An effective family of spectral curves appearing in Hitchin fibrations is determined. Using this family the moduli spaces of stable Higgs bundles on an algebraic curve are embedded into the Sato Grassmannian. We show that the Hitchin integrable system, the natural algebraically completely integrable Hamiltonian system defined on the Higgs moduli space, coincides with the KP equations. It is shown that the Serre duality on these moduli spaces corresponds to the formal adjoint of pseudo-differential operators acting on the Grassmannian. From this fact we then identify the Hitchin integrable system on the moduli space of Sp(2m)-Higgs bundles in terms of a reduction of the KP equations. We also show that the dual Abelian fibration (the SYZ mirror dual) to the Sp(2m)-Higgs moduli space is constructed by taking the symplectic quotient of a Lie algebra action on the moduli space of GL-Higgs bundles.
It was shown by Diaconescu, Donagi and Pantev that Hitchin systems of type ADE are isomorphic to certain Calabi-Yau integrable systems. In this paper, we prove an analogous result in the setting of meromorphic Hitchin systems of type A which are known to be Poisson integrable systems. We consider a symplectization of the meromorphic Hitchin integrable system, which is a semi-polarized integrable system in the sense of Kontsevich and Soibelman. On the Hitchin side, we show that the moduli space of unordered diagonally framed Higgs bundles forms an integrable system in this sense and recovers th…
A complex integrable system determines a family of complex tori over a Zariski-open and dense subset in its base. This family in turn yields an integral variation of Hodge structures of weight $\pm 1$. In this paper, we study the converse of this procedure. Starting from an integral variation of Hodge structures of weight $\pm 1$, we give a criterion for when its associated family of complex tori carries a Lagrangian structure, i.e. for when it can be given the structure of an integrable system. This sheaf-theoretic approach to (the smooth parts of) complex integrable systems enables us to app…
In the present notes we explain the relationship between Calabi-Yau integrable systems and Hitchin systems based on work by Diaconescu-Donagi-Pantev and the author. Besides a review of these integrable systems, we highlight related topics, for example variations of Hodge structures, cameral curves and Slodowy slices, along the way.
We identify dglas that control infinitesimal deformations of the pairs (manifold, Higgs bundle) and of Hitchin pairs. As a consequence, we recover known descriptions of first order deformations and we refine known results on obstructions. Secondly we prove that the Hitchin map is induced by a natural L-infinity morphism and, by standard facts about L-infinity algebras, we obtain new conditions on obstructions to deform Hitchin pairs.
We revisit the Hitchin integrable system whose phase space is the bundle cotangent to the moduli space $N$ of holomorphic $SL_2$-bundles over a smooth complex curve of genus two. $N$ may be identified with the 3-dimensional projective space of theta functions of the second order, We prove that the Hitchin system on $T^*N$ possesses a remarkable symmetry: it is invariant under the interchange of positions and momenta. This property allows to complete the work of van Geemen-Previato which, basing on the classical results on geometry of the Kummer quartic surfaces, specified the explicit form of …
We describe certain Lagrangian fibrations by Prym varieties on holomorphic symplectic varieties that deform to compactifications of Sp-Hitchin systems.
Spectral transformation is known to set up a birational morphism between the Hitchin and Beauville-Mukai integrable systems. The corresponding phase spaces are: (a) the cotangent bundle of the moduli space of bundles over a curve C, and (b) a symmetric power of the cotangent surface T^*(C). We conjecture that this morphism can be quantized, and we check this conjecture in the case where C is a rational curve with marked points and rank 2 bundles. We discuss the relation of the resulting isomorphism of quantized algebras with Sklyanin's separation of variables.
The paper gives a quick account of the simplest cases of the Hitchin integrable systems and of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov-Bernard connection at genus 0, 1 and 2. In particular, we construct the action-angle variables of the genus 2 Hitchin system with group SL(2) by exploiting its relation to the classical Neumann integrable systems.
In this article, we study the deformation theory of locally free sheaves and Hitchin pairs over a nodal curve. As a special case, the infinitesimal deformation of these objects gives the tangent space of the corresponding moduli spaces, which can be used to calculate the dimension of the corresponding moduli space. We show that the deformation of locally free sheaves and Hitchin pairs over a nodal curve is equivalent to the deformation of generalized parabolic bundles and generalized parabolic Hitchin pairs over the normalization of the nodal curve respectively.
Let X be an abelian scheme over a scheme B. The Fourier--Mukai transform gives an equivalence between the derived category of X and the derived category of the dual abelian scheme. We partially extend this to certain schemes X over B (which we call degenerate abelian schemes) whose generic fiber is an abelian variety, while special fibers are singular. Our main result provides a fully faithful functor from a twist of the derived category of Pic$^τ$(X/B) to the derived category of X. Here Pic$^τ$(X/B) is the algebraic space classifying fiberwise numerically trivial line bundles. Next, we show t…
Mukai's space, parametrizing simple sheaves on a K3 surface S whose numerical invariants are those of a line bundle on a curve C in S, is interpreted as a deformation of Hitchin's system on C. This is used to show that the nilpotent cone in Mukai space is Lagrangian. In rank 2, components of this nilpotent cone are described as affine bundles over symmetric products of the curve. The underlying vector bundles give the corresponding components of the Hitchin nilpotent cone.
Folding of ADE-Dynkin diagrams according to graph automorphisms yields irreducible Dynkin diagrams of ABCDEFG-types. This folding procedure allows to trace back the properties of the corresponding simple Lie algebras or groups to those of ADE-type. In this article, we implement the techniques of folding by graph automorphisms for Hitchin integrable systems. We show that the fixed point loci of these automorphisms are isomorphic as algebraic integrable systems to the Hitchin systems of the folded groups away from singular fibers. The latter Hitchin systems are isomorphic to the intermediate Jac…
In this paper we continue our studies of Hitchin systems on singular curves (started in hep-th/0303069). We consider a rather general class of curves which can be obtained from the projective line by gluing two subschemes together (i.e. their affine part is: Spec $\{f \in \CC[z]: f(A(\ep))=f((B(\ep)); \ep^N=0 \}$, where $A(\ep), B(\ep)$ are arbitrary polynomials) . The most simple examples are the generalized cusp curves which are projectivizations of Spec $\{f \in \CC[z]: f'(0)=f''(0)=...f^{N-1}(0)=0 \}$). We describe the geometry of such curves; in particular we calculate their genus (for so…
Let $X$ be a compact Riemann surface of genus $g \geq 2$, and let $D \subset X$ be a fixed finite subset. Let $\mathcal{M}(r,d,α)$ denote the moduli space of stable parabolic $G$-bundles (where $G$ is a complex orthogonal or symplectic group) of rank $r$, degree $d$ and weight type $α$ over $X$. Hitchin discovered that the cotangent bundle of the moduli space of stable bundles on an algebraic curve is an algebraically completely integrable system fibered, over a space of invariant polynomials, either by a Jacobian or a Prym variety of spectral curves. In this paper we study the Hitchin fibers …
We give a solution of the Inverse Scattering Problem for integrable systems with a finite number degrees of freedom, admitting a Lax representation with spectral parameter on a Riemann surface. While conventional approaches deal with the systems with $GL(n)$ symmetry, we focus on the problems arising in the case of symmetry with respect to a semi-simple group. Our main results apply to Hitchin systems of the types $B_n$, $C_n$, $D_n$.
Let $Σ$ be a smooth projective complex curve and $\mathfrak{g}$ a simple Lie algebra of type ${\sf ADE}$ with associated adjoint group $G$. For a fixed pair $(Σ, \mathfrak{g})$, we construct a family of quasi-projective Calabi-Yau threefolds parameterized by the base of the Hitchin integrable system associated to $(Σ,\mathfrak{g})$. Our main result establishes an isomorphism between the Calabi-Yau integrable system, whose fibers are the intermediate Jacobians of this family of Calabi-Yau threefolds, and the Hitchin system for $G$, whose fibers are Prym varieties of the corresponding spectral c…
One can associate to many of the well known algebraically integrable systems of Jacobians (generalized Hitchin systems, Sklyanin) a ruled surface which encodes much of its geometry. If one looks at the classification of such surfaces, there is one case of a ruled surface that does not seem to be covered. This is the case of projective bundle associated to the first jet bundle of a topologically nontrivial line bundle. We give the integrable system corresponding to this surface; it turns out to be a deformation of the Hitchin system.
Let X be a smooth projective curve over a field of characteristic p>0. We show that the Hitchin morphism, which associates to a Higgs bundle its characteristic polynomial, has a non-trivial deformation over the affine line. This deformation is constructed by considering the moduli stack of t-connections on vector bundles on X and an analogue of the p-curvature, and by observing that the associated characteristic polynomial is, in a suitable sense, a p-th power.
We investigate the special Kähler geometry of the base of the Hitchin integrable system in terms of spectral curves and topological recursion. The Taylor expansion of the special Kähler metric about any point in the base may be computed by integrating the $g = 0$ Eynard-Orantin invariants of the corresponding spectral curve over cycles. In particular, we show that the Donagi-Markman cubic is computed by the invariant $W^{(0)}_3$. We use topological recursion to go one step beyond this and compute the symmetric quartic of second derivatives of the period matrix.
Given a smooth projective complex curve $X$ with an involution $σ$, we study the Hitchin systems for the locus of anti-invariant (resp. invariant) stable vector bundles over $X$ under $σ$. Using these integrable systems and the theory of the nilpotent cone, we study the irreducibility of these loci. The anti-invariant locus can be thought of as a generalisation of Prym varieties to higher rank.
Using the developed deformation theory on moduli spaces of quadratic differentials we derive variational formulas for objects associated with generalized $SL(2)$ Hitchin's spectral covers: Prym matrix, Prym bidifferential, Hodge and Prym tau-functions. The resulting formulas are antisymmetric versions of Donagi-Markman residue formula. The second variation of the Prym matrix is a natural analogy to the expression previously derived for the period matrix of the $GL(n)$ spectral cover.
This paper deals with moduli spaces of framed principal bundles with connections with irregular singularities over a compact Riemann surface. These spaces have been constructed by Boalch by means of an infinite-dimensional symplectic reduction. It is proved that the symplectic structure induced from the Atiyah--Bott form agrees with the one given in terms of hypercohomology. The main results of this paper adapt work of Krichever and of Hurtubise to give an interpretation of some Hitchin Hamiltonians as yielding Hamiltonian vector fields on moduli spaces of irregular connections that arise from…
We introduce the notion of Wall-Crossing Structure and discuss it in several examples including complex integrable systems, Donaldson-Thomas invariants and Mirror Symmetry. For a big class of non-compact Calabi-Yau 3-folds we construct complex integrable systems of Hitchin type with the base given by the moduli space of deformations of those 3-folds. Then Donaldson-Thomas invariants of the Fukaya category of such a Calabi-Yau 3-fold can be (conjecturally) described in two more ways: in terms of the attractor flow on the base of the corresponding complex integrable system and in terms of the sk…
In this paper we study Hitchin system on singular curves. Some examples of such system were first considered by N. Nekrasov (hep-th/9503157), but our methods are different. We consider the curves which can be obtained from the projective line by gluing several points together or by taking cusp singularities. (More general cases of gluing subschemas will be considered in the next paper). It appears that on such curves all ingredients of Hitchin integrable system (moduli space of vector bundles, dualizing sheaf, Higgs field etc.) can be explicitly described, which may deserve independent interes…
Multiplicative Hitchin systems are analogues of Hitchin's integrable system based on moduli spaces of G-Higgs bundles on a curve C where the Higgs field is group-valued, rather than Lie algebra valued. We discuss the relationship between several occurences of these moduli spaces in geometry and supersymmetric gauge theory, with a particular focus on the case where C = CP1 with a fixed framing at infinity. In this case we prove that the identification between multiplicative Higgs bundles and periodic monopoles proved by Charbonneau and Hurtubise can be promoted to an equivalence of hyperkähler …
This paper is about geometric quantization of the Hitchin system. We quantize a Kahler form on the Hitchin moduli space (which is half the first Kahler form defined by Hitchin) by considering the Quillen bundle as the prequantum line bundle and modifying the Quillen metric using the Higgs field so that the curvature is proportional to the Kahler form. We show that this Kahler form is integral and the Quillen bundle descends as a prequantum line bundle on the moduli space. It is holomorphic and hence one can take holomorphic square integrable sections as the Hilbert space of quantization of the…
We review the Calogero-Françoise integrable system, which is a generalization of the Camassa-Holm system. We express solutions as (twisted) Higgs bundles, in the sense of Hitchin, over the projective line. We use this point of view to (a) establish a general answer to the question of linearization of isospectral flow and (b) demonstrate, in the case of two particles, the dynamical meaning of the theta divisor of the spectral curve in terms of mechanical collisions. Lastly, we outline the solution to the inverse problem for CF flows using Stieltjes' continued fractions.
We adapt Hitchin's integrable systems to the case of a punctured curve. In the case of $\CC P^{1}$ and $SL_{n}$-bundles, they are equivalent to systems studied by Garnier. The corresponding quantum systems were identified by B. Feigin, E. Frenkel and N. Reshetikhin with Gaudin systems. We give a formula for the higher Gaudin operators, using results of R. Goodman and N. Wallach on the center of the enveloping algebras of affine algebras at the critical level. Finally we construct a dynamical $r$-matrix for Hitchin systems for a punctured elliptic curve, and $GL_{n}$-bundles, and (for $n=2$) th…
Coisotropic deformations of algebraic varieties are defined as those for which an ideal of the deformed variety is a Poisson ideal. It is shown that coisotropic deformations of sets of intersection points of plane quadrics, cubics and space algebraic curves are governed, in particular, by the dKP, WDVV, dVN, d2DTL equations and other integrable hydrodynamical type systems. Particular attention is paid to the study of two- and three-dimensional deformations of elliptic curves. Problem of an appropriate choice of Poisson structure is discussed.
The Hitchin system is a completely integrable hamiltonian system (CIHS) on the cotangent space to the moduli space of semi-stable vector bundles over a curve. We consider the case of rank-two vector bundles with trivial determinant. Such a bundle $E$ defines a divisor $D_E$ in the Jacobian of the curve and for any smooth point of $D_E$ we define a cotangent vector (a Higgs field). The Hitchin map on these Higgs fields is then determined in terms of the Gauss map on the divisor $D_E$. We apply the results to the $g=2$ case and show how Hitchin's system is related to classical line geometry in $…
We study the moduli spaces of flat SL(r)- and PGL(r)-connections, or equivalently, Higgs bundles, on an algebraic curve. These spaces are noncompact Calabi-Yau orbifolds; we show that they can be regarded as mirror partners in two different senses. First, they satisfy the requirements laid down by Strominger-Yau-Zaslow (SYZ), in a suitably general sense involving a B-field or flat unitary gerbe. To show this, we use their hyperkahler structures and Hitchin's integrable systems. Second, their Hodge numbers, again in a suitably general sense, are equal. These spaces provide significant evidence …
We present a description of the moduli space of holomorphic vector bundles over Riemann curves as a double coset space which is differ from the standard loop group construction. Our approach is based on equivalent definitions of holomorphic bundles, based on the transition maps or on the first order differential operators. Using this approach we present two independent derivations of the Hitchin integrable systems. We define a "superfree" upstairs systems from which Hitchin systems are obtained by three step hamiltonian reductions. A special attention is being given on the Schottky parameteriz…
We find a novel one-parameter family of integrable quadratic Cremona maps of the plane preserving a pencil of curves of degree 6 and of genus 1. They turn out to serve as Kahan-type discretizations of a novel family of quadratic vector fields possessing a polynomial integral of degree 6 whose level curves are of genus 1, as well. These vector fields are non-homogeneous generalizations of reduced Nahm systems for magnetic monopoles with icosahedral symmetry, introduced by Hitchin, Manton and Murray. The straightforward Kahan discretization of these novel non-homogeneous systems is non-integrabl…
We generalize the topological recursion of Eynard-Orantin (2007) to the family of spectral curves of Hitchin fibrations. A spectral curve in the topological recursion, which is defined to be a complex plane curve, is replaced with a generic curve in the cotangent bundle $T^*C$ of an arbitrary smooth base curve $C$. We then prove that these spectral curves are quantizable, using the new formalism. More precisely, we construct the canonical generators of the formal $\hbar$-deformation family of $D$-modules over an arbitrary projective algebraic curve $C$ of genus greater than $1$, from the geome…
Recently, E.Martinengo obtained results on obstructions to deformations of Higgs pairs by describing an L-infinity morphism inducing the Hitchin map. In this note we show that analogous results hold for principal G-Higgs bundles, where G is a complex reductive group. We show that the L-infinity morphism has a Lie-algebraic analogue inducing the adjoint quotient morphism.
We show that the Hitchin integrable system for a simple complex Lie group $G$ is dual to the Hitchin system for the Langlands dual group $\lan{G}$. In particular, the general fiber of the connected component $\Higgs_0$ of the Hitchin system for $G$ is an abelian variety which is dual to the corresponding fiber of the connected component of the Hitchin system for $\lan{G}$. The non-neutral connected components $\Higgs_α$ form torsors over $\Higgs_0$. We show that their duals are gerbes over $\Higgs_0$ which are induced by the gerbe of $G$-Higgs bundles $\gHiggs$. More generally, we establish a …
We give a new characterization of generalized Kähler structures in terms of their corresponding complex Dirac structures. We then give an alternative proof of Hitchin's partial unobstructedness for holomorphic Poisson structures. Our main application is to show that there is a corresponding unobstructedness result for arbitrary generalized Kähler structures. That is, we show that any generalized Kähler structure may be deformed in such a way that one of its underlying holomorphic Poisson structures remains fixed, while the other deforms via Hitchin's deformation. Finally, we indicate a close r…
We compute the supports of the perverse cohomology sheaves of the Hitchin fibration for $GL_n$ over the locus of reduced spectral curves. In contrast to the case of meromorphic Higgs fields we find additional supports at the loci of reducible spectral curves. Their contribution to the global cohomology is governed by a finite twist of Hitchin fibrations for Levi subgroups. The corresponding summands give non-trivial contributions to the cohomology of the moduli spaces for every $n \geq 3$. A key ingredient is a restriction result for intersection cohomology sheaves that allows us to compare th…
By analogy with work of Hitchin on integrable systems, we construct natural relaxations of several kinds of moduli spaces of difference equations, with special attention to a particular class of difference equations on an elliptic curve (arising in the theory of elliptic special functions). The common feature of the relaxations is that they can be identified with moduli spaces of sheaves on rational surfaces. Not only does this make various natural questions become purely geometric (rigid equations correspond to -2-curves), it also establishes a number of nontrivial correspondences between dif…
We study analytic deformations of holomorphic differential 1-forms. The initial 1-form is exact homogeneous and the deformation is by polynomial integrable 1-forms. We investigate under which conditions the elements of the deformation are still exact or, more generally, exhibit a first integral. Our results are related to natural extensions of classical results of Ilyashenko on limit cycles of perturbations of hamiltonian systems in two complex variables.
It is known that generalized deformation in the sense of Hitchin-Gaultieri is a geometric realization of the degree-2 component of Kontsevich-Barannikov's homological approach to extended deformation. Through extended deformation, one associates a Frobenius structure to the extended moduli space. In this notes, we prove that on primary Kodaira manifolds the restriction of the Frobenius structure on the degree-2 component of the extended moduli space is trivial. It generalizes the author's past observation on Kodaira surface.
This is a note in which we first review symmetries of moduli spaces of stable meromorphic connections on trivial vector bundles over the Riemann sphere, and next discuss symmetries of their integrable deformations as an application. In the study of the symmetries, a realization of the moduli spaces as quiver varieties is given and plays an essential role.
Inspired by an article of Cotti, Dubrovin and Guzzetti arXiv:1706.04808, we extend to a degenerate case a result of Malgrange on integrable deformations of irregular singularities. We give an application to integrable deformations of the solution of some Birkhoff problem and apply it to the construction of Frobenius manifolds.
