A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS , L IE ALGEBRAS , AND
RESONANCE VARIETIES
Alex Suciu
Northeastern University
Colloquium
University of Western Ontario
April 25, 2013
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R EFERENCES
Stefan Papadima and Alexander I. Suciu, Homological finiteness in
the Johnson filtration of the automorphism group of a free group,
Journal of Topology 5 (2012), no. 4, 909–944.
Stefan Papadima and Alexander I. Suciu, Vanishing resonance
and representations of Lie algebras, arxiv:1207.2038
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O UTLINE
1
T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
2
A LEXANDER INVARIANTS
3
R ESONANCE VARIETIES
4
R OOTS ,
5
A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS
WEIGHTS , AND VANISHING RESONANCE
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OF FREE GROUPS
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
F ILTRATIONS AND GRADED L IE ALGEBRAS
Let G be a group, with commutator (x, y ) = xyx ´1 y ´1 .
Suppose given a descending filtration
G = Φ1 Ě Φ2 Ě ¨ ¨ ¨ Ě Φs Ě ¨ ¨ ¨
by subgroups of G, satisfying
( Φ s , Φ t ) Ď Φ s +t ,
@s, t ě 1.
Then Φs Ÿ G, and Φs /Φs +1 is abelian. Set
à s
Φ /Φs +1 .
grΦ (G ) =
sě1
This is a graded Lie algebra, with bracket [ , ] : grsΦ ˆ grtΦ Ñ grsΦ+t
induced by the group commutator.
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
Basic example: the lower central series, Γs = Γs (G ), defined as
Γ1 = G, Γ2 = G1 , . . . , Γs +1 = (Γs , G ), . . .
Then for any filtration Φ as above, Γs Ď Φs ; thus, we have a morphism
of graded Lie algebras,
ι Φ : grΓ (G )
/ gr (G ) .
Φ
E XAMPLE (P. H ALL , E. W ITT, W. M AGNUS )
Let Fn = xx1 , . . . , xn y be the free group of rank n. Then:
Ş
Fn is residually nilpotent, i.e., sě1 Γs (Fn ) = t1u.
grΓ (Fn ) is isomorphic to the free Lie algebra Ln = Lie(Zn ).
ř
s
grsΓ (Fn ) is free abelian, of rank 1s d|s µ(d )n d .
If n ě 2, the center of Ln is trivial.
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS
Let Aut(G ) be the group of all automorphisms α : G Ñ G, with
α ¨ β := α ˝ β. The Andreadakis–Johnson filtration,
Aut(G ) = F 0 Ě F 1 Ě ¨ ¨ ¨ Ě F s Ě ¨ ¨ ¨
has terms F s = F s (Aut(G )) consisting of those automorphisms which
act as the identity on the s-th nilpotent quotient of G:
F s = ker Aut(G ) Ñ Aut(G/Γs +1
= tα P Aut(G ) | α(x ) ¨ x ´1 P Γs+1 , @x P Gu
Kaloujnine [1950]: (F s , F t ) Ď F s +t .
First term is the Torelli group,
TG = F 1 = ker Aut(G ) Ñ Aut(Gab ) .
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
By construction, F 1 = TG is a normal subgroup of F 0 = Aut(G ). The
quotient group,
A(G ) = F 0 /F 1 = im(Aut(G ) Ñ Aut(Gab ))
is the symmetry group of TG ; it fits into exact sequence
1
/ TG
/ Aut(G )
/ A(G )
/1.
The Torelli group comes endowed with two filtrations:
The Johnson filtration tF s (TG )usě1 , inherited from Aut(G ).
The lower central series filtration, tΓs (TG )u.
The respective associated graded Lie algebras, grF (TG ) and grΓ (TG ),
come endowed with natural actions of A(G ); moreover, the morphism
ιF : grΓ (TG ) Ñ grF (TG ) is A(G )-equivariant.
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
T HE J OHNSON HOMOMORPHISM
Given a graded Lie algebra g, let
Ders (g) = tδ : g‚ Ñ g‚+s linear | δ[x, y ] = [δx, y ] + [x, δy ], @x, y P gu.
À
Then Der(g) = sě1 Ders (g) is a graded Lie algebra, with bracket
[δ, δ1 ] = δ ˝ δ1 ´ δ1 ˝ δ.
T HEOREM
Given a group G, there is a monomorphism of graded Lie algebras,
J : grF (TG )
/ Der(gr (G )) ,
Γ
given on homogeneous elements α P F s (TG ) and x P Γt (G ) by
J (ᾱ)(x̄ ) = α(x ) ¨ x ´1 .
Moreover, J is equivariant with respect to the natural actions of A(G ).
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
The Johnson homomorphism informs on the Johnson filtration.
T HEOREM
Let G be a group. For each q ě 1, the following are equivalent:
1
J ˝ ιF : grsΓ (TG ) Ñ Ders (grΓ (G )) is injective, for all s ď q.
2
Γs (TG ) = F s (TG ), for all s ď q + 1.
P ROPOSITION
Suppose G is residually nilpotent, grΓ (G ) is centerless, and
J ˝ ιF : gr1Γ (TG ) Ñ Der1 (grΓ (G )) is injective. Then F 2 (TG ) = TG1 .
P ROBLEM
Determine the homological finiteness properties of the groups F s (TG ).
In particular, decide whether dim H1 (TG1 , Q ) ă 8.
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T HE J OHNSON FILTRATION
A N OUTER VERSION
Let Inn(G ) = im(Ad : G Ñ Aut(G )), where Adx : G Ñ G, y ÞÑ xyx ´1 .
Define the outer automorphism group of a group G by
1
/ Inn(G )
/ Aut(G )
π
/ Out(G )
/1.
We then have
r s : = π (F s ).
r s usě0 on Out(G ): F
Filtration tF
r 1 of Out(G ).
The outer Torelli group of G: subgroup TrG = F
/ TrG
/ A(G )
/1.
/ Out(G )
Exact sequence: 1
T HEOREM
Suppose Z (grΓ (G )) = 0. Then the Johnson homomorphism induces
an A(G )-equivariant monomorphism of graded Lie algebras,
Ą (gr (G )) ,
/ Der
Jr : gr r (TrG )
F
Γ
Ą (g) = Der(g)/ im(ad : g Ñ Der(g)).
where Der
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A LEXANDER INVARIANTS
T HE A LEXANDER INVARIANT
Let G be a group, and Gab = G/G1 its maximal abelian quotient.
Let G2 = (G1 , G1 ); then G/G2 is the maximal metabelian quotient.
/ G/G2
/ Gab
/0.
/ G1 /G2
Get exact sequence 0
Conjugation in G/G2 turns the abelian group
B (G ) := G1 /G2 = H1 (G1 , Z )
into a module over R = ZGab , called the Alexander invariant of G.
Since both G1 and G2 are characteristic subgroups of G, the
action of Aut(G ) on G induces an action on B (G ). This action
need not respect the R-module structure. Nevertheless:
P ROPOSITION
The Torelli group TG acts R-linearly on the Alexander invariant B (G ).
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A LEXANDER INVARIANTS
C HARACTERISTIC VARIETIES
Let G be a finitely generated group.
p = Hom(G, C˚ ) be its character group: an algebraic group,
Let G
with coordinate ring C [Gab ].
p
p ab Ý»
The map ab : G ։ Gab induces an isomorphism G
Ñ G.
˝
˚
n
p – (C ) , where n = rank Gab .
G
D EFINITION
The (first) characteristic variety of G is the support of the
(complexified) Alexander invariant B = B (G ) b C:
p
V (G ) := V (ann B ) Ă G.
This variety informs on the Betti numbers of normal subgroups H Ÿ G
with G/H abelian. In particular (for H = G1 ):
P ROPOSITION
The set V (G ) is finite if and only if b1 (G1 ) = dimC B (G ) b C is finite.
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R ESONANCE VARIETIES
R ESONANCE VARIETIES
Let V be a finite-dimensional C-vector space, and let K Ă V ^ V be a
subspace.
D EFINITION
The resonance variety R = R(V , K ) is the set of elements a P V ˚ for
which there is an element b P V ˚ , not proportional to a, such that a ^ b
belongs to the orthogonal complement K K Ď V ˚ ^ V ˚ .
R is a conical, Zariski-closed subset of the affine space V ˚ .
For instance, if K = 0 and dim V ą 1, then R = V ˚ .
At the other extreme, if K = V ^ V , then R = 0.
The resonance variety R has several other interpretations.
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R ESONANCE VARIETIES
K OSZUL MODULES
Let S = Sym
Ź (V ) be the symmetric algebra on V .
Let (S bC V , δ) be the Koszul resolution, with differential
Ź
Ź
δp : S bC p V Ñ S bC p´1 V given by
ÿp
vi1 ^ ¨ ¨ ¨ ^ vip ÞÑ
(´1)j´1 vij b (vi1 ^ ¨ ¨ ¨ ^ vpij ^ ¨ ¨ ¨ ^ vip ).
j =1
Let ι : K Ñ V ^ V be the inclusion map.
The Koszul module B(V , K ) is the graded S-module presented as
δ3 +id bι
Ź
Ź3
/ S bC 2 V
/ / B(V , K ) .
S bC
V ‘K
P ROPOSITION
The resonance variety R = R(V , K ) is the support of the Koszul
module B = B(V , K ):
R = V (ann(B)) Ă V ˚ .
In particular, R = 0 if and only if dimC B ă 8.
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R ESONANCE VARIETIES
C OHOMOLOGY JUMP LOCI
Let A = A(V , K ) be the quadratic
algebra defined as the quotient
Ź
of the exterior algebra E = V ˚ by the ideal generated by
K K Ă V ˚ ^ V ˚ = E 2.
Then R is the set of points a P A1 where the cochain complex
A0
a
/ A1
a
/ A2
is not exact (in the middle).
Using work of R. Fröberg and C. Löfwall on Koszul homology, the
graded pieces of the (dual) Koszul module can be reinterpreted in
terms of the linear strand in an appropriate Tor module:
Bq˚ – TorEq+1 (A, C )q +2
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R ESONANCE VARIETIES
VANISHING RESONANCE
Setting m = dim K , we may view K as a point in the Grassmannian
Grm (V ^ V ), and P (K K ) as a codimension m projective subspace in
P (V ˚ ^ V ˚ ).
L EMMA
Let Gr2 (V ˚ ) ãÑ P (V ˚ ^ V ˚ ) be the Plücker embedding. Then,
R(V , K ) = 0 ðñ P (K K ) X Gr2 (V ˚ ) = H.
T HEOREM
For any integer m with 0 ď m ď (n2), where n = dim V , the set
(
Un,m = K P Grm (V ^ V ) | R(V , K ) = 0
is Zariski open. Moreover, this set is non-empty if and only if
m ě 2n ´ 3, in which case there is an integer q = q (n, m ) such that
Bq (V , K ) = 0, for every K P Un,m .
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R ESONANCE VARIETIES
R ESONANCE VARIETIES OF GROUPS
The resonance variety of a f.g. group G is denied as
R(G ) = R(V , K ), where V ˚ = H 1 (G, C ) and
K K = ker(YG : V ˚ ^ V ˚ Ñ H 2 (G, C )).
Rationally, every resonance variety arises in this fashion:
P ROPOSITION
Let V be a finite-dimensional C-vector space, and let K Ď V ^ V be a
linear subspace, defined over Q. Then, there is a finitely presented,
commutator-relators group G with V ˚ = H 1 (G, C ) and K K = ker(YG ).
The resonance variety R = R(G ) can be viewed as an
approximation to the characteristic variety V = V (G ).
T HEOREM (L IBGOBER , D IMCA –PAPADIMA –S.)
Let TC1 (V ) be the tangent cone to V at 1, viewed as a subset of
p ) = H 1 (G, C ). Then TC1 (V ) Ď R. Moreover, if G is 1-formal,
T1 (G
then equality holds, and R is a union of rational subspaces.
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R ESONANCE VARIETIES
E XAMPLE (R IGHT- ANGLED A RTIN GROUPS )
Let Γ = (V, E) be a (finite, simple) graph. The corresponding
right-angled Artin group is
GΓ = xv P V | vw = wv if tv , wu P Ey.
V = H1 (GΓ , C ) is the vector space spanned by V.
K Ď V ^ V is spanned by tv ^ w | tv , wu P Eu.
A = A(V , K ) is the exterior Stanley–Reisner ring of Γ.
R(GΓ ) Ă CV is the union of all coordinate subspaces CW
corresponding to subsets W Ă V for which the induced graph ΓW
is disconnected.
ř
The Hilbert series qě0 dimC (Bq )t q +2 equals QΓ (t /(1 ´ t )),
where QΓř(t ) is the “cut polynomial" of Γ, with coefficient of t k
equal to WĂV : |W|=k b̃0 (ΓW ), where b̃0 (ΓW ) is one less than the
number of components of the induced subgraph on W.
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R OOTS , WEIGHTS , AND VANISHING RESONANCE
R OOTS , WEIGHTS , AND VANISHING RESONANCE
Let g be a complex, semisimple Lie algebra.
Fix a Cartan subalgebra h Ă g and a set of simple roots ∆ Ă h˚ .
Let ( , ) be the inner product on h˚ defined by the Killing form.
Each simple root β P ∆ gives rise to elements xβ , yβ P g and hβ P h
which generate a subalgebra of g isomorphic to sl2 (C ).
Each irreducible representation of g is of the form V (λ), where λ
is a dominant weight.
A non-zero vector v P V (λ) is a maximal vector (of weight λ) if
xβ ¨ v = 0, for all β P ∆. Such a vector is uniquely determined (up
to non-zero scalars), and is denoted by vλ .
L EMMA
The representation V (λ) ^ V (λ) contains a direct summand
isomorphic to V (2λ ´ β), for some simple root β, if and only if
(λ, β) ‰ 0. When it exists, such a summand is unique.
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R OOTS , WEIGHTS , AND VANISHING RESONANCE
T HEOREM
Let V = V (λ) be an irreducible g-module, and let K Ă V ^ V be a
submodule. Let V ˚ = V (λ˚ ) be the dual module, and let vλ˚ be a
maximal vector for V ˚ .
1
2
Suppose there is a root β P ∆ such that (λ˚ , β) ‰ 0, and suppose
the vector vλ˚ ^ yβ vλ˚ (of weight 2λ˚ ´ β) belongs to K K . Then
R(V , K ) ‰ 0.
Suppose that 2λ˚ ´ β is not a dominant weight for K K , for any
simple root β. Then R(V , K ) = 0.
C OROLLARY
R(V , K ) = 0 if and only if 2λ˚ ´ β is not a dominant weight for K K , for
any simple root β such that (λ˚ , β) ‰ 0.
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R OOTS , WEIGHTS , AND VANISHING RESONANCE
T HE CASE OF g = sl2 (C )
h˚ is spanned t1 and t2 (the dual coordinates on the subspace of
diagonal 2 ˆ 2 complex matrices), subject to t1 + t2 = 0.
There is a single simple root, β = t1 ´ t2 .
The defining representation is V (λ1 ), where λ1 = t1 .
The irreps are of the form
Vn = V (nλ1 ) = Symn (V (λ1 )),
for some n ě 0. Moreover, dim Vn = n + 1 and Vn˚ = Vn .
The second exterior power of Vn decomposes into irreducibles,
according to the Clebsch-Gordan rule:
à
V2n´2´4j .
Vn ^ Vn =
jě0
These summands occur with multiplicity 1, and V2n´2 is always
one of those summands.
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R OOTS , WEIGHTS , AND VANISHING RESONANCE
P ROPOSITION
Let K be an sl2 (C )-submodule of Vn ^ Vn . TFAE:
1
The variety R(Vn , K ) consists only of 0 P Vn˚ .
2
The C-vector space B(Vn , K ) is finite-dimensional.
3
The representation K contains V2n´2 as a direct summand.
The Sym(Vn )-modules W (n) := B(Vn , V2n´2 ) have been studied by
J. Weyman and D. Eisenbud (1990). We recover and strengthen one of
their results:
C OROLLARY
For any sl2 (C )-submodule K Ă Vn ^ Vn , the Koszul module B(Vn , K ) is
finite-dimensional over C if and only if B(Vn , K ) is a quotient of W (n).
The vanishing of Wn´2 (n), for all n ě 1, implies the generic Green
Conjecture on free resolutions of canonical curves. The determination
of the Hilbert series of the Weyman modules W (n) remains an
interesting open problem.
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
Identify (Fn )ab = Zn , and Aut(Zn ) = GLn (Z ). The morphism
Aut(Fn ) Ñ GLn (Z ) is onto; thus, A(Fn ) = GLn (Z ).
Denote the Torelli group by IAn = TFn , and the
Johnson–Andreadakis filtration by Jns = F s (Aut(Fn )).
Magnus [1934]: IAn is generated by the automorphisms
#
#
xi ÞÑ xj xi xj´1
xi ÞÑ xi ¨ (xj , xk )
αij :
αijk :
xℓ ÞÑ xℓ
xℓ ÞÑ xℓ
with 1 ď i ‰ j ‰ k ď n.
Thus, IA1 = t1u and IA2 = Inn(F2 ) – F2 are finitely presented.
Krstić and McCool [1997]: IA3 is not finitely presentable.
It is not known whether IAn admits a finite presentation for n ě 4.
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
Nevertheless, IAn has some interesting finitely presented subgroups:
The McCool group of “pure symmetric” automorphisms, PΣn ,
generated by αij , 1 ď i ‰ j ď n.
The “upper triangular" McCool group, PΣn+ , generated by αij , i ą j.
Cohen, Pakianathan, Vershinin, and Wu [2008]:
PΣn+ = Fn´1 ¸ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¸ F2 ¸ F1 , with extensions by
IA-automorphisms.
The pure braid group, Pn , consisting of those automorphisms in
PΣn that leave the word x1 ¨ ¨ ¨ xn P Fn invariant.
Pn = Fn´1 ¸ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¸ F2 ¸ F1 , with extensions by pure braid
automorphisms.
PΣ2+ – P2 – Z,
PΣ3+ – P3 – F2 ˆ Z.
Question (CPVW): Is PΣn+ – Pn , for n ě 4?
Bardakov and Mikhailov [2008]: PΣ4+ fl P4 .
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
T HE T ORELLI GROUP OF Fn
Let TFn = Jn1 = IAn be the Torelli group of Fn . Recall we have an
equivariant GLn (Z )-homomorphism,
J : grF (IAn ) Ñ Der(Ln ),
In degree 1, this can be written as
J : gr1F (IAn ) Ñ H ˚ b (H ^ H ),
where H = (Fn )ab = Zn , viewed as a GLn (Z )-module via the defining
representation. Composing with ιF , we get a homomorphism
J ˝ ιF : (IAn )ab
/ H ˚ b (H ^ H ) .
T HEOREM (A NDREADAKIS , C OHEN –PAKIANATHAN , FARB ,
K AWAZUMI )
For each n ě 3, the map J ˝ ιF is a GLn (Z )-equivariant isomorphism.
Thus, H1 (IAn , Z ) is free abelian, of rank b1 (IAn ) = n2 (n ´ 1)/2.
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
We have a commuting diagram,
Inn(F
n)
1
=
_
/ Inn(Fn )
_
/ IAn
/ Aut(Fn )
π
π
1
/ OAn
/ GLn (Z )
/ Out(Fn )
/1
=
/ GLn (Z )
/1
Thus, OAn = TrFn .
Write the induced Johnson filtration on Out(Fn ) as Jrns = π (Jns ).
GLn (Z ) acts on (OAn )ab , and the outer Johnson homomorphism
defines a GLn (Z )-equivariant isomorphism
Jr ˝ ιFr : (OAn )ab
–
/ H ˚ b (H ^ H )/H .
Moreover, Jrn2 = OA1n , and we have an exact sequence
1
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n
n
/ OA1
n
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/1.
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
D EEPER INTO THE J OHNSON FILTRATION
C ONJECTURE (F. C OHEN , A. H EAP, A. P ETTET 2010)
If n ě 3, s ě 2, and 1 ď i ď n ´ 2, the cohomology group H i (Jns , Z ) is
not finitely generated.
We disprove this conjecture, at least rationally, in the case when n ě 5,
s = 2, and i = 1.
T HEOREM
If n ě 5, then dimQ H 1 (Jn2 , Q ) ă 8.
To start with, note that Jn2 = IA1n . Thus, it remains to prove that
b1 (IA1n ) ă 8, i.e., (IA1n /IA2n ) b Q is finite dimensional.
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
R EPRESENTATIONS OF sln (C )
h: the Cartan subalgebra of gln (C ), with coordinates t1 , . . . , tn .
∆ = tti ´ ti +1 | 1 ď i ď n ´ 1u.
λ i = t 1 + ¨ ¨ ¨ + ti .
V (λ): the irreducible, finite
ř dimensional representation of sln (C )
with highest weight λ = iăn ai λi , with ai P Zě0 .
Set HC = H1 (Fn , C ) = Cn , and
V ˚ := H 1 (OAn , C ) = HC b (HC˚ ^ HC˚ )/HC˚ .
K K := ker Y : V ˚ ^ V ˚ Ñ H 2 (OAn , C ) .
T HEOREM (P ETTET 2005)
Let n ě 4. Set λ = λ2 + λn´1 (so that λ˚ = λ1 + λn´2 ) and
µ = λ1 + λn´2 + λn´1 . Then V ˚ = V (λ˚ ) and K K = V (µ), as
sln (C )-modules.
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
T HEOREM
For each n ě 4, the resonance variety R(OAn ) vanishes.
P ROOF .
2λ˚ ´ µ = t1 ´ tn´1 is not a simple root. Thus, R(V , K ) = 0.
R EMARK
When n = 3, the proof breaks down, since t1 ´ t2 is a simple root. In
fact, K K = V ˚ ^ V ˚ in this case, and so R(V , K ) = V ˚ .
C OROLLARY
For each n ě 4, let V = V (λ2 + λn´1 ) and let
K K = V (λ1 + λn´2 + λn´1 ) Ă V ˚ ^ V ˚ be the Pettet summand. Then
dim B(V , K ) ă 8 and dim grq B (OAn ) ď dim Bq (V , K ), for all q ě 0.
A LEX S UCIU (N ORTHEASTERN )
G ROUPS , L IE ALGEBRAS , AND RESONANCE
UWO, A PRIL 2013
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A UTOMORPHISM GROUPS OF FREE GROUPS
Using now a result of Dimca–Papadima on the “geometric
irreducibility” of representations of arithmetic groups, we obtain:
T HEOREM
If n ě 4, then V (OAn ) is finite, and so b1 (OA1n ) ă 8.
Finally,
T HEOREM
If n ě 5, then b1 (IA1n ) ă 8.
P ROOF .
The spectral sequence of the extension 1
gives rise to the exact sequence
H1 (Fn1 , C )IA1n
/ H1 (IA1 , C )
n
/ F1
n
/ IA1
n
/ H1 (OA1 , C )
n
/ OA1
n
/1
/0.
The last term is finite-dimensional for all n ě 4 by the previous
theorem, while the first term is finite-dimensional for all n ě 5, by the
nilpotency of the action of IA1n on Fn1 /Fn2 .
A LEX S UCIU (N ORTHEASTERN )
G ROUPS , L IE ALGEBRAS , AND RESONANCE
UWO, A PRIL 2013
30 / 30