GKM-sheaves and nonorientable surface group representations

Sheaf cohomology in algebraic topology (55N30) Equivariant homology and cohomology in algebraic topology (55N91) Groups acting on specific manifolds (57S25)

Abstract: Let T be a compact torus and X a nice compact T-space (say a manifold or variety). We introduce a functor assigning to X a "GKM-sheaf" F_X over a "GKM-hypergraph" G_X. Under the condition that X is equivariantly formal, the ring of global sections of F_X are identified with the equivariant cohomology, H_T^*(X; C). We show that GKM-sheaves provide a general framework able to incorporate numerous constructions in the GKM-theory literature. In the second half of the paper we apply these ideas to study the equivariant topology of the representation variety R_K := Hom(pi_1(S), K) under conjugation by K, where S is a nonorientable surface and K is a compact connected Lie group. We prove that R_{SU(3)} is equivariantly formal for all S and compute its equivariant cohomology. . We also produce conjectural betti number formulas for some other Lie groups.

Review text

In the paper under review a functor is defined which assigns to a finite \(T\)-CW-complex \(X\) a GKM-sheaf \(\mathcal{F}_X\) over a GKM-hypergraph \(\Gamma_X\). For equivariantly formal spaces the ring of global sections of \(\mathcal{F}_X\) is isomorphic to the equivariant cohomology of \(X\). Several sheaf-theoretic constructions are described which build new GKM-sheaves out of a GKM sheaf. This includes push-forwards, external tensor products, induction and convolution of GKM-sheaves. It is indicated how GKM-sheaves provide a general framework for several constructions in the GKM-theory literature. For example monodromy sheaves are defined, which were inspired by the work [\textit{V. Guillemin} and \textit{T. S. Holm}, Int. Math. Res. Not. 2004, No. 40, 2105--2124 (2004; Zbl 1138.53315)] on GKM manifolds with non-isolated fixed points. \textit{T. Braden} and \textit{R. MacPherson} [Math. Ann. 321, No. 3, 533--551 (2001; Zbl 1077.14522)] introduced the notion of a pure \(\Gamma\)-sheaf \(\mathcal{M}\) over a moment graph. For many complex projective varieties \(X\) the equivariant intersection cohomology is the space of global sections of the \(\Gamma\)-sheaf associated to \(X\). In the paper under review it is shown that for every pure \(\Gamma\)-sheaf \(\mathcal{M}\) there is a GKM sheaf \(\mathcal{M}'\) such that \(H^0(\mathcal{M})\cong H^0(\mathcal{M}')\). In the second part of the paper the above ideas are used to study representation varieties \(\mathcal{R}_K=\text{Hom}(\pi_1(\Sigma),K)\), where \(\Sigma\) is a non-orientable surface and \(K\) is a compact connected Lie group. For \(K=SU(3)\) it is shown that the \(K\)-action on \({R}_K\) given by conjugation is equivariantly formal for all \(\Sigma\). Moreover the equivariant cohomology ring of this space is computed.

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