Linking numbers and boundaries of varieties

DOI10.2307/121114MaRDI QIDQ1972071zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors John Wermer, Herbert J. Alexander

Publication date 3 September 2000

Published in Annals of Mathematics. Second Series (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0008033, https://eudml.org/doc/122672, http://www.math.princeton.edu/~annals/issues/2000/151_1.html

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Integration on analytic sets and spaces, currents (32C30) Differential topology (57R99) Other operations on complex singularities (32S70)

Abstract: The intersection index at a common point of two analytic varieties of complementary dimensions in $Bbb{C}^n$ is positive. This observation, which has been called a ``cornerstone of algebraic geometry ([GH, p.~62]), is a simple consequence of the fact that analytic varieties carry a natural orientation. Recast in terms of linking numbers, it is our principal motivation. It implies the following: Let $M$ be a smooth oriented compact 3-manifold in $Bbb{C}^3$. Suppose that $M$ bounds a bounded complex 2-variety $V$. Here ``bounds means, in the sense of Stokes' theorem, i.e., that $b[V]=[M]$ as currents. Let $A$ be an algebraic curve in $Bbb{C}^3$ which is disjoint from M. Consider the linking number $mlink(M,A)$ of $M$ and $A$. Since this linking number is equal to the intersection number (i.e. the sum of the intersection indices) of $V$ and $A$, by the positivity of these intersection indices, we have $mlink(M,A)geq0$. The linking number will of course be 0 if $V$ and $A$ are disjoint. (As $A$ is not compact, this usage of ``linking number will be clarified later.) This reasoning shows more generally that $mlink(M,A)geq0$ if $M$ bounds a positive holomorphic 2-chain. Recall that a {it holomorphic $k$-chain} in $OmegasubseteqBbb{C}^n$ is a sum $sum{n}_j[V_j]$ where $V_j$ is a locally finite family of irreducible $k$-dimensional subvarieties of $Omega$ and $n_{j}inBbbZ$ and that the holomorphic 2-chain is {it positive} if $n_j>0$ for all $j$. Our first result is that, conversely, the nonnegativity of the linking number characterizes boundaries of positive holomorphic 2-chains.

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