Holomorphic de Rham complex (${\Omega }_M^{\bullet }$)

This complex has the sheaves ${\Omega }_M^p$ of holomorphic differential forms and differential $\partial$. By the holomorphic Poincaré lemma, it resolves the complex constant sheaf.

On a complex manifold, ${\Omega }_X^p$ is the sheaf of holomorphic degree-$p$ forms. It is the kernel of the Dolbeault operator on ${\mathcal{A}}^{p,0}$. The Dolbeault theorem computes its sheaf cohomology using smooth forms.

A differential form of type (p, q) of type $(p,0)$ is holomorphic when its local coefficients in holomorphic coordinates are holomorphic functions, equivalently $\bar{\partial }\alpha =0$. It need not be $d$-closed on every complex manifold. Top-degree holomorphic forms are closed by bidegree. On a compact complex surface, holomorphic forms of all degrees are closed, even without a Kähler metric.

On a compact complex manifold of complex dimension $n$, a holomorphic p-form on a complex manifold of degree $n$ is $d$-closed. The form $i^{n^2}\alpha \wedge \bar{\alpha }$ is a nonnegative volume density, positive wherever $\alpha \ne 0$: in holomorphic coordinates it equals $2^n|f{|}^{2}d{x}_1\wedge d{y}_1\wedge \cdots \wedge d{x}_n\wedge d{y}_n$ for $\alpha =fd{z}_1\wedge \cdots \wedge d{z}_n$. If $\alpha =d\beta$, its integral would vanish by the Stokes theorem, contradicting this positivity. No Kähler metric is needed.

The sheaf is ${\mathcal{Z}}_M^1=\ker (\partial :{\Omega }_M^1\to {\Omega }_M^2)$. The holomorphic Poincaré lemma gives $0\to \underline{\mathbb{C}}\to {\mathcal{O}}_M\stackrel{\partial }{\to }{\mathcal{Z}}_M^1\to 0$. On a compact complex surface its long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology yields $0\to H^0(M,{\Omega }_M^1)\to H^1(M,\mathbb{C})\to H^1(M,{\mathcal{O}}_M)$.

On a star-shaped holomorphic coordinate neighbourhood, a closed holomorphic differential form of positive degree has a holomorphic primitive. Radial integration gives the homotopy operator. This proves exactness of the holomorphic de Rham complex on stalks.

For a closed holomorphic one-form $\sum b_{k}d{z}_k$ on a polydisc, the displayed coordinate-path integral is a holomorphic function. Differentiating in $z_j$ gives the $k=j$ endpoint term; for $k>j$ use ${\partial }_j{b}_k={\partial }_k{b}_j$ and integrate that derivative. The resulting sum telescopes to $b_j(z)$. Thus $\partial F=\sum b_{k}d{z}_k$, giving an explicit degree-one proof of the holomorphic Poincaré lemma.