We describe a new relation between the topology of hypersurface complements, Milnor fibers and degree of gradient mappings. In particular we show that any projective hypersurface has affine parts which are bouquets of spheres. The main tools are the polar curves and the affine Lefschetz theory developped by H. Hamm, D.T. Lê and A. Némethi. In the special case of the hyperplane arrangements, we strengthen some results due to Orlik and Terao (see Math. Ann. 301(1995)) and obtain the minimality of hyperplane arrangements (see Randell math.AT/0011101 for another proof of this result). This is then used to compute some higher homotopy groups of hyperplane arrangements using the ideas from Papadima-Suciu, see math.AT/0002251. The second version contains applications of the above ideas to the polar Cremona transformations and gives a positive answer to Dolgachev's Conjecture (see Michigan Math. J. 48 (2000), volume dedicated to W. Fulton). The third version corrects some errors and provides new applications.
We describe a new relation between the topology of hyperplane arrangements, Milnor fibers and global polar curves, via the affine Lefschetz theory developped by A. Némethi. In particular, we improve some results due to Orlik and Terao (see Math. Ann. 301(1995)) and complete/clarify a proof by Randell concerning the minimality of hyperplane arrangements (see math.AT/0011101).
Through the study of Morse theory on the associated Milnor fiber, we show that complex hyperplane arrangement complements are minimal. That is, the complement of a complex hyperplane arrangement has the homotopy type of a CW complex in which the number of p-cells equals the p-th betti number.
We describe a new relation between the topology of hypersurface complements, Milnor fibers and degree of gradient mappings. The main tools are polar curves and the affine Lefschetz theory developped by H. Hamm and A. Némethi. In the special case of the hyperplane arrangements, we strengthen some results due to Orlik and Terao (see Math. Ann. 301(1995)) and obtain an independant proof for the minimality of hyperplane arrangements (see Randell math.AT/0011101 for another proof of this result).
Using recent results by A. Macinic, S. Papadima and R. Popescu, and a refinement of an older construction of ours, we determine the monodromy action on $H^1(F(G),C)$, where $F(G)$ denotes the Milnor fiber of a hyperplane arrangement associated to an irreducible complex reflection group $G$.
We use covering space theory and the fundamental group of complements of complexified-real line arrangements to explore the associated Milnor fiber. This work yields a combinatorially determined upper bound on the rank of the first homology group of the Milnor fiber. Under certain combinatorial conditions, we then show that one may determine the exact rank of the group and show that it is torsion free.
We study a topological method to calculate the first Milnor fiber cohomology of a defining polynomial of a reduced projective hyperplane arrangement $X$ of degree $d$. We can show the vanishing of a monodromy eigenspace of the first Milnor fiber cohomology with eigenvalue of order $m\ge 2$ if $X\setminus(X^{[(m)]}\cup X^{\langle 3\rangle})$ or more generally $X\setminus(X^{[(m)]}\cup X^{\langle 3\rangle}\cup X_d)$ is connected. Here $X^{[(m)]}$ is the set of points of $X$ with multiplicity divisible by $m$, and $X^{\langle 3\rangle}:=\bigcup_{i,j,k}X_i\cap X_j\cap X_k$ with $X_i$ the irreducib…
We prove that the mod $2$ Betti numbers of double coverings of a complex hyperplane arrangement complement are combinatorially determined. The proof is based on a relation between the mod $2$ Aomoto complex and the transfer long exact sequence. Applying the above result to the icosidodecahedral arrangement ($16$ planes in the three dimensional space related to the icosidodecahedron), we conclude that the first homology of the Milnor fiber has non-trivial $2$-torsion.
The order of the Milnor fiber monodromy operator of a central hyperplane arrangement is shown to be combinatorially determined. In particular, a necessary and sufficient condition for the triviality of this monodromy operator is given. It is known that the complement of a complex hyperplane arrangement is cohomologically Tate and, if the arrangement is defined over $\Q$, has polynomial count. We show that these properties hold for the corresponding Milnor fibers if the monodromy is trivial. We construct a hyperplane arrangement defined over $\Q$, whose Milnor fiber has a nontrivial monodromy o…
We give a construction of the universal enveloping $A_\infty$ algebra of a given $L_\infty$ algebra, alternative to the already existing versions. As applications, we derive a higher homotopy algebras version of the classical Milnor-Moore theorem, proposing a new $A_\infty$ model for simply connected rational homotopy types, and uncovering a relationship between the higher order rational Whitehead products in homotopy groups and the Pontryagin-Massey products in the rational loop space homology algebra.
We study the first homology group of the Milnor fiber of sharp arrangements in the real projective plane. Our work relies on the minimal Salvetti complex of the deconing arrangement and its boundary map. We describe an algorithm which computes possible eigenvalues of the first monodromy operator. We prove that, if a condition on some intersection points of lines is satisfied, then the only possible non trivial eigenvalues are cubic roots of the unity. Moreover we give sufficient conditions for just eigenvalues of order 3 or 4 to appear in cases in which this condition is not satisfied.
We consider the topology for a class of hypersurfaces with highly nonisolated singularites which arise as exceptional orbit varieties of a special class of prehomogeneous vector spaces, which are representations of linear algebraic groups with open orbits. These hypersurface singularities include both determinantal hypersurfaces and linear free (and free*) divisors. Although these hypersurfaces have highly nonisolated singularities, we determine the topology of their Milnor fibers, complements and links. We do so by using the action of linear algebraic groups beginning with the complement, ins…
This note is mostly an expository survey, centered on the topology of complements of hyperplane arrangements, their Milnor fibrations, and their boundary structures. An important tool in this study is provided by the degree 1 resonance and characteristic varieties of the complement, and their tight relationship with orbifold fibrations and multinets on the underlying matroid. In favorable situations, this approach leads to a combinatorial formula for the first Betti number of the Milnor fiber and the algebraic monodromy. We also produce a pair of arrangements for which the respective Milnor fi…
Let $\A$ be an arrangement of affine lines in $\C^2,$ with complement $\M(\A).$ The (co)homo-logy of $\M(\A)$ with twisted coefficients is strictly related to the cohomology of the Milnor fibre associated to the conified arrangement, endowed with the geometric monodromy. Although several partial results are known, even the first Betti number of the Milnor fiber is not understood. We give here a vanishing conjecture for the first homology, which is of a different nature with respect to the known results. Let $Γ$ be the graph of \emph{double points} of $\A:$ we conjecture that if $Γ$ is connecte…
We describe an algorithm computing the monodromy and the pole order filtration on the top Milnor fiber cohomology of hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{P}^n$ whose pole order spectral sequence degenerates at the second page. In the case of hyperplane arrangements and free, locally quasi-homogeneous hypersurfaces, and assuming a key conjecture, this algorithm is much faster than for a hypersurface as above. Our conjecture is supported by the results due to L. Narv\' ez Macarro and M. Saito on the roots of Bernstein-Sato polynomials of such hypersurfaces, by all the examples computed so far, and by one p…
A central question in arrangement theory is to determine whether the characteristic polynomial $Δ_q$ of the algebraic monodromy acting on the homology group $H_q(F(\mathcal{A}),\mathbb{C})$ of the Milnor fiber of a complex hyperplane arrangement $\mathcal{A}$ is determined by the intersection lattice $L(\mathcal{A})$. Under simple combinatorial conditions, we show that the multiplicities of the factors of $Δ_1$ corresponding to certain eigenvalues of order a power of a prime $p$ are equal to the Aomoto--Betti numbers $β_p(\mathcal{A})$, which in turn are extracted from $L(\mathcal{A})$. When $…
We show that the monodromy operator action on the first cohomology group of the Milnor fiber is combinatorially determined for line arrangements with at most triple points and containing at most 18 lines, with one possible exception.
Let $\mathcal{A} $ be a complexified-real arrangement of lines in $\mathbb{C}^2.$ Let $H$ be any line in $ \mathcal{A} $. Then, form a new complexified-real arrangement $ \mathcal{B}_H = \mathcal{A} \cup \mathcal{C} $ where $ \mathcal{C} \cup \{H\} $ is a pencil of lines with multiplicity $ m\geq 3 $, the intersection point in the pencil is not a multiple point in $ \mathcal{A}, $ and every line in $ \mathcal{C} $ intersects every line in $ \mathcal{A}\setminus \{H\} $ in points of multiplicity two. In this article, we show that for $ H_1, H_2 \in \mathcal{A} $ we may have that $ \mathcal{B}_{…
This article computes some motivic stable homotopy groups over R. For 0 <= p - q <= 3, we describe the motivic stable homotopy groups of a completion of the motivic sphere spectrum. These are the first four Milnor-Witt stems. We start with the known Ext groups over C and apply the rho-Bockstein spectral sequence to obtain Ext groups over R. This is the input to an Adams spectral sequence, which collapses in our low dimensional range.
Consider a fibration \[p:E\to S^{p-1}\] with fiber $F$. We have the following natural question: Under what conditions does this fibration admit a cross-section? Our purpose is to discuss this problem when the fibration $p$ is the Milnor fibration $f_{\mid}:f^{-1}(S^{p-1}_δ)\cap D^{n}_ε\to S^{p-1}_δ$ with Milnor fiber $F_f$ and the Milnor fibration of arrangements $Q:\mathcal{M}(\mathcal{A})\to \mathbb{C}^\ast$ with fiber $F=F(\mathcal{A})$. Furthermore, we use our results to study the tasking planning problem for the Milnor fibration as a work map and we give the tasking algorithms.
We study configuration space integral formulas for Milnor's homotopy link invariants, showing that they are in correspondence with certain linear combinations of trivalent trees. Our proof is essentially a combinatorial analysis of a certain space of trivalent "homotopy link diagrams" which corresponds to all finite type homotopy link invariants via configuration space integrals. An important ingredient is the fact that configuration space integrals take the shuffle product of diagrams to the product of invariants. We ultimately deduce a partial recipe for writing explicit integral formulas fo…
We generalize results of Hattori on the topology of complements of hyperplane arrangements, from the class of generic arrangements, to the much broader class of hypersolvable arrangements. We show that the higher homotopy groups of the complement vanish in a certain combinatorially determined range, and we give an explicit Zπ_1-module presentation of π_p, the first non-vanishing higher homotopy group. We also give a combinatorial formula for the π_1-coinvariants of π_p. For affine line arrangements whose cones are hypersolvable, we provide a minimal resolution of π_2, and study some of the pro…
In "On the homotopy theory of arrangements," published in 1986, the authors gave a comprehensive survey of the subject. This article updates and continues the earlier article, noting some key open problems.
Let A be a geometric arrangement such that codim(x) > 1 for every x in A. We prove that, if the complement space M(A) is rationally hyperbolic, then there exists an injective from a free Lie algebra L(u,v) to the homotopy Lie algebra of M(A).
Given a space $X$ and a simplicial complex $K$ with $m$-vertices, the arrangement of partially diagonal subspaces of $X^m$, called the dragonal arrangement, is defined. We decompose the suspension of the diagonal arrangement when $2(dim K + 1) < m$, which generalizes the result of Labassi. As a corollary, we calculate the Euler characteristic of the complement when $X$ is a closed connected manifold.
Let A be a subspace arrangement with a geometric lattice such that codim(x) > 1 for every x in A. Using rational homotopy theory, we prove that the complement M(A) is rationally elliptic if and only if the sum of the orthogonal subspaces is a direct sum. The homotopy type of M(A) is also given: it is a product of odd dimensional spheres. Finally, some other equivalent conditions are given, such as Poincare duality. Those results give a complete description of arrangements (with geometric lattice and with the codimension condition on the subspaces) such that M(A) is rationally elliptic, and sho…
We show that the rational homotopy type of the complement of a toric arrangement is completely determined by two sets of combinatorial data. This is obtained by introducing a differential graded algebra over Q whose minimal model is equivalent to the Sullivan minimal model of the arrangement.
We compute the 1-line of stable homotopy groups of motivic spheres over fields of characteristic not two in terms of hermitian and Milnor K-groups. This is achieved by solving questions about convergence and differentials in the slice spectral sequence.
A general vanishing result for the first cohomology group of affine smooth complex varieties with values in rank one local systems is established. This is applied to the determination of the monodromy action on the first cohomology group of the Milnor fiber of some line arrangements, including the monomial arrangement and the exceptional reflection arrangement of type $G_{31}$.
In this paper we represent the Vassiliev model for the homotopy type of the one-point compactification of subspace arrangements as a homotopy colimit of an appropriate diagram over the nerve complex of the intersection semilattice of the arrangement. Furthermore, using a generalization of simplicial collapses to diagrams of topological spaces over simplicial complexes, we construct an explicit deformation retraction from the Vassiliev model to the Ziegler-Zivaljevic model.
We present a theory that produces several examples where the homotopy Lie algebra of a complex hyperplane arrangement is not finitely presented. We also present examples of hyperplane arrangements where the enveloping algebra of this Lie algebra has an irrational Hilbert series. This answers two questions of Denham and Suciu.
The homotopy type of the complement of a complex coordinate subspace arrangement is studied by fathoming out the connection between its topological and combinatorial structures. A family of arrangements for which the complement is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres is described. One consequence is an application in commutative algebra: certain local rings are proved to be Golod, that is, all Massey products in their homology vanish.
A toric arrangement is a finite set of hypersurfaces in a complex torus, every hypersurface being the kernel of a character. In the present paper we build a CW-complex homotopy equivalent to the arrangement complement, with a combinatorial description similar to that of the well-known Salvetti complex. If the toric arrangement is defined by a Weyl group we also provide an algebraic description, very handy for cohomology computations. In the last part we give a description in terms of tableaux for a toric arrangement appearing in robotics.
For a finite real reflection group $W$ we use non-crossing partitions of type $W$ to construct finite cell complexes with the homotopy type of the Milnor fiber of the associated $W$-discriminant $Δ_W$ and that of the Milnor fiber of the defining polynomial of the associated reflection arrangement. These complexes support natural cyclic group actions realizing the geometric monodromy. Using the shellability of the non-crossing partition lattice, this cell complex yields a chain complex of homology groups computing the integral homology of the Milnor fiber of $Δ_W$.
Let A be a graded-commutative, connected k-algebra generated in degree 1. The homotopy Lie algebra g_A is defined to be the Lie algebra of primitives of the Yoneda algebra, Ext_A(k,k). Under certain homological assumptions on A and its quadratic closure, we express g_A as a semi-direct product of the well-understood holonomy Lie algebra h_A with a certain h_A-module. This allows us to compute the homotopy Lie algebra associated to the cohomology ring of the complement of a complex hyperplane arrangement, provided some combinatorial assumptions are satisfied. As an application, we give examples…
We give combinatorial models for the homotopy type of complements of elliptic arrangements (i.e., certain sets of abelian subvarieties in a product of elliptic curves). We give a presentation of the fundamental group of such spaces and, as an application, we treat the case of ordered configuration spaces of elliptic curves. Our models are finite polyhedral CW complexes, and our combinatorial tools of choice are acyclic categories (small categories without loops). As a stepping stone, we give a characterization of which acyclic categories arise as face categories of polyhedral CW complexes.
We construct some infinite series of free and nearly free curves using pencils of conics with a base locus of cardinality at most two. These curves have an interesting topology, e.g. a high degree Alexander polynomial that can be explicitly determined, a Milnor fiber homotopy equivalent to a bouquet of circles, or an irreducible translated component in the characteristic variety of their complement. Monodromy eigenspaces in the first cohomology group of the corresponding Milnor fibers are also described in terms of explicit differential forms.
K. Orr defined a Milnor-type invariant of links that lies in the third homotopy group of a certain space $K_ω.$ The problem of non-triviality of this third homotopy group has been open. We show that it is an infinitely generated group. The question of realization of its elements as links remains open.
To any graph and smooth algebraic curve $C$ one may associate a "hypercurve" arrangement and one can study the rational homotopy theory of the complement $X$. In the rational case ($C=\mathbb{C}$), there is considerable literature on the rational homotopy theory of $X$, and the trigonometric case ($C = \mathbb{C}^\times$) is similar in flavor. The case of when $C$ is a smooth projective curve of positive genus is more complicated due to the lack of formality of the complement. When the graph is chordal, we use quadratic-linear duality to compute the Malcev Lie algebra and the minimal model of …
Let $\mathcal{L}$ be the noncrossing partition lattice associated to a finite Coxeter group $W$. In this paper we construct explicit bases for the top homology groups of intervals and rank-selected subposets of $\mathcal{L}$. We define a multiplicative structure on the Whitney homology of $\mathcal{L}$ in terms of the basis, and the resulting algebra has similarities to the Orlik-Solomon algebra. As an application, we obtain four chain complexes which compute the integral homology of the Milnor fibre of the reflection arrangement of $W$, the Milnor fibre of the discriminant of $W$, the hyperpl…
In his 1957 paper, John Milnor introduced link invariants which measure the homotopy class of the longitudes of a link relative to the lower central series of the link group. Consequently, these invariants determine the lower central series quotients of the link group. This work has driven decades of research with profound influence. One of Milnor's original problems remained unsolved: to extract similar invariants from the transfinite lower central series of the link group. We reformulate and extend Milnor's invariants in the broader setting of 3-manifolds, with his original invariants as spe…
We examine the first non-vanishing higher homotopy group, $π_p$, of the complement of a hypersolvable, non--supersolvable, complex hyperplane arrangement, as a module over the group ring of the fundamental group, $\Zπ_1$. We give a presentation for the $I$--adic completion of $π_p$. We deduce that the second nilpotent $I$--adic quotient of $π_p$ is determined by the combinatorics of the arrangement, and we give a combinatorial formula for the second associated graded piece, $\gr^1_I π_p$. We relate the torsion of this graded piece to the dimensions of the minimal generating systems of the Orli…
We provide a cohomological interpretation of the zeroth stable $\mathbb{A}^1$-homotopy group of a smooth curve over an infinite perfect field. We show that this group is isomorphic to the first Nisnevich (or Zariski) cohomology group of a certain sheaf closely related to the first Milnor--Witt $\mathrm{K}$-theory sheaf. This cohomology group can be computed using an explicit Gersten-type complex. We show that if the base field is algebraically closed then the zeroth stable $\mathbb{A}^1$-homotopy group of a smooth curve coincides with the zeroth Suslin homology group that was identified by Sus…
The question of when the Kervaire invariant is nontrivial was the only question left unresolved by Kervaire and Milnor in their 1963 study of the relationship between groups of homotopy spheres and stable homotopy groups. In 2009, Mike Hill, Mike Hopkins, and Doug Ravenel resolved this question except in one dimension, by a highly innovative attack using large amounts of equivariant stable homotopy theory and small amounts of computation. The present paper is a Seminaire Bourbaki report on this work.
It is known that there exist hyperplane arrangements with same underlying matroid that admit non-homotopy equivalent complement manifolds. In this work we show that, in any rank, complex central hyperplane arrangements with up to 7 hyperplanes and same underlying matroid are isotopic. In particular, the diffeomorphism type of the complement manifold and the Milnor fiber and fibration of these arrangements are combinatorially determined, i.e., they depend uniquely on the underlying matroid. To do this, we associate to every such matroid a topological space, that we call the reduced realization …
We show that if the fundamental groups of the complements of two line arrangements in the complex projective plane are isomorphic to the same direct sum of free groups, then the complements of the arrangements are homotopy equivalent. For any such arrangement, we construct another arrangement that is complexified-real, the intersection lattices of the arrangements are isomorphic, and the complements of the arrangements are diffeomorphic.
