Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2008 / iii / Paper 22 / 1

The complex structure on a complex manifold splits its complexified cotangent bundle into the $+i$ and $-i$ eigenspaces, locally spanned by $d{z}^j$ and $d{\bar{z}}^j$. A differential form of type (p, q) is a smooth section of ${\bigwedge }^p(T^{1,0}X{)}^{\ast }\otimes {\bigwedge }^q(T^{0,1}X{)}^{\ast }$, so in holomorphic coordinates it has the expressionHere the increasing multi-indices avoid duplicating alternating factors. The exterior derivative has just two type components: the conjugate Dolbeault operator $\partial$ and the Dolbeault operator $\bar{\partial }$. On such a local expression they areHolomorphic changes of coordinates preserve these types, so the definitions are intrinsic. Comparing type components of $d^2=0$ gives ${\partial }^2={\bar{\partial }}^2=0$ and $\partial \bar{\partial }+\bar{\partial }\partial =0$.

A real (p, p)-form satisfies $\bar{\eta }=\eta$, where complex conjugation acts on both coefficients and differential factors. Conjugation exchanges the two Dolbeault operators, soThus $\bar{\partial }\eta =0$ forces $\partial \eta =0$ as well. Conversely, if $d\eta =0$, its distinct $(p+1,p)$ and $(p,p+1)$ components both vanish. ThereforeThe assertion remains valid in top degree, when the indicated type components are zero automatically.

For a holomorphic function $f$, $\bar{\partial }f=0$ and $\partial \bar{f}=0$. Writing its real part as $u=(f+\bar{f})/2$ givesHence the real part of a holomorphic function is a pluriharmonic function.

For the local exactness assertion, work on a smaller polydisc whose closure lies in the original one. The allowed one-variable integral is the Cauchy-Green operator $T_j$ in coordinate $z_j$. Applied coefficientwise, it satisfies ${\partial }_{{\bar{z}}_j}{T}_{j}a=a$ on a smaller disc and commutes with differentiation in all other coordinates; the smooth parameter dependence follows by applying the integral to a smooth compactly supported extension in the integration variable. This extension can be made with a cutoff equal to one on the smaller disc.

Begin with a Dolbeault operator closed form $\phi$ and decompose it uniquely as $\phi =d{\bar{z}}^1\wedge \alpha +\beta$, where neither $\alpha$ nor $\beta$ contains $d{\bar{z}}^1$. Set ${\psi }_1=T_1\alpha$. The $d{\bar{z}}^1$ component of $\bar{\partial }{\psi }_1$ is exactly $d{\bar{z}}^1\wedge \alpha$, sohas no $d{\bar{z}}^1$ factor. It is still $\bar{\partial }$-closed. The $d{\bar{z}}^1$ component of $\bar{\partial }{\phi }_1=0$ now shows that every coefficient of ${\phi }_1$ is holomorphic in $z_1$.

Apply the same construction in $z_2$ to remove its antiholomorphic differential factor. The operator $T_2$ preserves holomorphicity in $z_1$, since it commutes with ${\partial }_{{\bar{z}}_1}$. Consequently the second subtraction introduces no previously removed factor. Continue through all $n$ coordinates, shrinking the polydisc when necessary. The final remainder has positive antiholomorphic degree but contains none of the $d{\bar{z}}^j$, and hence is zero. This coordinate elimination for local Dolbeault primitives constructsIf $q>n$, the original form is already zero, so one can take $\psi =0$.

Finally let $\phi$ be a smooth $(0,1)$-form on the complex projective line. Choose $0<r<R$ and the two coordinate neighborhoods $U=\{|z|<R\}$ and $V=\{|z|>r\}\cup \{\infty \}$, the latter expressed in $w=1/z$. They cover the sphere. The one-variable construction, integrating over slightly larger closed discs in each coordinate chart, gives smooth functions $a$ on $U$ and $b$ on $V$ with $\bar{\partial }a=\phi {|}_U$ and $\bar{\partial }b=\phi {|}_V$.

Their difference $h=a-b$ is a holomorphic function on the annulus $r<|z|<R$. Its Laurent series splits asThe first series extends holomorphically throughout $U$, while the second extends throughout $V$, including infinity, where it has value zero. Thus $a-h_{+}$ and $b+h_{-}$ agree on the overlap and glue to a global smooth function $F$. Both corrections are holomorphic, soThis Laurent gluing of Dolbeault primitives on the projective line uses no Hodge theorem.