Canonical filtrations and stability of direct images by Frobenius morphisms. II (Q2518205)

This paper is a continuation of the earlier paper ``Canonical filtrations and stability of direct images by Frobenius morphisms'' by the same authors [Tohoku Math. J. 60 No. 2, 287--301 (2008; Zbl 1201.14030)] and deals with the question under what conditions the Frobenius direct image of a semistable vector bundle is again semistable. The (semi)stability of Frobenius direct images of vector bundles on curves has been studied exhaustively by \textit{H. Lange} and \textit{C. Pauly} [Comment. Math. Helv. 83, No. 1, 179--209 (2008; Zbl 1147.14017)], \textit{V. Mehta} and \textit{C. Pauly} [Bull. Soc. Math. Fr. 135, No. 1, 105--117 (2007; Zbl 1201.14021)], \textit{X. Sun} [\url{arxiv:math.AG/0608043} (2006); Invent. Math. 173, No. 2, 427--447 (2008; Zbl 1195.14060)] and the authors [loc. cit.]. Now let \(X\) be a nonsingular projective surface over an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic, let \(F=F_X\) denote the absolute Frobenius morphism, let \(H\) be a numerically positive divisor on \(X\), and let \(\mathcal{E}\) be a vector bundle that is semistable with respect to \(H\). Is then \(F_* \mathcal{E}\) semistable with respect to \(H\)? In their previous paper [loc. cit.], the authors have studied this question for line bundles. In the present paper, certain vector bundles of higher rank are considered, with the following main result (Theorem~3.1): Let \(X\), \(H\) be as above. Assume that \(|mH|\) is base-point free and contains a nonsingular member for sufficiently large integers \(m\). Assume moreover that \(\Omega_X\) is semistable with respect to \(H\) and that \(K_X H>0\), where \(\Omega_X\) is the cotangent bundle and \(K_X\) is the canonical divisor on \(X\). Then \(F_* (\mathcal{L} \otimes \Omega_X)\) is semistable with respect to \(H\) for any line bundle \(\mathcal{L}\) on \(X\). It follows from this and from the results on line bundles that under the same assumptions, the de Rham complex \((F_* \Omega_X^{\bullet})\) of \(X\) consists of semistable vector bundles with respect to H. The second main result (Theorem 3.3) says that moreover, the images of both differentials in the de Rham complex are semistable. The proofs of both Theorem 3.1 and Theorem 3.3 make use of canonical filtrations and canonical connections. These techniques have been developed by \textit{K. Joshi} et al. [Compos. Math. 142, 616--630 (2006; Zbl 1101.14049)], \textit{N. M. Katz} [Inst. Hautes Etudes Sci. Publ. Math. No. 39, 175--232 (1970; Zbl 0221.14007)], \textit{X. Sun} [loc. cit.] and the authors [loc. cit.] and are recalled in Section 2 of the paper.