A characterization of Inoue surfaces (Q2436071)

Let \(S\) be a compact \(C\)-analytic surface such that: (A) its first and second Betti numbers satisfy \(b_1(S)=1\) and \(b_2(S)=0\), respectively; (B) \(S\) contains no compact analytic curves. Then \textit{M. Inoue} [Invent. Math. 24, 269--310 (1974; Zbl 0283.32019)] (and independently Bombieri) explicitly exhibited 3 families of compact \(C\)-analytic surfaces, say \(\{\mathbb{S}_i\}\) with \(1\leq i\leq 3\), which are compact quotients of \(\mathbb{H}\times\mathbb{C}\) and which satisfy properties (A) and (B) above. Furthermore he established the following Main theorem. Let \(S\) be a compact \(C\)-analytic surface satisfying properties (A) and (B). Then \(S\) is biholomorphic to \(\mathbb{S}_i\) for some \(i\) iff \(S\) carries a line bundle, say \(\mathbb{F}\), such that \[ \dim H^0(S,(\Omega^1(\mathbb{F})))\neq 0. \] This answers a question raised by Kodaira regarding the existence of compact \(C\)-analytic surfaces of class VII\(_0\). In the literature, the \(\{\mathbb{S}_i\}\) are referred to as Inoue surfaces. In this paper, the author provides another characterization of Inoue surfaces from the standpoint of foliations, namely he establishes the following theorem. Let \(S\) be a (minimal) compact \(C\)-analytic surface such that \(a(S):=\) its algebraic dimension \(=0\). Assume that \(S\) admits an infinite cyclic covering \(\widehat S\) and a non-constant positive pluriharmonic function \(F\) on \(\widehat S\) such that \[ F\circ\phi=\lambda F \] for some positive \(\lambda\in\mathbb{R}\) and \(\phi\in\Aut(\widehat S)\). Then \(S\) is biholomorphic to an Inoue surface. As pointed out by the author, this result reduces to Inoue's Main Theorem by showing that \(c_2(S)= 0\). In fact the automorphic function \(F\) on \(\widehat S\) induces a real analytic map \[ f:= \log F: S\to\mathbb{S}^1:= \mathbb{R}/[\mathbb{Z},\log(\lambda)]. \] Then the regular fibres of \(f\) are smooth Levi-flat hypersurfaces in \(S\). However, \(f\) could acquire some singular fibers; one of the main task here is to show that such an alternative cannot occur and this is equivalent to the vanishing of the Euler characteristic \(c_2(S)\). As an application, the author completes the classification of compact (non-algebraic) \(C\)-analytic surfaces of Kähler rank one, introduced by \textit{R. Harvey} and \textit{H. B. Lawson, jun.} [Invent. Math, 74, 169--198 (1983; Zbl 0553.32008)]. It is known that (non-algebraic) elliptic surfaces and non-elliptic Hopf surfaces are of Kähler rank one. Using a result of \textit{I. Chiose} and \textit{M. Toma} [Am. J. Math. 135, No. 3, 851--860 (2013; Zbl 1279.32019)], a corollary of the above theorem completes the classification of Kähler rank one compact \(C\)-analytic surfaces.