\(\mathbb P\)-objects and autoequivalences of derived categories (Q818012)

Let \(X\) be a smooth projective variety and \({\text{D}^b}(X)\) the bounded derived category of coherent sheaves on \(X\). \textit{P. Seidel} and \textit{R. Thomas} [Duke Math. J. 108, No. 1, 37--108 (2001; Zbl 1092.14025)] have studied spherical twists which are autoequivalences \(T_E\) of \({\text{D}^b}(X)\) associated to spherical objects \(E\in {\text{D}^b}(X)\). (Recall that \(E\in {\text{D}^b}(X)\) is spherical if \({\text{Ext}}^*(E,E)\) is isomorphic to \(H^*(S^n,{\mathbb C})\) and \(E\otimes \omega _X\cong E\)). In this paper, the authors define a \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-object as any object \(E\in {\text{D}^b}(X)\) such that \(E\otimes \omega _X\cong E\) and such that \({\text{Ext}}^*(E,E)\) is isomorphic as a graded ring to \(H^*(\mathbb{P}^n,\mathbb{C})\). If \(X\) admits a \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-object, then it follows that the dimension of \(X\) is \(2n\). To any \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-object, they associate the corresponding \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-twist \(P_E:{\text{D}^b}(X)\to {\text{D}^b}(X)\) which is an autoequivalence of \({\text{D}^b}(X)\). It is shown that \(\mathbb{P}^1\)-twists are just the square of the usual spherical twists. For \(n\geq 2\) however, \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-twists produce new autoequivalences of \({\text{D}^b}(X)\). When \(j:X:=\mathcal{X}_0\to \mathcal{X}\) is a distinguished fiber of a smooth family over a smooth curve \(\mathcal{X}\to C\), then any \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-object on \(X\) that does not deform sideways, corresponds to a spherical object \(j_*E\) on \(\mathcal{X}\) and the \(\mathbb{P}^n\)-twist \(P_E\) corresponds to the spherical twist \(T_{ j_*E}\).