times \mathcal{C}_{\mu}\). Define \[ \mathcal{M}_{\mu}=\left\{(A,B,X)\in G^{2g}\times \mathcal{C}_{\mu}\;|\;\prod_{1\leq i\leq g}A_iB_iA^{-1}_iB^{-1}_i=\left(\prod_{1\leq i\leq k}X_i\right)^{-1}\right\}/\!\!/G, \] to be the \(\mathcal{C}_\mu\)-relative \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{C})\)-character variety of a genus \(g\) surface with \(k\) punctures. In like fashion, let \(\mathcal{O}_{\mu}=(\mathcal{O}_1,\dots ,\mathcal{O}_k)\) be an ordered \(k\)-tuple of semi-simple conjugacy classes in \(\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{gl}_n(\mathbb{C})\) where \(\mu=(\mu_1,\dots ,\mu_k)\) and \(\mu_i\) is the vector of multiplicities of the eigenvalues of any representative from \(\mathcal{O}_i\). Let \((A,B,X)\) denote \((A_1,B_1,\dots ,A_g,B_g, X_1,\dots ,X_k)\in \mathfrak{g}^{2g}\times \mathcal{O}_{\mu}\). Define \[ \mathcal{Q}_{\mu}=\left\{(A,B,X)\in \mathfrak{g}^{2g}\times \mathcal{O}_{\mu}\;|\;\sum_{1\leq i\leq g}(A_iB_i-B_iA_i)=-\sum_{1\leq i\leq k}X_i\right\}/\!\!/G, \] to be the \(\mathcal{O}_\mu\)-relative \(\mathfrak{gl}_n(\mathbb{C})\)-quiver variety associated to a comet-shaped quiver with \(g\) loops at a central vertex \(v_0\) (the comet's head), and with \(k\) disjoint directed paths ending at \(v_0\) (the comet's tail); the number of vertices of the \(i^{\mathrm{th}}\) path relates to the number of components of \(\mu_i\). In both cases the algebraic action defining the quotient is simultaneous conjugation by \(G\). \textit{P. Deligne} [``Théorie de Hodge. III'', Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 44, 5--77 (1974; Zbl 0237.14003)] showed that a complex variety \(X\) admits an increasing weight filtration \(W_0\subset\cdots\subset W_{2j}\) of its rational cohomology \(\mathrm{H}^j(X;\mathbb{Q})\), and a decreasing Hodge filtration \(F^{0}\supset\cdots\supset F^{m+1}\) of its complex cohomology \(\mathrm{H}^j(X;\mathbb{C})\) such that \[ W_l\otimes\mathbb{C}/W_{l-1}\otimes\mathbb{C}=F^p(W_l\otimes\mathbb{C}/W_{l-1}\otimes\mathbb{C})\oplus\overline{F^{l-p+1}(W_l\otimes\mathbb{C}/W_{l-1} \otimes\mathbb{C})}. \] This allows one to define the mixed Hodge numbers for every \(\mathrm{H}^j(X;\mathbb{C})\) by \[ h^{p,q;j}(X):=\mathrm{dim}_{\mathbb{C}}(F^p(W_{p+q}\otimes\mathbb{C}/W_{p+q-1}\otimes \mathbb{C})/F^{p+1}(W_{p+q}\otimes\mathbb{C}/W_{p+q-1}\otimes\mathbb{C})). \] Using relative cohomology one can define compactly supported cohomology \(\mathrm{H}^j_c(X;\mathbb{C})\), and respectively, compactly supported mixed Hodge numbers \(h^{p,q;j}_c(X)\). Subsequently define the compactly supported mixed Hodge polynomial \[ H_c(X;x,y,t)=\sum h_c^{p,q;j}(X)x^py^qt^j, \] the compactly supported Poincaré polynomial \(P_c(X;t)=H_c(X;1,1,t),\) and the \(E\)-polynomial \(E(X;x,y)=H_c(X;x,y,-1)\). In their paper ``Arithmetic harmonic analysis on character and quiver varieties'', arXiv:0810.2076v2, the authors show: 1. If \(\mathcal{C}_\mu\), respectively \(\mathcal{O}_\mu\), satisfies a genericity condition (which they explicitly define), then \(\mathcal{M}_\mu\) and respectively \(\mathcal{Q}_\mu\), if non-empty, are non-singular varieties with all irreducible components having the same dimension \({\displaystyle d_\mu=n^2(2g-2+k)-\sum_{1\leq i\leq k}\mu_i\cdot\mu_i +2}\). 2. \(E(\mathcal{M}_\mu;\sqrt{q},\sqrt{q})=q^{d_\mu/2}\mathbb{H}_\mu(1/\sqrt{q},\sqrt{q}),\) where \[ \mathbb{H}_\mu(z,w)=(z^2-1)(1-w^2)\langle \mathrm{Log}\Omega(z,w),h_\mu\rangle, \] \(h_\mu\) is a defined symmetric function, \(\langle\;,\;\rangle\) is a pairing called the \textit{extended Hall pairing}, \(\mathrm{Log}\) is the inverse to a described formal exponential, and \(\Omega(z,w)\) is a specified function called the \textit{k-point genus g Cauchy function}. 3. If all parts of the partitions \(\mu_1,\dots ,\mu_k\) are simultaneously relatively prime, then \[ P_c(\mathcal{Q}_\mu;\sqrt{q})=E(\mathcal{Q}_\mu;\sqrt{q},\sqrt{q})= q^{d_\mu/2}\mathbb{H}_\mu(0,\sqrt{q}). \] It is the purpose of this paper to announce, without proof, results expected in a sequel to the above paper. Here are some highlights: 1. The number of isomorphism classes of absolutely indecomposable comet-shaped quiver representations over a finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\) is \(\mathbb{H}_\mu(0,\sqrt{q})\). 2. \(\mathcal{M}_\mu\) is connected, if non-empty, for generic \(\mathcal{C}_\mu\). 3. If \(g=1\) and \(\mu=(n-1,1)\), then \(\mathcal{M}_\mu\) has the same mixed Hodge polynomial as the Hilbert scheme of \(n\) points on \(\mathbb{C}^*\times \mathbb{C}^*\). Lastly, the authors discuss old and new conjectures related to these results, and geometric interpretations of both.