Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Mathematics, August 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

We develop a new geometric method of understanding principal G-Higgs bundles through their spectral data, for G a real form of a complex Lie group. In particular, we consider the case of G a split real form, as well as G = SL(2,R), U(p,p), SU(p,p), and Sp(2p,2p). Further, we give some applications of our results, and discuss open questions.

This thesis is concerned with the study of the geometry and derived categories associated to the moduli problems of local systems and Higgs bundles in positive characteristic. As a cornerstone of our investigation, we establish a local system analogue of the BNR correspondence for Higgs bundles. This result (Proposition 4.3.1) relates flat connections to certain modules of an Azumaya algebra on the family of spectral curves. We prove properness over the semistable locus of the Hitchin map for local systems introduced by Laszlo–Pauly (Theorem 4.4.1). Moreover, we show that with respect to this Hitchin map, the moduli stack of local systems is étale locally equivalent to the moduli stack of Higgs bundles (Theorem 4.6.3) (with or without stability conditions). Subsequently, we study two-dimensional examples of moduli spaces of parabolic Higgs bundles and local systems (Theorem 5.2.1), given by equivariant Hilbert schemes of cotangent bundles of elliptic curves. Furthermore, the Hilbert schemes of points of these surfaces are equivalent to moduli spaces of parabolic Higgs bundles, respectively local systems (Theorem 5.3.1). The proof for local systems in positive characteristic relies on the properness results for the Hitchin fibration established earlier. The Autoduality Conjecture of Donagi–Pantev follows from Bridgeland–King–Reid’s McKay equivalence in these examples. The last chapter of this thesis is concerned with the con- struction of derived equivalences, resembling a Geometric Langlands Correspondence in positive characteristic, generalizing work of Bezrukavnikov–Braverman. Away from finitely many primes, we show that over the locus of integral spectral curves, the derived category of coherent sheaves on the stack of local systems is equivalent to a derived category of coherent D-modules on the stack of vector bundles. We conclude by establishing the Hecke eigenproperty of Arinkin’s autoduality and thereby of the Geometric Langlands equivalence in positive characteristic.

We study the Hitchin component in the space of representations of the fundamental group of a Riemann surface into a split real Lie group in the rank 2 case. We prove that such representations are described by a conformal structure and class of Higgs bundle we call cyclic and we show cyclic Higgs bundles correspond to a form of the affine Toda equations. We also relate various real forms of the Toda equations to minimal surfaces in quadrics of arbitrary signature. In the case of the Hitchin component for PSL(3,R) we provide a new proof of the relation to convex RP²-structures and hyperbolic affine spheres. For PSp(4,R) we prove such representations are the monodromy for a special class of projective structure on the unit tangent bundle of the surface. We prove these are isomorphic to the convex-foliated projective structures of Guichard and Wienhard. We elucidate the geometry of generic 2-plane distributions in 5 dimensions, work which traces back to Cartan. Nurowski showed that there is an associated signature (2,3) conformal structure. We clarify this as a relationship between a parabolic geometry associated to the split real form of G₂ and a conformal geometry with holonomy in G₂. Moreover in terms of the conformal geometry we prove this distribution is the bundle of maximal isotropics corresponding to the annihilator of a spinor satisfying the twistor-spinor equation. The moduli space of deformations of a compact coassociative submanifold L in a G₂ manifold is shown to have a natural local embedding as a submanifold of H2(L,R). We consider G2-manifolds with a T^4-action of isomorphisms such that the orbits are coassociative tori and prove a local equivalence to minimal 3-manifolds in R^{3,3} = H²(T⁴,R) with positive induced metric. By studying minimal surfaces in quadrics we show how to construct minimal 3-manifold cones in R^{3,3} and hence G₂-metrics from equations that are a set of affine Toda equations. The relation to semi-flat special Lagrangian fibrations and the Monge-Ampere equation is explained.

Pour toute courbe projective lisse C et théorie homologique orientée de Borel-Moore libre A, on construit un produit associatif de type Hall sur les A-groupes du champ de modules des faisceaux de Higgs de torsion sur C.On montre que l'algèbre AHa0C qu'on obtient admet une présentation de battage naturelle, qui est fidèle dans le cas où A est l'homologie de Borel-Moore usuelle.On introduit de plus les espaces de modules des triplets stables M(d,n), fortement inspirés par les variétés de carquois de Nakajima.Ces espaces de modules sont des variétés lisses symplectiques, et admettent une autre caractérisation comme les espaces de modules de faisceaux sans torsion stables encadrés sur P(T*C)$.De plus, on munit leurs A-groupes avec une action de AHa0C, qui généralise les opérateurs de modification ponctuelle de Nakajima sur l'homologie des schémas de Hilbert de T*C. / For a smooth projective curve C and a free oriented Borel-Moore homology theory A, we construct a Hall-like associative product on the A-theory of the moduli stack of Higgs torsion sheaves on C.We show that the resulting algebra AHa0C admits a natural shuffle presentation, and prove it is faithful when A is replaced with usual Borel-Moore homology groups.We also introduce moduli spaces of stable triples M(d,n), heavily inspired by Nakajima quiver varieties.These moduli spaces are shown to be smooth symplectic varieties, which admit another characterization as moduli of framed stable torsion-free sheaves on P(T*C).Moreover, we equip their A-theory with an AHa0C-action, which generalizes Nakajima's raising operators on the homology of Hilbert schemes of points on T*C.

Soit X1 une courbe projective lisse et géométriquement connexe sur un corps fini Fq avec q = pn éléments où p est un nombre premier. Soit X le changement de base de X1 à une clôture algébrique de Fq. Nous donnons une formule pour le nombre des systèmes locaux ℓ-adiques (ℓ ≠ p) irréductibles de rang donné sur X fixé par l’endomorphisme de Frobenius. Nous montrons que ce nombre est semblable à une formule de point fixe de Lefschetz pour une variété sur Fq, ce qui généralise un résultat de Drinfeld en rang 2 et prouve une conjecture de Deligne. Pour ce faire, nous passerons du côté automorphe, utiliserons la formule des traces d’Arthur non-invariante, et relierons le nombre cherché avec le nombre Fq-points de l’espace des modules des fibrés de Higgs stables. / Let X1 be a projective, smooth and geometrically connected curve over Fq with q = pn elements where p is a prime number, and let X be its base change to an algebraic closure of Fq.We give a formula for the number of irreducible ℓ-adic local systems (ℓ ≠ p) with a fixed rank over X fixed by the Frobenius endomorphism.We prove that this number behaves like a Lefschetz fixed point formula for a variety over Fq, which generalises a result of Drinfeld in rank 2 and proves a conjecture of Deligne. To do this, we pass to the automorphic side by Langlands correspondence, then use Arthur’s non-invariant trace formula and link this number to the number of Fq-points of the moduli space of stable Higgs bundles.

[pt] O espaço de polígonos de um grupo de Lie é definido como a redução simplética em um produto de órbitas pela ação coadjunta. Neste trabalho comparamos alguns sistemas integráveis definidos em espaços de módulos de polígonos, matrizes e fibrados, tais como o sistema de Kapovich–Millson, o modelo de Gaudin e a aplicação de Hitchin. / [en] The Polygon Space of a Lie group is defined as the symplectic reduction of a product of orbits by the coadjoint action. In this work we compare integrable systems defined on different moduli spaces of polygons, matrices and bundles, such as Kapovich–Millson s system, Gaudin s model and the Hitchin s map.

L'objet principal de cette thèse est de démontrer une inégalité d'Arakelov qui consiste à borner le degré d'un sous-faisceau inversible de l'image directe d'un faisceau relatif pluricanonique d'une famille semi-stable de courbes. Un problème naturel qui apparaît est la caractérisation des familles pour lesquelles sont satisfaites le cas d'égalité dans l'inégalité d'Arakelov, i.e. le cas d'égalité d'Arakelov. Peu d'exemples de telles familles sont connus. Dans cette thèse nous en proposons plusieurs en prouvant que le faisceau relatif bicanonique d'une famille semi-stable de courbes uniformisée par la boule unité et dont toutes les fibres singulières sont totalement géodésiques contient un sous-faisceau inversible qui satisfait l'égalité d'Arakelov. / The main object of study in this thesis is an Arakelov inequality which bounds the degree of an invertible subsheaf of the direct image of the pluricanonical relative sheaf of a semistable family of curves. A natural problem that arises is the characterization of those families for which the equality is satisfied in that Arakelov inequality, i.e. the case of Arakelov equality. Few examples of such families are known. In this thesis we provide some examples by proving that the direct image of the bicanonical relative sheaf of a semistable family of curves uniformized by the unit ball, all whose singular fibers are totally geodesic, contains an invertible subsheaf which satisfies Arakelov equality.

On étudie les déformations des applications harmoniques $f$ tordues par rapport à une représentation. Après avoir construit une application harmonique tordue "universelle", on donne une construction de toute déformations du premier ordre de $f$ en termes de la théorie de Hodge ; on applique ce résultat à l'espace de modules des représentations réductives d'un groupe de Kähler, pour démontrer que les points critiques de la fonctionnelle de l'énergie $E$ coïncident avec les représentations de monodromie des variations complexes de structures de Hodge. Ensuite, on procède aux déformations du second ordre, où des obstructions surviennent ; on enquête sur l'existence de ces déformations et on donne une méthode pour le construire. En appliquant ce résultat à la fonctionnelle de l'énergie comme ci-dessus, on démontre (pour n'importe quel groupe de présentation finie) que la fonctionnelle de l'énergie est strictement pluri sous-harmonique sur l'espace des modules des représentations. En assumant de plus que le groupe soit de Kähler, on étudie les valeurs propres de la matrice hessienne de $E$ dans les points critiques. / We study the deformations of twisted harmonic maps $f$ with respect to a representation. After constructing a continuous ``universal'' twisted harmonic map, we give a construction of every first order deformation of $f$ in terms of Hodge theory; we apply this result to the moduli space of reductive representations of a K\"ahler group, to show that the critical points of the energy functional $E$ coincide with the monodromy representations of polarized complex variations of Hodge structure. We then proceed to second order deformations, where obstructions arise; we investigate the existence of such deformations, and give a method for constructing them, as well. Applying this to the energy functional as above, we prove (for every finitely presented group) that the energy functional is strictly pluri sub-harmonic on the moduli space of representations; assuming furthermore that the group is Kähler, we study the eigenvalues of the Hessian of $E$ at critical points.