Constructible complex of sheaves 2026-10-14
A bounded complex is constructible for a given stratification when each of its cohomology sheaves restricts to a finite-rank local system on every stratum. Constructibility concerns cohomology sheaves, not an arbitrary choice of resolution.
Gauss–Manin connection 2026-10-14
The flat connection on the complexified fibre-cohomology local system differentiates cohomology classes using topological parallel transport. For a smooth proper holomorphic family, relative de Rham cohomology identifies it with the connecting morphism obtained by retaining one base differential in the absolute de Rham complex.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 iii Paper 22 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
All cohomology below has rational coefficients. First describe the incidence space geometrically. The image of is , inside . For a line , choosing a plane containing is equivalent to choosing the line in . If is the tautological line bundle on , thenThis is the projective bundle of a rank-three quotient bundle, with fibre . Local frames of the quotient bundle give local product charts. In particular is an oriented real six-dimensional manifold.
For , the intersection is exactly a line, so is a single point and the inverse map is . The intersection line varies continuously, indeed holomorphically, wherever its dimension is constant: in local Grassmannian charts it is the kernel of a matrix of constant rank, whose kernel bases can be chosen locally. Thus is an isomorphism over the open stratum. At the remaining point,Set , a derived direct image of sheaves. The proper base change for sheaves theorem identifies its derived stalks with the cohomology complexes of the fibres. Consequently is the constant rational sheaf in degree zero on , andThe cohomology sheaves are therefore finite-rank local systems on the two strata, with no other nonzero degrees. This proves that is a constructible complex of sheaves and verifies normalization. The open stratum has real dimension six, so the isolated point has codimension six. Its middle perversity is , and the intersection-complex support and cosupport axioms require stalk vanishing in degrees above two. The fibre calculation verifies the support axiom, as well as vanishing in negative degrees.
For an oriented real six-dimensional manifold, Verdier duality gives . For a proper map, Verdier duality commutes with derived direct image. Applying these statements here yieldsThe duality identity converts this intoHere is the costalk, and dualization of rational complexes reverses degrees. Thus its only nonzero groups are in degrees four and six. In particular they vanish for , which is precisely the cosupport axiom at this isolated six-dimensional singularity. The uniqueness characterization by constructibility, normalization, support and cosupport now identifies with the unshifted intersection complex of . Taking hypercohomology, and using the composition of derived global sections with , givesFinally apply the fibration result allowed in the question to . Its base is the simply connected complex projective line, its fibre is the Complex projective plane, and the projective-bundle charts above verify the fibration hypothesis. Hence, as graded rational vector spaces,The resulting Betti numbers and Poincaré polynomial areThis uses with . No assertion that an arbitrary projective fibration has the product cohomology ring is needed.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 21 5 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
A pure integral variation of Hodge structure of weight on a complex manifold consists of a local system of finite-rank free abelian groups and a decreasing filtration by holomorphic subbundlesEach fibre, with this filtration and the conjugation from its integral lattice, must be a Hodge structure of weight with locally constant Hodge numbers. The local system gives a flat connection : in a locally constant frame it differentiates the coefficient functions. The filtration must satisfy Griffiths transversality,A polarized variation additionally has a locally constant integral bilinear form which polarizes every fibre. Flatness means . A collection of fibrewise Hodge decompositions without a holomorphic filtration or the transversality condition is not yet a variation of Hodge structure.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 21 5 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Here a smooth family is understood as a smooth proper family of compact complex manifolds: is a proper holomorphic submersion, with compact Kähler fibres. Properness and compactness are essential for the usual statement. Indeed, the projection is a holomorphic submersion with Kähler fibres, but its fibres are for and for . Their first Betti numbers are zero and one, so their cohomology cannot give a fixed-rank variation. This supplies a counterexample if “smooth family” is read without the usual proper compact-fibre hypothesis. The Ehresmann fibration theorem gives local differentiable trivializations, sois a local system with fibre . Its associated flat bundle has the Gauss–Manin connection, given by differentiating cohomology classes in topologically constant frames.
The Kähler Hodge decomposition givesThe Betti numbers are locally constant by differentiable triviality. The dimensions of are upper semicontinuous, and their sums for fixed equal the fixed Betti number. Near any fixed fibre, every summand can only decrease, while their sum cannot change; hence none decreases. Thus the Hodge numbers are locally constant. The relative de Rham complex and the Grauert base change theorem then makethe fibres of holomorphic subbundles . More intrinsically these are the images of the hypercohomology of the truncated relative de Rham complex in the full relative de Rham cohomology. Kähler degeneration of the spectral sequence ensures that these images have the required ranks.
For the transversality proof, let denote the ideal in the absolute holomorphic de Rham complex generated by two pulled-back base one-forms. Keeping zero or one base differential gives a short exact sequence of cochain complexes, with the usual shifted differential in the left-hand complexThe connecting morphism in degree is the Gauss–Manin connectionTo compute it, lift a relative de Rham cocycle to the middle complex, apply the absolute differential, and retain the terms with one base differential. A cocycle in filtration degree can be represented using absolute forms of degree at least . In a term containing one base differential, removing that factor leaves a relative form of degree at least . The connecting construction therefore lands in :This is the filtration shift behind Griffiths transversality. It explains the inequality rather than merely naming a theorem. The unfiltered construction agrees with topological parallel transport by the de Rham comparison, and its square is zero, as required for the flat connection.
Consequently the fibre cohomology gives a pure variation of Hodge structure. To claim a polarized integral variation one needs the additional compatible flat polarization. In a smooth projective family, a relative ample line bundle supplies a flat integral Kähler class; its primitive pieces are polarized by the Hodge–Riemann bilinear relations, and the full cohomology is polarized using the appropriate primitive-piece signs. For a general compact Kähler family, the unpolarized variation above is automatic, but a flat integral polarization is not supplied merely by knowing that each fibre is Kähler. This distinction is particularly relevant to unrestricted K3 families.
A proper holomorphic submersion has compact smooth fibres, and the Ehresmann fibration theorem gives differentiable local trivializations. Their integral cohomology, modulo torsion, forms a local system. If the fibres are Kähler manifolds, their Hodge filtrations form holomorphic subbundles and give a variation of Hodge structure. Properness is needed for this usual conclusion.
Variation of Hodge structure 2026-10-14
A pure integral variation consists of a local system of free abelian groups, holomorphic filtration subbundles of its associated flat bundle, and fibrewise Hodge structures of fixed weight and Hodge numbers. Its flat connection satisfies Griffiths transversality. A polarized variation additionally has a flat integral bilinear form polarizing every fibre.