Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2014 / iii / Paper 17 / 1

Let ${\mathcal{A}}^{p,q}(X)$ be the space of smooth complex differential forms of type $(p,q)$. The Dolbeault operator satisfies ${\bar{\partial }}^2=0$, and the Dolbeault cohomology isFor $q=0$ the denominator is zero; forms outside the dimension range are zero.

A sequence of sheaves is an exact sequence of sheaves precisely when its sequence of stalks at every point is exact. Here this means the first map is injective on stalks, the last is surjective on stalks, and the image equals the kernel at the middle stalk. In particular, a section of the last sheaf need only have local lifts; surjectivity on all global sections is not required.

The associated long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology of Čech cohomology, understood in the direct limit over open covers, isThe degree-zero groups are global sections. The connecting map is obtained by locally lifting a Čech cocycle to the middle sheaf and taking its Čech coboundary, which takes values in the first sheaf. Different lifts change it by a Čech coboundary.

The Dolbeault theorem identifieswhere ${\Omega }_X^p$ is the sheaf of holomorphic differential forms of degree $p$.

The local analytic ingredient is the Dolbeault-Poincaré lemma: a $\bar{\partial }$-closed smooth $(p,q)$-form with $q>0$ is locally $\bar{\partial }$-exact. Here is a local proof. On a polydisc, the one-variable Cauchy-Green operator in coordinate $z_j$ iswith a smooth cutoff supported in the coordinate disc and equal to one on a smaller disc. The fundamental-solution identity ${\partial }_{\bar{z}}(1/(\pi z))={\delta }_0$ gives ${\partial }_{{\bar{z}}_j}{T}_{j}g=g$ on that smaller disc. The operator is smooth in the parameters and commutes with derivatives in the other coordinates.

For a $(0,q)$-form, write $\alpha =d{\bar{z}}_m\wedge \beta +\gamma$, with neither $\beta$ nor $\gamma$ containing $d{\bar{z}}_m$. Subtract $\bar{\partial }(T_m\beta )$. The remainder contains no $d{\bar{z}}_m$, remains closed, and its coefficients are holomorphic in $z_m$. Repeat with $z_{m-1}$ and then the other coordinates, shrinking discs as needed. Each new integral preserves the holomorphic dependence already achieved. At the end the closed remainder has positive antiholomorphic degree but contains no antiholomorphic differential, so it is zero. Factoring out each holomorphic basis form $d{z}_I$ gives the same assertion for $(p,q)$-forms, with the fixed degree sign included in the primitive. At degree zero, the kernel of $\bar{\partial }$ consists precisely of holomorphic coefficients.

Thus the following is an exact Dolbeault resolution of holomorphic differential forms of sheaves:Each sheaf of smooth forms is a fine sheaf: multiplication by a smooth partition of unity supplies endomorphisms supported in its open cover. Fine sheaves on a paracompact manifold have zero positive sheaf cohomology; the Čech contraction sums a cochain against the partition of unity, giving $\delta h+h\delta =I$ in positive degrees. The general acyclic resolution theorem therefore computes ${\check{H}}^q(X,{\Omega }_X^p)$ as the cohomology of the global-section complex above. That complex is exactly the Dolbeault resolution of holomorphic differential forms, proving the claimed isomorphism. The sheaf-cohomology/Čech comparison and the acyclic-resolution principle are the stated general Čech properties used here.

Cover the product by $U_0={\mathbb{C}}_z\times {\mathbb{C}}_w$ and $U_{\infty }={\mathbb{C}}_{\zeta }\times {\mathbb{C}}_w$, with $\zeta =1/z$ on their intersection ${\mathbb{C}}^{\ast }\times \mathbb{C}$. The permitted vanishing and the Dolbeault theorem make this an acyclic cover for both $\mathcal{O}$ and ${\Omega }^2$. The acyclic cover theorem lets its two-term Čech complex compute the cohomology. In particular, all groups with $q\ge 2$ vanish.

For $p=0$, a global holomorphic function is constant on each compact complex projective line fibre, by the maximum modulus principle. Its remaining dependence on $w$ is entire. Hence $H_{\bar{\partial }}^{0,0}=\mathcal{O}(\mathbb{C})$. For the first Čech group, a function on the intersection has a Laurent seriesEach coefficient is entire in $w$ by its Cauchy integral formula. The nonnegative powers extend to $U_0$, and the negative powers extend to $U_{\infty }$ in coordinate $\zeta$. These two series converge locally uniformly with the parameter $w$, by the usual Laurent estimates on compact parameter sets. Thus every intersection function is a Čech coboundary and $H_{\bar{\partial }}^{0,1}=0$.

For $p=2$, write a two-form on the intersection as $F(z,w)dz\wedge dw$. The other chart hasForms extending from $U_0$ have coefficient powers $j\ge 0$; those extending from $U_{\infty }$ have powers $j\le -2$. A globally defined two-form would need to have both types of expansion, so it is zero. In the first Čech quotient, precisely the $z^{-1}$ term remains, and its coefficient is an arbitrary entire function of $w$. ConsequentlyThe second nonzero group is represented in Čech cohomology by $a(w)z^{-1}dz\wedge dw$. This explicit residue description is the Dolbeault cohomology of the projective line times the affine line; it also identifies that group naturally with the holomorphic one-forms on the affine factor.