On the torsion of the first direct image of a locally free sheaf (Q748352)

The author studies the torsion subsheaf of the first direct image of a proper holomorphic submersion between complex manifolds. Let \(\pi: M \to B\) be a proper surjective holomorphic submersion between complex manifolds. Let \(\mathcal E\) be a holomorphic bundle on \(M\). Consider the direct image \(R^k\pi_*(\mathcal E)\). The Grauert locally freeness theorem gives a condition under which \(R^k\pi_*(\mathcal E)\) is locally free. The author is interested in studying the torsion subsheaf of \(R^k\pi_*(\mathcal E)\) when this condition is not satisfied. In the paper, the case of \(k=1\) is studied under the assumption that \(R^0\pi_*(\mathcal E)=0\). Theorem 1.3 states that, under the above assumptions, the support of \(\mathrm{Tors}(R^1\pi_*(\mathcal E))\) coincides with the maximal pure \(1\)-codimensional analytic subset of \(B\) which is contained in the Brill-Noether locus \(\mathrm{BN}_\pi(\mathcal{E})\); in particular, it has pure codimension \(1\). This can be viewed also as a tool to prove the existence of divisors on a complex manifold. In case, \(\mathrm{BN}_\pi(\mathcal E)\) has codimension greater than or equal to \(2\), the Brill-Noether locus can be regarded as an obstruction to trivializing globally the torsion-free sheaf \(R^1\pi_*(\mathcal E)\) (Proposition 1.8). Explicit descriptions of \(\mathrm{Tors}(R^1\pi_*(\mathcal E))\) are given. In the case \(R^0\pi_*(\mathcal E)=0\), Theorem 2.5 identifies \(\mathrm{Tors}(R^1\pi_*(\mathcal E))\) with an inductive limit indexed by the ordered set of effective divisors of \(B\). A more general result is obtained in Theorem 3.5 by using formal algebraic homological techniques. The author studies some applications of the results: concerning the locus of points in the base of a generically versal family of complex surfaces where the family is non-versal; and concerning the computation of \(H^0(\mathrm{Tors}(R^1\pi_*(\mathcal{E})))\) in a situation related to classification of class VII surfaces.