Morse theory for the space of Higgs \(G\)-bundles (Q605074)

This paper about convergence of the Yang-Mills-Higgs gradient flow generalizes results of [\textit{G.~Wilkin}, Commun.\ Anal.\ Geom.\ 16, No.~2, 283--332 (2008; Zbl 1151.58010)] to Higgs principal bundles: Let \(G\) be a connected reductive linear algebraic group over \(C\), and \(K \) a fixed maximal compact subgroup of \(G\). For a fixed principal \(K \)-bundle \(E^0_K\), denote by \(E^0_G\) the associated principal \(G\)-bundle obtained by extending the structure group to \(G\). We define the elements of the space \(B_0\) to be pairs of a holomorphic structure on \(E^0_G\) and a \(C^\infty\) form of type \((1,0)\) with values in \(ad(E^0_G)\). As a matter of fact, the space \(B_0\) coincides with the total space of the cotangent bundle of the first factor. A pair \((\overline{\partial}_{E^0_G},\theta)\) in \(B_0\) is called a Higgs pair if \(\theta\) is holomorphic with respect to \(\overline{\partial}_{E^0_G}\). The Yang-Mills-Higgs functional is \(YMH_G(\overline{\partial}_{E^0_G}, \theta) :=\|K(\overline{\partial}_{E^0_G})+[\theta,\theta^*]\|^2\), where \(K\) means the curvature of the connection associated with the holomorphic structure. It is proven that the gradient flow of \(YMH_G\) preserves the subset of Higgs-\(G\)-bundles. The flow emanating from initial conditions \((\overline{\partial}_{E^0_G},\theta)\) in the space of Higgs pairs converges to a Higgs pair isomorphic to a pair that can be described without referring to the flow, combining the socle reduction with the Harder-Narasimhan reduction of \((\overline{\partial}_{E^0_G},\theta)\) .