The Boden-Hu conjecture holds precisely up to rank 8 (Q707435)

Let \(X\) be a smooth curve over an algebraically closed field. \textit{H. U. Boden} and \textit{Y. Hu} [Math. Ann. 301, 539--559 (1995; Zbl 0821.14007)] had studied variations of moduli spaces \(M^{\alpha}\) of parabolic bundles on \(X\) with variations in the parabolic weights \(\alpha\). For any weight \(\alpha\) and a generic weight \(\beta\) near \(\alpha\), there is a morphism \(f_{\beta}: M^{\beta} \to M^{\alpha}\), \(M^{\beta}\) is smooth. Boden and Hu conjectured that near every \(\alpha\), there is a generic \(\beta\) such that \(f_{\beta}\) is a small resolution, i.e. the locus where its fibres have dimension \(\geq d\) has codimension \(>d\) in \(M^{\alpha}\). Over the complex numbers, smallness of \(f_{\beta}\) implies that the intersection homology of \(M^{\alpha}\) equals the ordinary homology of \(M^{\beta}\) which has been calculated. The author considers the moduli spaces \(M^{\alpha}\) of semistable parabolic bundles of rank \(N\), parabolic degree \(0\), parabolic weights \(\alpha = (\alpha_1,\dots ,\alpha_N)\in {\mathbb R}^N\), \(0<\alpha_1<\dots <\alpha_N<1\), \(\sum\alpha_i =s\), \(s \in {\mathbb Z}_{>0},\) at a fixed point \(P\). He shows that the conjecture of Boden and Hu is true if one of the following holds: (1) \(N\leq 8\) (any \(s\)) (2) \(s\in \{1,2,N-2, N-1\}\) (3) \(s\in \{3, N-3\}\), \(N\leq 10\). He also gives counter-examples in all other cases. The proof uses Ext groups of parabolic bundles and combinatorial arguments. During the course of proof, the author gives the correct version of Theorem 4.5 of Boden and Hu.