Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 15 4 c Solution 2026-10-14
Use both Kähler identities from the preceding parts, so that and . For odd operators , write . Direct expansion givesSince , we obtainTogether with part (b), this proves the full Kähler Laplacian identity
Now take the exact form . Being -exact, it is orthogonal to the harmonic space, so , and it is also -closed. Choose for the Dolbeault Green operator of the Dolbeault Laplacian. Commutation gives . ThereforeSuppose also , and put , . The mixed identities and giveThus is harmonic for the Dolbeault Laplacian. By the Kähler Laplacian identity it is also -harmonic and hence . But it is -exact, soConsequently : the form is -closed.
For every harmonic form of the same bidegree as , . Harmonic spaces for the two Dolbeault Laplacians coincide, so has no -harmonic component. Apply the version of the Dolbeault Hodge decomposition. Since is -closed, it has no -coexact component either. Thus , with . We conclude the requested ddbar lemma:For example is a choice, since the same Green operator serves . If or , the relevant negative-bidegree space is zero and the argument forces . Compactness, the absence of boundary and the Kähler condition are essential to this global harmonic argument.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 15 4 Solution 2026-10-14
The Hermitian metric induces pointwise Hermitian inner products on the exterior powers of the complex cotangent bundle, with different bidegrees orthogonal, and a positive volume form . Thus the global inner product on smooth differential forms of type isLet be the formal adjoint of the Dolbeault operator, defined by integration by parts, and let . This Dolbeault Laplacian preserves bidegree, is elliptic and nonnegative, and hasOn a compact Hermitian manifold without boundary, the Dolbeault Hodge decomposition on a compact Hermitian manifold says that the smooth harmonic space is finite-dimensional andMore precisely, there are the orthogonal harmonic projection and a Dolbeault Green operator taking smooth forms to smooth forms, with on harmonics and . Elliptic regularity ensures these are statements about smooth forms, not only completions. The Green operator commutes with and , since the Laplacian does and its inverse is unique on the orthogonal complement of the kernel.
Expanding givesThe three summands are orthogonal: harmonic forms are killed by both adjoints, and . If is -closed, its coexact component is orthogonal to every closed form; taking its inner product with shows that component has norm zero. Conversely the first two components are closed. Thus , with out-of-range form spaces taken to be zero.