Modern Birkhauser Classics

Representation
Theory and
Complex Geometry

Victor Ginzburg
Modern Birkhauser Classics

Many of the original research and survey monographs in pure and

applied mathematics published by Birkhauser in recent decades
have been groundbreaking and have come to be regarded as foun-
dational to the subject. Through the MBC Series, a select number of
these modern classics, entirely uncorrected, are being re-released in
paperback (and as eBooks) to ensure that these treasures remain ac-
cessible to new generations of students, scholars, and researchers.
Neil Chriss Victor Ginzburg
Financial Mathematics Department Department of Mathematics
University of Chicago University of Chicago
neilc@[Link] girizburg@[Link]

ISBN 978-0-8176-4937-1 e-ISBN 978-0-8176-4938-8

DOI 10.1007/978-0-8176-4938-8

Library of Congress Control Number. 2009938930

© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010

All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written
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Neil Chriss Victor Ginzburg

Representation Theory
and Complex Geometry

1997
Birkhauser
Boston Basel Berlin
 Neil Chriss Victor Ginzburg
Department of Mathematics Department of Mathematics
Harvard University University of Chicago
Cambridge, MA 02139 Chicago, IL 60637
U.S.A. U.S.A.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Chriss, Neil, 1967-

Representation theory and complex geometry / Neil Chriss, Victor
Ginzburg.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-8176-3792-3 (alk. paper). - ISBN 3-7643-3792-3 (alk:
paper.
1. Geometry, Differential. 2. Symplectic manifolds.
3. Representations of groups. 4. Geometry, Algebraic.
1. Ginzburg, Victor, 1957- . II. Title.
QA649.C49 1994 94-27574
512'.55-dc2O CIP

Printed on acid-free paper.

©1997 Birkhauser Boston, 1` printing Birkhauser
02000 BirkhBuser Boston, 214 printing

All rights reserved. This work may not be translated orcopied in whole or in part without the written
permission of the publisher (Birkhauser Boston, do Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 175 Fifth
Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or
scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic
adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter
developed is forbidden.
The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, etc.. in this publication, even if the
former are not especially identified, is not to be taken as a sign that such names, as understood by
the Trade Marks and Merchandise Marks Act, may accordingly be used freely by anyone.

ISBN 0-8176-3792-3 SPIN 10771768

ISBN 3-7643-3792-3

Typeset by Windfall Software, Carlisle, MA.

Printed and bound by Berryville Graphics, Berryville, VA.
Printed in the U.S.A.

98765432
 To Sasha Beilinson
my friend and my teacher
V. G.
 Contents

Preface ix

Chapter 0. Introduction 1

Chapter 1. Symplectic Geometry 21

1.1. Symplectic Manifolds 21
1.2. Poisson Algebras 24
1.3. Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 26
1.4. The Moment Map 41
1.5. Coisotropic Subvarieties 49
1.6. Lagrangian Families 57

Chapter 2. Mosaic 61
2.1. Hilbert's Nullstellensatz 61
2.2. Affine Algebraic Varieties 63
2.3. The Deformation Construction 73
2.4. C*-actions on a projective variety 81
2.5. Fixed Point Reduction 90
2.6. Borel-Moore Homology 93
2.7. Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 110

Chapter 3. Complex Semisimple Groups 127

3.1. Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 127
3.2. Nilpotent Cone 144
3.3. The Steinberg Variety 154
3.4. Lagrangian Construction of the Weyl Group 161
3.5. Geometric Analysis of H(Z)-action 168
3.6. Irreducible Representations of Weyl Groups 175
3.7. Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 183
VI Contents

Chapter 4. Springer Theory for U(sln) 193

4.1. Geometric Construction of the Enveloping Algebra U(sln(C)) 193
4.2. Finite-Dimensional Simple 199
4.3. Proof of the Main Theorem 206
4.4. Stabilization 214

Chapter 5. Equivariant K-Theory 231

5.1. Equivariant Resolutions 231
5.2. Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 243
5.3. Specialization in Equivariant K-Theory 254
5.4. The Koszul Complex and the Thom Isomorphism 260
5.5. Cellular Fibration Lemma 269
5.6. The Kenneth Formula 273
5.7. Projective Bundle Theorem and Beilinson Resolution 276
5.8. The Chern Character 280
5.9. The Dimension Filtration and "Devissage" 286
5.10. The Localization Theorem 292
5.11. Functoriality 296

Chapter 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and

Harmonic Polynomials 303
6.1. Equivariant K-Theory of the Flag Variety 303
6.2. Equivariant K-Theory of the Steinberg Variety 311
6.3. Harmonic Polynomials 315
6.4. W-Harmonic Polynomials and Flag Varieties 321
6.5. Orbital Varieties 329
6.6. The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial 335
6.7. Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 346

Chapter 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory 361

7.1. Affine Weyl Groups and Hecke Algebras 361
7.2. Main Theorems 366
7.3. Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 370
7.4. Hilbert Polynomials and Orbital Varieties 383
7.5. The Hecke Algebra for SL2 389
7.6. Proof of the Main Theorem 395

Chapter 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras 411

8.1. Standard Modules 411
8.2. Character Formula for Standard modules 418
8.3. Constructible Complexes 421
8.4. Perverse Sheaves and the Classification Theorem 433
8.5. The Contravariant Form 438
 Contents vii

8.6. Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 445

8.7. Projective Modules over Convolution Algebra 460
8.8. A Non-Vanishing Result 468
8.9. Semi-Sniall Maps 479

Bibliography 487
 Preface

This book on Representation Theory and Complex Geometry is an out-

growth of a course given by the second author at the University of Chicago
in 1993 and written up by the first author.
We have tried to write a book on representation theory for graduate stu-
dents and non-experts which conveys the beautiful and, we wish to empha-
size, essentially simple underlying ideas of the subject. We aim to provide
a fairly direct approach to the heart of the subject without presenting the
often formidable technical foundations that can be discouraging.
To achieve our goal, we felt obliged to adopt an informal and easily
accessible style-admittedly at times at the loss of some mathematical
precision-but sufficient to convey a sound intuitive grasp of the basic
concepts and proofs. It is our belief that what is gained by way of access is
worth this cost in mathematical rigor. The reader who gains entry into the
subject by this means should be well positioned to solidify mathematical
details by reference to the existing research literature in the field, including
more formal expositions by experts.
In particular, the background material we provide in algebraic geometry
and algebraic topology should in no way be construed as a text on these
subjects; rather the reader can get some basic impressions from our book,
and then consult other references for details and precise treatments. We
have made an earnest effort to remove actual inaccuracies and misprints,
and apologize for any that have survived.
We repeat that our hope is that the novice will benefit from this op-
portunity to discover how interesting, rich, and fundamentally simple the
underlying ideas of representation theory truly are.
x Preface

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. W. Fulton and R. Kottwitz made useful comments

throughout the course which have helped to make lecture notes of the
course more readable. Thanks are due to all those who read and reviewed
the preliminary versions of the manuscript, in particular to S. Evens,
E. Looijenga, G. Lusztig, M. Reeder, J. Rubidge, T. Tanisaki, F. Sottie,
and E. Vasserot. We also thank J. Trowbridge for help in 1Xing this doc-
ument. It is a pleasure to thank our editor, Ann Kostant, for her efforts in
getting this book published.
We are grateful to J. Bernstein and V. Lunts for allowing us to in-
clude their new proof of the Kostant theorem before its publication, and to
1. Grojnowski for providing us with a brief sketch of his argument concern-
ing the results of Section 8.8. Above all we would like to express our deep
gratitude to Masaki Kashiwara for pointing out hundreds of errors, both
mathematical and typographical. We are very much indebted to M. Kashi-
wara and T. Pantev who have spent so much time and effort trying to make
our rough manuscript into a real book. Their contribution cannot be over-
estimated.
The first author appreciates the hospitality of the University of Chicago,
the Regional Geometry Institute, the University of Toronto, the Institute
for Advanced Study and Harvard University.

Neil Chriss Victor Ginzburg

 CHAPTER 0

Introduction

By a classification of mathematics due to N. Bourbaki, various parts of

mathematics may be divided, according to their approach, into two large
groups. The first group consists of subjects such as set theory, algebra or
general topology, where the emphasis is put on the analysis of the enor-
mously rich structures arising from a very short list of axioms. The second
group, whose typical representative is algebraic geometry, consists of those
subjects where the emphasis is on the synthesis arising from the interaction
of different sorts of structures. Representation theory undoubtedly belongs
to the second group, and we have tried in this work to show how vari-
ous "difficult" representation-theoretic results often follow quite easily when
placed in the appropriate geometric or algebraic context. Thus, the material
covered in this book is at the crossroads of algebraic geometry, symplectic
geometry and "pure" representation theory. It is precisely for these reasons
that "modern" representation theory is becoming increasingly inaccessible
to the nonexpert: representation theory draws from, and is enhanced by, an
ever increasing and more technical body of knowledge.
It is the principal goal of this book to bridge the gap between the stan-
dard knowledge of a beginner in Lie theory and the much wider back-
ground needed by the working mathematician. This volume provides a self-
contained overview of some of the recent advances in representation theory
from a geometric standpoint. Wherever possible we prefer to give "geomet-
ric" proofs of theorems, sometimes sacrificing the most elementary proof for
one which gives more insight and requires less background. This also goes
a long way toward explaining the somewhat uneven level of exposition. At
times we prove basic, well-known theorems, but in less well known and more
geometric ways, while at other times we pass over the proofs of equally well-
known theorems. Such a geometrically-oriented treatment "from scratch" is
very timely and has long been desired, especially since the discovery of D-
modules in the early 80s and the quiver approach to quantum groups in the
early 90s.

N. Chess, V. Cnnzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10.1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_1,
© Birkhauser Boston, apart of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
2 0. Introduction

Our exposition begins with basic concepts of symplectic geometry. These

are then applied to the geometry associated with a complex semisimple Lie
group, such as that of flag varieties, nilpotent conjugacy classes, Springer
resolutions, etc. As far as we know, the approach adopted here has not
been previously available in the literature. The key technical tool that we
use is a convolution operation in homology and (equivariant) algebraic K-
theory. This operation is part of the bivariant machinery, see [FM], that
extends the familiar functor formalism of algebraic topology from the usual
setup of continuous maps to a more general setup of correspondences. (The
correspondences that we consider are typically quite far from being genuine
maps, e.g., correspondences formed by pairs of flags in C" in a fixed relative
position.) We then proceed to the central theme of the book, a uniform
geometric approach to the classification of finite-dimensional irreducible
representations of three different objects:

(1) Weyl groups (e.g., the symmetric group);

(2) the Lie algebra sl"(C);
(3) affine Hecke algebras.

A fourth object, quantum groups, should have been added to the list,
but that rapidly developing subject deserves an exposition of its own (cf.,
[GV1], [GV2], [GKV], [Nal],[Na2], [Lul0]).
Because of the large amount of mathematics covered here, and the
amount that has been in the "public domain" for some time, it has been
difficult to ascertain in every case the mathematicians responsible for the
work listed. We have tried in this introduction to give an outline of the
mathematics to be covered and the mathematicians whose contributions
to the subject could not be overlooked. However we found that as we
tried to make this outline more complete, we encountered a very rich
history indeed: for each new name introduced, ten more were immediately
suggested. Thus we must apologize beforehand to all those mathematicians
we have undoubtedly omitted.
We shall now describe the contents of the book in more detail and make
some historical remarks.
In Sections 1.1-1.4 we present some basic constructions of symplectic
geometry. The reader is referred to the books [GS1], [GS2] and the survey
[AG] for excellent expositions of symplectic geometry from different points
of view. The canonical symplectic structure on the cotangent bundle (Ex-
ample 1.1.3) and the corresponding Poisson structure (Theorem 1.3.10) is
the starting point of the Hamiltonian mechanics [AM] and has been known
for a long time. The existence of a natural symplectic structure on coadjoint
orbits (Proposition 1.1.5) was discovered in the early 1960s in the works of
Kirillov, Kostant and Souriau. That structure plays a crucial role in geo-
 0. Introduction 3

metric quantization [Ko2],[Sou] and more specifically in the orbit method in

representation theory (cf., [AuKo],[Ki)). The corresponding Poisson bracket
(Example 1.3.3) is much older. It first appeared in the works of Sophus
Lie at the beginning of the century and was subsequently rediscovered by
a number of authors (see e.g., [Be]). Lemma 1.3.27, which is quite simple
and very useful in applications, seems to be due to Kashiwara. Theorem
1.3.28 is proved by Piasetsky [Pi]. The first definition of the moment map
was given in full generality by Kostant [Ko4] and Souriau [Soul; in special
cases however it had been seen long before symplectic geometry came to
life. Some examples go back to the works of Euler and Lagrange.
Coisotropic subvarieties arise naturally in the Hamiltonian approach to
mechanical systems with constraints. In particular, Proposition 1.5.1 was
implicitly used in Dirac's work [Dir]. A proof of the Frobenius Integrability
Theorem 1.5.4 can be found in [Ster]. Theorem 1.5.7 is taken from the
appendix to [Gill; it plays an important role in the geometric constructions
of Part 3.
Coisotropic subvarieties are especially important in quantum mechan-
ics. Recall that the Heisenberg uncertainty principle says that it is im-
possible to determine simultaneously the position and momentum of a
quantum-mechanical particle. More generally, the smallest subsets of clas-
sical phase space (= symplectic manifold) in which the presence of a
quantum-mechanical particle can be detected are its lagrangian subvari-
eties. (For instance, one can determine exactly the position of a particle
at the expense of remaining in total ignorance about its momentum). For
this reason the lagrangian subvarieties of a symplectic manifold should be
viewed as being its "quantum points." Further, the union of a collection
of lagrangian subvarieties, i.e., of quantum points, is automatically a coiso-
tropic subvariety and conversely, any coisotropic subvariety is the union
of lagrangian subvarieties contained in it (this is a nonlinear version of
Lemma 1.5.11). Thus, the uncertainty principle says that the only sub-
sets of the classical phase space that make sense in quantum mechanics
are those formed by "quantum points," that is, coisotropic subvarieties.
The integrability of characteristics Theorem 1.5.17 is one of the deep-
est results we know about almost-commutative rings. The theorem should
be viewed as a concrete mathematical counterpart of the Heisenberg uncer-
tainty principle in quantum physics. It says that any subvariety of classical
phase space (= Specm gr A) that arises from a noncommutative system of
equations (= an ideal in A) is necessarily coisotropic. It appeared first in
the work of Guillemin-Quillen-Sternberg [GQSI on systems of partial differ-
ential equations. The term "characteristic" stands in that context for the
directions in the cotangent bundle in which the solutions to the system in
question could possibly have singularities. The first proof of the theorem in
the special case of rings of differential operators was given by Sato-Kawai-
4 0. Introduction

Kashiwara [SKK] (see [Ma] for a very clear and considerably simplified
exposition). The proof in [SKK] involved, however, sophisticated analytic
tools of micro-local analysis. In its final, purely algebraic form presented
here, the theorem is due to 0. Gabber [Ga].
In Section 1.6 we study general families of lagrangian cone-subvarieties
of a symplectic cone-manifold. The standard example of such a family is the
one formed by the fibers of a cotangent bundle. Theorem 1.6.6 says that,
under mild assumptions, any family can be transformed to the standard
one via an appropriate resolution. Put another way, we show that giving
a lagrangian family parametrized by a variety X is the same as giving a
coisotropic subvariety in T*X. The latter formulation fits into the above
mentioned viewpoint of lagrangian subvarieties as "quantum points." This
way, the variety X parametrizing the lagrangian family may be regarded as
a variety of "quantum points", and the theorem associates to such data a
coisotropic subvariety in the standard phase space (= T*X) corresponding
to the "configuration" space X of "quantum points." This approach is
closely related to the ideas of Guillemin-Sternberg [GS3].
Chapter 2 is a collection of various unrelated results from algebra,
geometry and differential topology that will be extensively used later in
the book. The reader may skip this chapter and return to it whenever nec-
essary.
In Section 2.1 we prove a non-commutative version of Hilbert's Nullstel-
lensatz. The nullstellensatz theorem has many different proofs (see [Lang]).
The one presented below, due to Amitsur, seems to be the shortest among
the proofs, provided we restrict ourselves to the complex ground field C.
The second (strong) part of the theorem is formulated so as to make trans-
parent the analogy with a similar result for Banach algebras, known as
the Gelfand-Mazur theorem (cf., [Ru]). Corollary 2.1.4 was first proved by
Quillen [Q3] using different methods.
Section 2.2 is a very short digest of commutative algebra. We recall
the fundamentals of the relationship between commutative algebra and
algebraic geometry, cf., [Mum3], and then turn to some deeper properties of
Cohen-Macaulay rings borrowed from [BeLu]. These results play a key role
in the new simple proof of the Kostant theorem due to Bernstein-Lunts (see
Section 6.7).
The deformation to the normal bundle construction given in 2.3.15
has a long history (see [Fu, end of Chapter 5]). Algebraic aspects of the
construction were studied by Gerstenhaber [Ger] in the mid 1960's, while
geometric aspects were worked out ten years later in the course of the proof
of the Riemann-Roch theorem for singular varieties [BFM1]. (In fact Baum-
Fulton-MacPherson use a slightly different construction involving blowups,
which was motivated by the so-called Grassmannian-Graph construction).
 0. Introduction 5

The equivalence of various approaches mentioned above was established in

[DV].
In Section 2.4 we describe the relationship between the structure of a
projective variety with a C *-action and the corresponding fixed point set.
These results as well as somewhat related results in Section 2.5 are nowa-
days well-known due to numerous applications in topology and mathemat-
ical physics (cf., for example [At], [Kirw]). A connection between circle ac-
tions and Morse theory seems to have been first observed by Frankel [Fr].
In Section 2.4 we review various definitions and constructions involving
Borel-Moore homology [BoMo], i.e., homology with locally closed supports.
Everything here is standard (cf., [Bre]). Section 2.7 is devoted to convolu-
tion in Borel-Moore homology. The definition of convolution is similar to
and motivated by the bivariant technique developed by Fulton-MacPherson
[FM]. The convolution operation incorporates, as we show in examples
2.7.10(i)-(iii), all the natural operations familiar in algebraic topology.
The purpose of Part 3 is to study various geometric objects associated
naturally to a complex semisimple group G. The most basic among them
is the flag variety B whose importance was emphasized in the pioneering
works of I. Gelfand and M. Naimark in the early 1950's. In Section 3.1 we
prove the Bruhat decomposition (Theorem 3.1.9). The Bruhat decomposi-
tion may be viewed as a purely algebraic statement about double-cosets in
G and may be proved along those lines. We adopt, however, a more geo-
metric viewpoint involving the flag variety. The proof we present, based on
the Bialynicki-Birula decomposition [BiaBi] or, equivalently, on Morse the-
ory, is neither the shortest nor the most elementary one, but we believe it is
geometrically the most convincing. Similar remarks apply to the Chevalley
restriction Theorem 3.1.38. Although the proof we present is certainly not
new, it differs from the proof, exploiting characters of finite dimensional
representations, that one usually finds in the literature (see e.g., [Di]).
The Springer resolution of the nilpotent variety N (Corollary 3.2.3) was
introduced by Grothendieck and Springer around 1970. It was known by
that time (see [Kol], [Ko3]) that the variety Al contains the unique open
conjugacy class of regular elements and a unique conjugacy class 0 of codi-
mension 2, the generic part of the singular locus of Al. The singularity of Al
at 0 turns out to be a simple Kleinian singularity of the type correspond-
ing to the type of Dynkin diagram of G. This remarkable observation was
probably made first by Grothendieck and proved by Brieskorn (see [Bri],
tSloll). Grothendieck also introduced diagram 3.1.21 and its generalization
given in Remark 3.2.6, known as Grothendieck's simultaneous resolution.
Section 3.3 is devoted to the Steinberg variety Z, or the variety of triples.
It was introduced in [St4]. The importance of the Steinberg variety is, to a
large extent, due to Proposition 3.3.4 which was already implicit in [St4].
6 0. Introduction

There are two natural projections of the Steinberg variety, one to B x 13,
the "square" of the flag variety, the other to the Lie algebra g = Lie G.
The interplay between the two projections is our major concern in this sec-
tion (as well as in [St4)). The varieties considered in Theorem 3.3.6 were
introduced slightly earlier by Joseph [Jol] (cf., also [Jo2]). The theorem
itself, in its present form, is borrowed from [Gil]. The dimension identity
for the Springer fiber B. arising from the theorem (Corollary 3.3.24) was
known earlier and is a quite nontrivial result with an interesting history.
The inequality LHS < RHS was first conjectured by Grothendieck. Stein-
berg observed that the inequality is actually the equality that he proved in
[St4]. His original proof was rather long and was based on the classification
of nilpotent elements carried out in [BC]. Using [BC], Steinberg explicitly
constructed in [St4] an irreducible component of B, of the required dimen-
sion. The essential ingredient of his construction was a theorem saying that
any "distinguished" nilpotent element is "even." This result was originally
proved in [BC] via a lengthy argument involving a case by case analysis
(its short proof was subsequently found by Jantzen, see [Ca, v.2, p.165)).
Later on, Spaltenstein proved in [Spal] that all the irreducible components
of B,z have the same dimension, thus completing the proof of 3.3.24. Our
approach, based on Theorem 3.3.5, seems to be more direct.
In Section 3.4 we introduce a "Lagrangian construction" of the group
algebra of the Weyl group as a convolution algebra formed by the top Borel-
Moore homology of the Steinberg variety. This construction appeared in
[KT] and independently in [Gil].
Sections 3.5-3.6 are devoted to what is now known as the theory of
Springer representations. In the course of his work on characters of finite
Chevalley groups, Springer discovered [Sprl] a natural Weyl group action
on the etale cohomology of Springer fibers B,,. His construction was carried
out in the framework of finite fields and was based on the Fourier transform
of l-adic complexes of sheaves on a vector space, introduced by Deligne.
Later Springer deduced ([Spr2]) similar results in the complex setup from
the results of [Sprl]. However the crucial part of the construction involved
the Artin-Schreier covering of the affine line (which is not simply con-
nected!) over an algebraic closure of a finite field, an object that has no
complex counterpart whatsoever.
Thus, Springer's approach remained mysterious from the viewpoint of
complex geometry for almost 10 years until it was realized, following the
works of Sato-Kawai-Kashiwara, Deligne and Brylinski-Malgrange-Verdier
[BMV] that the concept underlying Springer's construction is that of the
"geometric Fourier transform." A modern approach to the Springer rep-
resentations from the point of view of the geometric Fourier transform is
given in [Dry, Ch.11). Meanwhile, several alternative and more direct ap-
proach(-,4 to the Springer representations were found. Let us mention the
 0. Introduction IT

"monodromy construction" of Slodowy [Slo] that can be interpreted in

terms of nearby cycles [MacP], the "topological construction" of Kazhdan-
Lusztig [KL1], and the "perverse sheaves construction" worked out by
Borho-MacPherson [BM] following an earlier idea of Lusztig [Lu2]. The
equivalence of all the above mentioned constructions was proved by Hotta
[Ho]. Finally, the "lagrangian construction" used in the present work and
based on Theorem 3.4.1 and on convolution in Borel-Moore homology is
borrowed from [Gil].
In Section 3.7 we prove the Jacobson-Morozov theorem and some related
results, such as a construction of standard transversal slices to conjugacy
classes. The latter was used by Kostant [Kol] and Peterson in certain
special cases, and defined in [Ko3] and [Slol] in general. For some additional
results in that direction, we refer to [Kol].
Chapter 4 provides a geometric construction of the universal enveloping
algebra of the Lie algebra and of its finite dimensional representa-
tions. Although the topic looks very "classical," most of the results of this
part have never been published before (see announcement in [Gi4]). The
basic ideas come, in fact from quantum groups (cf. [Drin], [Ji], [Lu10]), a
new and facinating part of representation theory with many unexpected
applications (see e.g. [GKV],[Nal]).
Sections 4.1 and 4.2 are the analogues of Sections 3.4 and 3.6 respec-
tively, with the Weyl group now being replaced by the Lie algebra 51,,(C). In
Section 4.1 we give a "lagrangian construction" of the universal enveloping
algebra of sl,,(C). The construction was motivated by (and is a micro-local
counterpart of) Beilinson-Lusztig-MacPherson's construction [BLM] of the
quantized universal enveloping algebra. A simple new proof of the main
Theorem 4.1.12 is presented in Section 4.3. Section 4.2 may be viewed as
"Springer representations theory" for the Lie algebra every finite
dimensional irreducible is realized in the top homology of an
appropriate variety. The fundamental classes of the irreducible components
of that variety naturally form a distinguished weight basis of the
module. This basis is likely (cf. Remark 3.4.16) to coincide with Lusztig's
canonical basis [Lu6] and also with special bases introduced much earlier by
DeConcini-Kazhdan [DK] (as was pointed out to us by Lusztig, the unique-
ness question had been not even raised at that time). The above mentioned
results were announced in [Gi4]; they provide a geometric explanation of
the classically known connection between combinatorics involved in the rep-
resentation theory of the symmetric and general linear groups.
The constructions of the two previous sections depend on an arbitrar-
ily chosen positive integer d. The aim of Section 4.4 is to show that these
constructions are, in a sense, independent of d. That "stabilization phe-
nomenon" allows us to make a limit construction as d goes to infinity,
an interesting example of infinite-dimensional geometry. The results of this
8 0. Introduction

section were never published before. The crucial one, Theorem 3.10.16, is
based on the miraculous computation of Lemma 4.4.2. It would be interest-
ing to find a more conceptual proof of this theorem.
Part 5 is an attempt to provide a reasonably self-contained introduction
to equivariant algebraic K-theory.
In the mid 1950's Grothendieck assigned to any algebraic variety X two
groups, K°(X) and K°(X ), the Grothendieck groups of algebraic vector
bundles and coherent sheaves on X, respectively. Twenty-five years later,
after some earlier partial results by Bass and Milnor, Quillen defined in the
seminal paper [Q1], f o r each i = 0, 1, 2, ... , the higher algebraic K-groups
Kt(X) and KK(X). These groups may be thought of (very roughly) as
algebraic analogues of the cohomology and Borel-Moore homology groups
in topology. Accordingly, the functor K' is contravariant in X and the
group K'(X) has a ring structure, while the functor K. is covariant in X
(with respect to proper morphisms) and the group K.(X) has the natural
structure of a K'(X)-module. Furthermore, there is a Poincare duality
analogue saying that, for smooth X, one has a canonical isomorphism
K'(X) K.(X).
The equivariant algebraic K-theories K and K. were first defined and
studied by Thomason in [Thl], [Th2]. His treatment follows the lines of
Quillen [Q1] on the one hand, and is modeled on the topological equivariant
K-theory of Atiyah-Segal [AS] on the other. The approach of [Thl] was not
fully satisfactory however, for it only provided a completed (in the sense of
rings) version of the theory. The correct approach was later found in (Th3],
so that it gives

Ke(pt) = representation ring of the group G,

as expected, cf. 5.2.1.

In principle, all the results of Part 5 can be derived from Thomason's
work [Thl]-[Th4]. However our treatment is more elementary, whereas in
[Thl]-[Th4] a lot of sophisticated background, e.g., the knowledge of ho-
motopy limits, etale topology and etale descent is required. The simplicity
of our approach is made possible for two reasons. First, we only use K?-
theory and never K, -theory, just as our approach in the previous chapters
was entirely based on Borel-Moore homology. Secondly, most of the vari-
eties we encounter are of a very special kind: they have an algebraic cell
decomposition by complex cells, e.g., the Bruhat decomposition of the flag
manifold. In such cases, all the information we need is captured by the sin-
gle K-group K01. The higher K-groups do not play an essential role in the
book, though their existence is used a few times. These groups are "split
off" by means of our main technical device, the cellular fibration Lemma
5.5 which is also very useful in computations.
 0. Introduction 9

In Section 5.1 we begin with the standard definition of equivariant

sheaves following Mumford [Muml]. We then proceed to show that equi-
variant sheaves exist on any quasi-projective G-variety. Our exposition here
is based on an elegant approach of [KKLV], [KKVJ, which yields, as a by-
product, the equivariant projective imbedding Theorem 5.1.25, an impor-
tant result proved by Sumihiro [Sul]. Then, using a routine argument due
to Grothendieck, we construct a G-equivariant locally-free resolution of any
G-equivariant sheaf. With locally free resolutions in hand, one defines var-
ious standard functors such as direct and inverse images, tensor products,
etc. In addition, we introduce a convolution operation in equivariant K-
theory that incorporates, in a sense, all the above mentioned functors and
plays a major role in the subsequent chapters. In Section 5.4 we recall the
standard definition of a Koszul complex and prove the Thom isomorphism
by reducing it to the projective bundle theorem. (The Thom isomorphism
was referred to as the homotopy property in [Q1] and [Thl]; Quillen's proof
does not work in our present equivariant setup).
The Kiinneth formula (Section 5.6) seems to be new, although some
results involving similar ideas appeared earlier, e.g. in [ES]. In the same
section we give a new proof, due to Beilinson, of the (equivariant) projec-
tive bundle theorem. The proof is based on a canonical resolution of the
structure sheaf of the diagonal in I?" x P" constructed in [Be], and is much
simpler than Quillen's original proof in [Q1]. In fact Beilinson invented his
resolution while trying to understand Quillen's argument.
In Section 5.8 we assign to a coherent sheaf on a possibly singular vari-
ety its Chern character class in Borel-Moore homology. Several equivalent
constructions of such a class are known, though none is quite satisfactory.
We follow the classical Chern-Weil approach, which is perhaps the best for
the first reading. Unfortunately, it is badly suited for proofs, e.g., Theo-
rem 5.8.6 (the multiplicative property of the Chern character) turns out
to be a nontrivial result. Other, more technical definitions, which are bet-
ter adapted for the proof of the singular Riemann-Roch theorem are given
in [BFMI] and [Fu]. Recently, a very interesting definition was proposed
by Quillen [Q2]; it may eventually lead to a bridge between the Chern-
Weil approach and the one given in [Fu] based on the graph construction of
MacPherson.
Most of the results of Section 5.9 are quite old and go back to the work
of Grothendieck-Borel-Serre [BS]. Section 5.10 is devoted to the localization
theorem that relates equivariant K-groups of a variety with those of a
fixed point subvariety. We prove the theorem only in a special case that
suffices for our purposes. The reader is referred to [Thl] for a proof of
the general case, which is technically more involved. The essential role in
our proof is played by Proposition 5.10.3. The importance of a topological
counterpart of this proposition was emphasized by Atiyah and Bott in their
10 0. Introduction

study of equivariant Poincare polynomials of moduli spaces (see [Kirw] and

references therein).
In Section 5.11 a K-theoretic version of the Lefschetz fixed point formula
is proved (again in a special case; see [Th2] for the general case). We also
prove a bivariant Riemann-Roch theorem (for correspondences instead of
maps) which follows formally from the results of [BFM1] (cf., also [FM]).
Part 6 is concerned with equivariant K-theory and homology of the
flag variety, and closely related topics. The results of Section 6.1 are quite
standard and completely analogous to their counterparts in topological K-
theory (cf. [AS]). We deduce a weak version of Borel-Weil theorem from
the Lefschetz formula in equivariant K-theory. Then the Kiinneth theorem
for flag varieties is established following the approach of [KL4]. The result
was conjectured by Snaith [Sn] and proved by McCleod in [McCleo] and
independently by Kazhdan and Lusztig in [KL4). In Section 6.2 we show
that various varieties, such as the flag variety, its cotangent bundle, the
Steinberg variety, etc. are essentially built out of complex cells so that the
machinery based on the cellular fibration applies.
Sections 6.3-6.5 are devoted to harmonic polynomials. These polynomi-
als were originally introduced and studied by Steinberg [St2] in connection
with Harish-Chandra's work on harmonic analysis on a semisimple group.
We are mainly concerned with the relationship between W-harmonic poly-
nomials on a Cartan subalgebra and nilpotent conjugacy classes in the cor-
responding semisimple Lie algebra. There are two totally different ways of
establishing such a relationship. The first is based on the classical result of
Borel given in Section 6.5. It establishes a natural isomorphism between the
vector space rl of harmonic polynomials and H' (13), the total cohomology
of the flag manifold. To a nilpotent conjugacy class 0, one associates in a
natural way certain cohomology classes of the flag manifold, the Poincare
duals of the fundamental classes of the so-called orbital varieties studied in
Section 6.5. These classes give rise, via the Borel isomorphism, to a distin-
guished collection of harmonic polynomials.
The second method is based on the notion of an equivariant Hilbert
polynomial (Section 6.3). Fix a maximal torus T and a Borel subalgebra
b D Lie T. Given a nilpotent conjugacy class 0, form the intersection On b.
Let A be an irreducible component of its closure and PA the T-equivariant
Hilbert polynomial of the variety A. It turns out that PA is a harmonic
polynomial on the Cartan subalgebra Lie T, so that we get a collection
of harmonic polynomials parametrized by the irreducible components of
0 fl b. Theorem 7.4.1 says that the collections of harmonic polynomials
arising via the first and second approaches coincide. Moreover, there is
a natural bijection between the sets of orbital varieties and of irreducible
components of Onb so that the corresponding objects give rise to the same
 0. Introduction 11

harmonic polynomial. A proof of this important result was first given by

Borho-Brylinski-MacPherson in [BBM] using earlier results of Hotta [Ha]
and Joseph [Jol],[Jo2]. (A more direct proof based on the technique of
equivariant cohomology was found later by Vergne [Ve]). Our approach is
similar to that of Vergne, with the equivariant cohomology being replaced
by equivariant K-theory.
Section 6.7 is devoted to a very important result due to Kostant [Ko3]
describing the structure of the polynomial ring on a semisimple Lie alge-
bra. This result is crucial in relating representations to D-modules, see
[BeiBer]. In spite of its fundamental role in various matters, no entirely
self-contained proof of the Kostant theorem was ever published. The orig-
inal proof of Kostant relied on the rather sophisticated commutative al-
gebra found in [Seid] involving some deep properties of Cohen-Macaulay
rings. Those properties amount essentially to what nowadays is known as
the "Serre normality criterion" [Se3].
We present in this section a new and complete proof of the Kostant
theorem based on a totally different, much more elementary technique,
due to Bernstein-Lunts, (see Section 2.2 and [BeLu]). We hope that the
argument presented in §6.7 will make not only the statement but also the
proof of the Kostant theorem accessible to the nonexperts.
In Chapter 7 we give a geometric interpretation of Weyl groups and
Hecke algebras in terms of equivariant K-theory. This interpretation plays a
crucial role in the representation theory of Hecke algebras studied in Chap-
ter 8. Our first Theorem 7.2.2 establishes an isomorphism of the group alge-
bra of the affine Weyl group with the convolution algebra arising from the
G-equivariant K-group of the Steinberg variety Z. This result is entirely
analogous to the lagrangian construction of Section 3.4. The proof, which
seems to have never appeared before, is based on the same deformation ar-
gument as the proof of Theorem 3.4.1. Historically, however, the relevance
of equivariant K-theory to the subject was first discovered by G. Lusztig
[Lu4]. In that crucial paper which paved the way for all subsequent devel-
opments, Lusztig constructed a representation of the affine Hecke algebra
in a G x C`-equivariant K-group. What is especially amazing about [Lu4]
is that Lusztig ingeniously recognized the presence and importance of a C'-
action while dealing with varieties without any C'-action at all. That action
turned out, a posteriori, to be the natural C'-action on the Steinberg vari-
ety, by dilations. Theorem 7.2.5, the main result of the chapter, says that
the affine Hecke algebra H is isomorphic to the convolution algebra arising
from the G x C'-equivariant K-group of the Steinberg variety Z. This is
a natural q-analogue of Theorem 7.2.2. All the above can be summed up
in the following commutative diagram of algebra homomorphisms; the top
row of the diagram is formed by geometric objects and the bottom row by
12 0. Introduction

their algebraic counterparts, moving from left to right leads to forgetting

some amount of structure.

forgetting support
KGXc'(7i)
c'-action KG( Z) c-! Hdimp2(Z)
(0.0.1) 113.4
117.2.5 11 7.2.2
9-1
H Z[Waff] --' Z[W]
One might ask why we made Theorem 7.2.2 a separate result while it is
directly obtained from Theorem 7.2.5 by specialization at q = 1. The rea-
son is that the only known proof of Theorem 7.2.5 is rather artificial and
is considerably more complicated than that of Theorem 7.2.2. The defor-
mation approach for the proof of Theorem 7.2.2 provides in itself a natural
explanation of the theorem. That approach fails in case of Theorem 7.2.5,
for the deformation used in the argument can not be made G'-equivariant.
Thus, Theorem 7.2.2 is not only much more elementary but is also a strong
motivation for Theorem 7.2.5 which is still awaiting a natural explanation;
an obstacle is, perhaps, the absence of an adequate definition of the affine
Hecke algebra (cf. an attempt in [GKV1]). A somewhat related problem
should be perhaps mentioned at this point. The Hecke algebra of the fi-
nite (not affine) Weyl group has no geometric construction whatsoever.
Neither the "lagrangian" approach of Chapter 3 admits a q-deformation,
nor is there a nice geometric way to locate the finite Hecke algebra inside
its affine counterpart. For another proof of 7.2.5 see [Tal].
Theorem 7.2.5 was announced without proof in [Gi2] soon after the
appearance of [Lu4]. A complete proof of a result which is slightly weaker
than Theorem 7.2.5 was given by Kazhdan-Lusztig [KL4, Theorem 3.5].
(Some indications towards the proof of Theorem 7.2.5 in its present form
appeared in [Gi3] at the same time as [KL4]. However, the presentation in
[Gi3] was so sketchy and contained so many gaps and incorrect statements
that it could not be regarded quite seriously.) Theorem 7.2.5 differs from
the corresponding result of Kazhdan-Lusztig in two ways. First, Kazhdan
and Lusztig work with topological K-theory while Theorem 7.2.5 is stated in
terms of algebraic K-theory. This difference is just formal however, for it is
known [Ta] that the two theories are actually isomorphic in the case under
consideration, see Remark 5.5.6. The second difference is more essential.
The result proved by Kazhdan-Lusztig says that (in the spirit of [KL1])
the equivariant K-group of the Steinberg variety has the structure of the
two-sided regular representation of the affine Hecke algebra, while Theorem
7.2.5 says that the K-group is isomorphic, as an algebra, to the aflinc
Iiecke algebra itself (this implies, in particular, that it is isomorphic to its
two-sided regular representation). The algebra structure as such was not
 0. Introduction 13

explicitly presented in [KL4] and was not used in that paper. We give in
Section 7.6 a complete proof of Theorem 7.2.5 following the strategy of
Kazhdan-Lusztig [KL4, Sec. 3] with some minor simplifications. Thus, our
proof is based, after all, on the formulas 7.2.13, discovered by Lusztig in
[Lu4] and subsequently explained by Kato (see [KL4, p. 177]).
Hecke algebras arise in mathematics not just as q-analogues of the group
algebras of Weyl groups. Historically, they first appeared quite naturally as
convolution algebras of bi-invariant functions on reductive groups over fi-
nite or p-adic fields. More specifically, let p be a prime, Qp the correspond-
ing p-adic field with ring of integers Zp and residue class field 1Fp. Let G(Qp)
be the group of %p-rational points of a split semisimple group G, and let
G(Zp) and G(1Fp) be the corresponding groups of Z,, and F, -points. The
diagram

Qp+- Z'p-*Zp/p.7p=1{Fp
induces natural group homomorphisms
G(Qp) t-' G(Zp) --H G(Fp).

Let I be an Iwahori subgroup of G(Qp). (If G is simply connected I is

defined to be the inverse image in G(7Gp) of a split Borel subgroup of G(1Fp)
via the projection above. In general we set I := x(I), where i : G - G is a
simply connected cover of G and I is an Iwahori subgroup in G). We now
assume that G has no center, i.e., is of adjoint type, and let C[I\G(Qp)/I]
denote the vector space of all I-bi-invariant complex valued functions on
G(Q,,) with compact support.
The space C[I\G(Qp)/I] has a natural algebra structure given by convo-
lution on G. This double-coset algebra, called the Iwahori-Hecke algebra of
G(Q,), plays a significant role in the representation theory of G(Qp), since
it was shown by Borel, Bernstein and Matsumoto that there is a natural
bijection between finite dimensional representations of the double-coset al-
gebra and smooth representations of G(Q,) generated by I-fixed vectors.
Characteristic functions of the I-double cosets in G(Qp) form a natu-
ral basis of C[I\G(Q)/I]. An analogue of the Bruhat decomposition gives
a natural parametrization of I-double cosets in G(Qp), hence of the basis,
by elements of the (affine) Weyl group, W011, of the group G(Q,). Fur-
thermore, Iwahori and Matsumoto showed that the double-coset algebra
is a q-analogue of the group algebra of the group Waf f. Specifically, they
constructed in [IM] an isomorphism between the Iwahori-Hecke algebra of
G(Q,) and the "abstract" Hecke algebra associated to the corresponding
affine root system (with parameter q being specialized at the prime p).
Later on, Bernstein found a totally different presentation of the same
algebra in terms of an alternative set of generators and relations. Bern-
stein's construction is a q-analogue of the presentation of the affine Weyl
14 0. Introduction

group, Waf f, as a semi-direct product of the "finite" Weyl group, W, and

a lattice of translations. Accordingly, the algebra H introduced by Bern-
stein, which we call the affine Hecke algebra, contains a q-analogue of the
group algebra of W, the "finite Hecke algebra," and a large complementary
commutative subalgebra corresponding to "translation part." The results
of Iwahori-Matsumoto and Bernstein imply that the Iwahori-Hecke algebra
of G(Q) is isomorphic to the affine Hecke algebra H. Combining with the
isomorphism 7.2.5, we obtain an algebra isomorphism

(0.0.2) KLGxC'
C[I \G(QP)/I] = (LZ)Io=P,

where LZ stands for the Steinberg variety associated with LG, the Lang-
lands dual of G. The importance of this isomorphism is in establishing a
link between the infinite dimensional representation theory of the p-adic
group G(Q) and the finite dimensional representation theory of an algebra
defined in terms of complex geometry of the dual group. The only known
proof of (0.0.2) relies on the chain of isomorphisms

(0.0.3)
C[I\G(Q)/I] , Hecke algebra of Wa f f H ^_- K''GXC* (LZ)19=p.

Here the first isomorphism is due to [IM], and the third one is due to
Theorem 7.2.5. The isomorphism in the middle; due to Bernstein, serves
as a bridge between the LHS and the RHS. The typical feature of the
theory is that, in general, algebras arising from a p-adic reductive group
and the corresponding ones arising from the Langlands dual complex group
are a priori described by different sets of generators and relations. It is
then a nonobvious result-which is a concrete manifestation of so-called
"Langlands duality" (cf. below)-that the two algebras turn out to be
isomorphic.
The isomorphism (0.0.2) above still presents a mystery. The puzzle is
that although both algebras involved in (0.0.2) have a natural geomet-
ric meaning, the isomorphism itself has no such meaning as yet. The
only known proof of it is based on an ad hoc construction of a map
H - K`Gxc'(LZ) A conceptual construction of the restriction of this
homomorphism to the "finite" Hecke algebra was found by Tanisaki [Tall
using perverse sheaves on the flag manifold of G. His construction uses a
nontrivial map assigning to a perverse sheaf on a variety its characteristic
cycle, see e.g., [Oil], [KS], in the algebraic K-theory of the cotangent bun-
dle on the variety. This shows in particular the advantage of our approach
via algebraic K-theory, the place where characteristic cycles naturally live,
as opposed to the approach based on topological K-theory.
Unfortunately, there seem to be some deep reasons preventing Tanisaki's
construction to be extended to the affine Hecke algebra H. To find a con-
 0. Introduction 15

ceptual construction of the map on the whole of H one might argue as

follows. First of all the LHS of (0.0.2) should be modified to make the
isomorphism hold for all q, the specialization being dropped. This can
be achieved by replacing functions on I\G(Qp)/I by sheaves (more pre-
cisely, mixed P-adic perverse sheaves) on the affine flag variety 13 , cf.,
[KL5], instead of the "finite" flag variety used by Tanisaki. Following the
strategy of [Spr3] one introduces a category P(B) formed by certain per-
verse sheaves, i.e., constructible complexes, on 8 so that K(P(8)), the cor-
responding Grothendieck group, has a natural Z[q, q-1]-algebra structure
whose specialization at q = p is isomorphic to C[I\G(Qp)/I]. Observe fur-
ther that the RHS of (0.0.2) is, by definition, the Grothendieck group of
the category of equivariant coherent sheaves on LZ. The
isomorphism (0.0.2) can be "lifted" to a stronger isomorphism:

(0.0.4) K(P(13)) = K(CohLGXc (LZ))

The latter isomorphism between the Grothendieck groups of the two cate-
gories suggests that there might be a relation between the categories them-
selves. Specifically, we conjecture that there is a natural functor P(13) -a
Coht0Xc.("Z) which induces the isomorphism (0.0.4). As a partial result
towards proving the conjecture, we proposed in [GiKu, §4] a construction
assigning to an object of P(8) an Ad(LG)-equivariant sheaf on the nilpo-
tent variety in Lie (LG). What essentially remains to be done is to refine
the construction in order to get a 10-equivariant sheaf on the Steinberg
variety rather than a sheaf on the nilpotent variety. We hope that this can
be achieved using an interpretation of P([3) in terms of quantum groups.
Chapter 8 is devoted mostly to the classification of irreducible represen-
tations of the affine Hecke algebra.
Our approach is analogous to the classification of simple highest weight
modules over a complex semisimple Lie algebra (cf., Pi]). Recall that the
highest weight modules have natural "continuous" and "discrete" parame-
ters. Continuous parameters correspond to the choice of a central charac-
ter which has to be specified first. One then constructs a finite collection
of Verma modules with a given central character. Though not irreducible,
the Verma modules are much more manageable. Any Verma module has a
natural "contravariant" bilinear form introduced by Jantzen. Moreover, the
quotient of a Verma module modulo the radical of the contravariant form
turns out to be simple, and each simple module is obtained in this way from
a unique Verma module. In particular, Verma modules and simple modules
have identical parameter sets.
The classification of irreducible representations of the affine Hecke alge-
bra proceeds in three steps similar to those above. One observes first that
the center of the affine Hecke algebra acts via a 1-dimensional character in
16 0. Introduction

any irreducible representation, due to Schur's lemma. Giving such a "cen-

tral character" amounts to specifying a serzisimple element a = (s, t) E
G x C (up to conjugacy), the "continuous" parameter of the classification.
So, we may fix a = (t, s) and restrict our attention to irreducible repre-
sentations with the central character associated to a. We now apply the
K-theoretic description of the affine Hecke algebra given in Part 7. It turns
out that the quotient of the Hecke algebra modulo the kernel of the central
character associated to a is canonically isomorphic to the convolution alge-
bra given by the Borel-Moore homology of the a-fixed point subvariety of
the Steinberg variety. This completes the first step.
Next we produce a finite collection of "standard" modules over the con-
volution algebra, the counterparts of Verma modules. A standard module
is defined via the general procedure of Section 2.7 to be the homology of
the a-fixed point subset in a Springer fiber. The construction is analogous
to the construction of Springer representations given in Section 3.5 with a
single exception. Taking a-fixed points spoils the dimension identities (cf.,
3.3.25) that played an important role in Section 3.5. For this reason it is
impossible now to define a module structure on the top homology alone,
as we did in Section 3.6; we are now forced to take the total homology
group. Therefore, standard modules are in general too large to be irre-
ducible. Thus, the final step consists of locating the position of the sim-
ple modules inside the standard ones. By analogy with the highest weight
theory, we introduce a "contravariant" form on standard modules to be an
appropriate intersection form on homology groups (Section 8.5). We show
further that the quotient of a standard module modulo the radical of the
contravariant form is irreducible and that any irreducible module is ob-
tained in this way.
The first two steps of the above indicated approach are carried out in
Section 8.1. In Section 8.2 we obtain, following [Gi2] and [KL4, 5.2-5.3) a
character formula for standard modules conjectured earlier by Lusztig in
[Lu3]. The necessary background on the derived category of constructible
complexes is collected in Section 8.3. In the next section we recall ba-
sic facts about perverse sheaves and formulate the main result (Theorem
8.1.16) of the chapter, the classification of simple modules over the affine
Hecke algebra. Although the construction of simple modules itself is quite
elementary, the proofs of both irreducibility and completeness of the clas-
sification involve deep results from intersection cohomology. To that end,
we first give a sheaf-theoretic interpretation of the "contravariant form,"
introduced earlier in an elementary way. The proof of the classification the-
orem along with a much more general, though equally important, result is
completed in Section 8.6.
The last Section 8.9 is devoted to the study of the machinery of Section
8.6 in the extreme special case of "most favorable dimensions" that hold,
 0. Introduction 17

for instance, in the setup of Section 3.5 (see (3.3.25)). Thus we reprove
all of the results on Springer representations in a much shorter, but less
elementary way. The approach adopted here is a slight generalization of
that used by Borho-MacPherson [BM].
A classification of irreducible representations of affine Hecke algebras
(essentially equivalent to Theorem 8.1.16) was first obtained by Kazhdan-
Lusztig in [KL4, thm. 7.12]. The approach to the classification used in the
book is quite different from that of [KL4] and follows the lines of [W]. Our
approach seems to be technically shorter and more general: the technique
we are using here was applied verbatim in [GV1] to get a classification
of irreducible finite dimensional representations of affine quantum groups
and may be useful in other cases as well (cf. [GV2], [GRV]). Our technique
yields also a multiplicity formula for standard modules in terms of intersec-
tion cohomology. In the special case G = such a formula was sug-
gested (without proof) by Zelevinsky [Z] (in the general case the formula
was conjectured by Lusztig and later independently by Ginzburg [Gi2]).
Zelevinsky called it a p-adic analogue of the Kazhdan-Lusztig conjecture
(the latter is the famous conjecture in [KL2] concerning multiplicities of
Verma modules, proved by Beilinson-Bernstein and Brylinski-Kashiwara).
The main difference between the techniques used in [KL4] and that of
[Gi3] is that Kazhdan and Lusztig work entirely in the framework of (topo-
logical) equivariant K-homology, while our approach is based on intersec-
tion cohomology methods. The above mentioned multiplicity formulas, be-
ing almost immediate from our approach, seem to be inaccessible by the
K-theoretic approach. It should be emphasized however, that although the
intersection cohomology method yields explicit multiplicity formula, it can-
not ensure that those multiplicities are actually nonzero. The essential ad-
ditional result on the classification proved by Kazhdan and Lusztig [KL4,
thm. 7.12] ensures that all the multiplicities that may arise a priori are ac-
tually nonzero. This "non-vanishing result" of Kazhdan-Lusztig has to be
proved separately. It was overlooked in [Gi3] making the main result of that
paper incorrect as stated (as was pointed out in [KL4]).
By a careful analysis of the Kazhdan-Lusztig proof of the "non-vanishing
result," I. Grojnowski suggested (private communication) a geometric inter-
pretation of their argument in terms of the intersection cohomology setup
that makes the result even more transparent. A new self-contained expo-
sition of the non-vanishing result based on the (unpublished) ideas of I.
Grojnowski combined with a theorem of M. Reeder [Re] is given in Section
8.8 (cf. (Lu9] and [Lu10] for yet another proof of a generalization of the
"non-vanishing result." The proof in loc. cit. is more complicated and less
direct however).
The role of the representation theory of affine Hecke algebras is mainly
due to its close connection with the classification of infinite-dimensional ir-
18 0. Introduction

reducible representations of p-adic groups. The latter is one of the most

important open problems of representation theory. It received a new impe-
tus in early 70's when Langlands launched what is now known as "The
Langlands Program," a fantastic generalization of the Artin-Hasse reci-
procity law of the local class field theory. He conjectured [Langl] the ex-
istence of a correspondence between the irreducible admissible infinite-
dimensional representations of a p-adic reductive group G(Qp) on the one
hand and (roughly speaking) the conjugacy classes of group homomor-
phisms Gal(Op/Qp) -- LG, where LG is the complex Langlands dual group,
on the other (see the survey [Bo2] for details).
Although the Galois group Gal(Qp/Qp) is rather complicated, it has a
"tame" quotient, the group r on two generators F (= Frobenius) and M
(= monodromy) subject to the relation

According to a special case of the general Langlands conjecture, which was

spelled out independently by Deligne and Langlands, the "tame" homomor-
phisms

Gal(Qp/Qp) --, LG,

i.e., the homomorphisms that factor through r and take M to a unipotent
element, should correspond to those admissible, irreducible representations
of G(Qp) that contain an I-fixed vector, where I C G(Qp) is an Iwahori
subgroup. Now let p : G(Qp) - End (V) be such a representation and VI C
V the subspace of the I-fixed vectors. For any I-bi-invariant compactly
supported function f on G(Qp), the formula

P(f) :vI_4 f(9).P(9)vd9, vEV'

J G(Q,.)

defines a C[I\G(Qp)/I]-module structure on the vector space V'. More-

over, the space V1 turns out to be finite-dimensional and the assignment
V i.- VI sets up a bijection between the (equivalence classes of) admis-
sible, irreducible G(Qp)-modules containing nonzero I-fixed vectors and the
(equivalence classes of) simple finite dimensional C[I\G(Qp)/I)-modules
(see e.g., (Car)). In view of the above mentioned algebra isomorphism
C(1\G(Q)/IJ ^_- H(LG), the Deligne-Langlands conjecture predicts a cor-
respondence
cx>njttgtu:y classes Irreducible simple
of houunnorphisms G(Q) modules H(LG)-modules.
I' - with 1-fixed vectors
In the forte presented shove the correspondence is still not quite precise.
Firm(, one luum to put extra conditions on the hornoinorphisms r LG
 0. Introduction 19

requiring the image of the Frobenius to be semisimple and the image of

the monodromy to be a unipotent element of LG. Second, to make the
correspondence on the left bijective, one has to replace the leftmost set by
the following enriched data:

conjugacy classes 0 certain (§8.4) irreducible

of homomorphisms + 1,G-equivariant
r - LG local systems on 0.
In this final form the conjecture was made by Lusztig in [Lu3]. Observe
now that giving a homomorphism y : IF - LG subject to the above
mentioned restrictions amounts to giving a semisimple element s = y(F)
and a unipotent element u = y(M) such that s - u s'1 = up. One may
write u = exp x, where x is a nilpotent element of Lie(LG). Then the
equation reads Ad s(x) = p x; furthermore, giving an equivariant local
system on a conjugacy class of such pairs (s, x) is equivalent to giving
a representation of the finite group C(s, x), the component group of the
simultaneous centralizer of both s and x in LG. It follows that the Deligne-
Langlands-Lusztig conjecture in its final form reduces to the classification
Theorem 8.1.16. Thus the results of Part 8 may be seen as a first step
towards the general Langlands program.
 CHAPTER 1

Symplectic Geometry

1.1 Symplectic Manifolds

Let X be a CO° manifold in the R-case, or a smooth holomorphic or
algebraic variety in the C-case. Let O(X) denote the algebra of C°° (resp.
holomorphic, algebraic) functions on X and call it the algebra of regular
functions on X. We write TX and T'X for the tangent and cotangent
bundles on X respectively, and .,y, resp. TyX, for the fiber of TX, resp.
T"X, at a point xEX.
Definition 1.1.1. A symplectic structure on X is a non-degenerate regular
(i.e., C°°, resp. holomorphic, algebraic) 2-form w such that dw = 0.
Example 1.1.2. Let X = C2n with coordinates qi, ... , qn, pl, ... , pn.
Then

w = dpi A dql + ... + dpn A dqn

is a symplectic structure.
There are two essential differences between symplectic and Riemannian
geometries. First, the Riemannian geometry is "rigid" in the sense that two
Riemannian manifolds chosen at random are most likely to be locally non-
isometric. On the contrary, any two symplectic manifolds are locally iso-
metric in the sense that the symplectic 2-form on any symplectic manifold
always takes the canonical form of Example 1.1.2 in appropriate local coor-
dinates, due to Darboux's theorem [GS1]. Second, in symplectic geometry
the symplectic structure is usually intrinsically associated with the mani-
fold under consideration, while in Riemannian geometry, usually there is no
a priori given preferred metric on the manifold under consideration. Here
axe a few most fundamental examples of such symplectic structures.
Example 1.1.3. Let M be any manifold. Then the cotangent bundle
T'M = X has a canonical symplectic structure.

N. Chess, V. Cnnzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10.1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_2,
© Birkhauser Boston, apart of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
22 1. Symplectic Geometry

CONSTRUCTION. Assume, for concreteness, that the ground field is C. We

will construct a 1-form A on T*M and set w = dA. Then the condition
dw = 0 is automatically satisfied.
To construct A, choose x E M and a E T.M, a covector in the fiber over
x. Let it : T*M -i M be the standard projection and ir.: TC (T'M) -
TTM the tangent map. Let be a tangent vector to T*M at a. Then define
A(f) to be the image of under the following composition

H 7r. -< a, rr,. > E C .

Here <, > is the natural pairing Ty M x TyM -+ C.
It is instructive to describe the above in coordinates. Let q1, ... , qn
be local coordinates on M, either a C°° or a holomorphic manifold, and
P1,... , pn the additional dual coordinates in T'M. These give a chart in
T* M, and in this chart we write T'M 3 a = (q, (a), ... , q. (a), p, (a), ... ,
pn(a)). A tangent vector E Ta(T'M) has the form _ Eb;epi +Ecia
for some bi, ci E C. Thus, for x = ?r (a) = (q, (a), ... ) qn(a)), the tangent
map 7r.: T,(T'M) - TAM is given by
a a a
7r'(t)=ECiagi

We see that a, Epi(a)ci. Therefore in our coordinates

we find

A = E pidgi and dA = > dpi A dqi

Thus, dA is locally the 2-form from example 1.1.2, hence, non-degenerate.
Let G be a Lie group. Throughout this book we let g denote the Lie
algebra of G, viewed as the tangent space TG of G at the identity. The
action of G on itself by conjugation G 3 g : h'- g . h g'1 naturally induces
a G-action on TG, the adjoint action on g. For example, if G = GLn(C)
then g = is the matrix algebra and, for g E G and X E M (C) the
adjoint action is again given by conjugation: g : x -+ g . x g'1. We adopt
the same notation in general. That is, for any Lie group G, we let gxg-1
denote (by some abuse of notation) the result of the adjoint action of g E G
on x E g. Thus, in the general case, the symbol gxg' 1 stands for a single
object and not a product of 3 factors. Recall further that differentiating
the adjoint action at g = e one obtains a g-action ad on g given by the Lie
bracket ad x : y +-+ [x, y].

Example 1.1.4. Let G be a Lie group with Lie algebra g and if, the dual
of g. The adjoint G-action on g gives rise to the transposed coadjoint G-
action on g', to be denoted by Ad'. Differentiating the latter at g = e, we
obtain a g-action, ad*, on g'.
 1.1 Symplectic Manifolds 23

Proposition 1.1.5. Any coadjoint orbit 0 C g' has a natural symplectic

structure.
This symplectic structure sometimes called the Kirillov-Kostant-Souriau
symplectic structure is at the heart of the orbit method in representation
theory (cf., [AuKo],[Ki],[Ko2],[Sou]).
Proof. Pick up a point a E 0 C g`. We must produce a skew symmetric
form on ,,,O, the tangent space at the point a. We have a natural isomor-
phism 0 = G/G", where G" = the isotropy group of a. Therefore
T.0 = T. (GIG") = 9/g",
where g" = Lie G". We want to define a skew symmetric 2-form on T"O =
g/g". We define first a skew symmetric form
w":gxg--'C, w":(x,y)'-'a([x,y])
To show that the form w" descends to g/g" we will show that if x E g"
then a([x, y]) = w. (x, y) = 0 for all y E g. To that end, let us examine more
closely the definition of g". We have g E G" d Ad*g(a) = a. Therefore,
differentiating at g = e, for x E g, we obtain Ad*x(a) = 0 a x E g". Now
let y E g. Then, for x E g, one has adx(y) = [x, y], hence ad*x(a) is a linear
function on g given by

ad'x(a) : y'-' a([x, y])

Therefore, since a([x, y]) = w"(x, y), we obtain
w"(x,y)=0
Thus, w" descends to g/g". The assignment a'- w" clearly gives a regular
2-form, w, on O.
Claim 1.1.6. dw = 0.
To prove the claim, recall the following well-known Cartan formula for
the exterior differential. Given any vector fields f1, 6, S3 on 0, one has
(1.1.7) (dw)(S1, S2, S3) = S1 ' w(tf6, ctG) + S3 ' w(sS1, e2) + 6 ' W(6, SI)

(W([S1, S2], S3) + W([1;3, S1], S2) + w([52, 31, W

S1) ) .

Any element x E g gives rise, via the infinitesimal g-action on 0, to C. , a

vector field on O. Observe that vector fields of the form x , x E g span the
tangent space at each point of O. Hence, to show that dw = 0 it is enough
to show that, for any x, y, z E g, we have (dw)(&x, ,, Z) = 0.
Observe that, for y, z, w E g, the following formulas hold:

w(fv, t.)(a) = a([y, z]), and (txw)(a) = a([x, w])

24 1. Symplectic Geometry

Applying this and the Jacobi identity to the first and second line of the
right hand side of (1.1.7) yields that each of these two lines vanishes
separately.

1.2 Poisson Algebras

Let A be a commutative, associative unital C-algebra with multiplica-

Definition 1.2.1. A commutative algebra (A, ) endowed with an addi-

tional C-bilinear anti-symmetric bracket { , } : A x A --+ A is called a
Poisson algebra if the following conditions hold
(1) A is a Lie algebra with respect to { , };
(2) Leibniz rule: {a, b c} = {a, b} - c + b {a, c}, da, b, c E A.
The Lie bracket { , } will be called a Poisson bracket on A. We say that
{ } gives a Poisson structure on the commutative algebra (A, ).
We are going to construct a natural Poisson algebra associated with any
symplectic manifold. This is the most typical way Poisson algebras arise in
geometry.
Let (M, w) be a symplectic manifold. The non-degenerate 2-form w
gives a canonical isomorphism TM = T*M. Define a unique C-linear map
O(M) - { Vector fields on M}, denoted f p-+ f, by the requirement
l: f) = df, that is - df = ic,w
where it stands for the contraction with respect to l;:
it : {n-forms} --+ {(n - 1) forms}.
Observe that for any vector field i and any function f, by definition of t f
we have

(1.2.2) w(l; f, n) = -rlf

We define a bracket on O(M) by any of the following equivalent expres-
sions

(1.2.3) {f,g}=w(Cf,ts)=-Cef =Cfg.

Let Lt be the Lie derivative with respect to (see, e.g. [Spiv]). The Lie
derivative is related to the contraction operation via the following Cartan
homotopy formula to be frequently used in the future: Lea = itda + di(a.
Definition 1.2.4. A vector field is called symplectic if it preserves the
symplectic form, i.e. L fw = 0.
 1.2 Poisson Algebras 25

Lemma 1.2.5. For any f E O(M), one has LE,w = 0, i.e. ff is symplec-
tic.

Proof. Observe that: (1) w is closed and (2) dic,w = -d(df) = 0. We

obtain:
Lt,w=itjdw+d(iCfw) =0+0=0.
We are going to show that { , } together with pointwise multiplication
of functions gives O(M) a Poisson algebra structure. First we prove

Proposition 1.2.6. The assignment: f --+ f intertwines the bracket on

O(M) with the commutator, i.e., we have a bracket preserving map
(O(M), { , }) -+ (Symplectic Vector Fields on M , [, ]).
Proof. We have to show that [gyp, g] = {f,9}. In general, for the Lie
derivative, one has an identity (where stands for the action of a vector
field on a function)

. W(6, e2) = 42)) = 2) + w( i, LE6)

for any vector fields 1;, 1i l;2 on M. Therefore if Low = 0 we have the
equality

. W(6, 2) = w([C e1], 6) + w(ei, [S, C2])

Then, for any vector field q, we get by Lemma 1.2.5r

Sf - w (6, 71) = X91,77) +w [e, ii)).

Using 1.2.2, the LHS can be rewritten as -l: fr)g, and the second term on
the RHS as -[l; f,17]g = -t; fr)g + rrCfg. Thus we obtain

w([&f, 41,10 - f779 + 17ff9.

Canceling terms on the left and on the right and using f fg = - {f , g} we
find w([t f,1;9), -r){ f, g}. The latter equality holds for all vector fields
r) if and only if [j, l;9] = l;{ f,g}, and the proposition follows.

Theorem 1.2.7. The algebra O(M) of regular functions (with pointwise

multiplication) on a symplectic manifold M together with { , } is a Poisson
algebra.

Proof. We first prove the Jacobi identity. By Proposition 1.2.6 we have

(1.2.8) [ti, Sg]h = {f,9}h = {{f, 9}, h},
26 1. Symplectic Geometry

and

(1.2.9) [l; f, 9]h =1; fl;yh - 9Z;' fh =if, {g, h}} - {g, { f, h}}.
Now subtracting (1.2.8) from (1.2.9) yields the desired result.
Proving the Leibniz rule is straightforward, since differentiation along
any vector field, hence the map: g i-i t;1g, is a derivation of the algebra
0(M).

1.3 Poisson Structures arising from

Noncommutative Algebras
Let B be an associative filtered (non-commutative) algebra with unit. In
other words there is an increasing filtration by C-vector spaces
00
CC BoC B1C ..., UB;=B,
i=0
such that Bi Bj C Bi+j di, j > 0.
Set A = grB = ®i(Bi/Bi_1). The multiplication in B gives rise to a well
defined product

Bi/Bi-1 X BjlBj-1 -, Bi+jlBi+,-1,

making A = gr B an associative algebra.
Definition 1.3.1. Call B almost commutative if gr B is commutative with
respect to the above product.
Proposition 1.3.2. If B is almost commutative then grB has a natural
Poisson structure.
Proof. First we define a bilinear map
{ , } : Bi/Bi-1 x Bjl Bj-1 -, Bi+j-1/Bi+j-2
as follows: Let al E Bi/Bi_1 and a2 E B;/Bj_1 and let b1 (resp. b2) be a
representative of a1 in Bi (resp. a2 in Bj). Set
jai, a2} = bib2 - b2b1 (mod B,+j_2).
Note that bib2 - b2b1 E Bi+j_1 by the almost commutativity of B. There-
fore {a,, a2} is a well-defined element of Bi+j-1/Bi+j_2. Furthermore, one
verifies that this element in Bi+j_1/Bi+j-2 does not depend on the choices
of representatives b1 and b2.
To prove the axioms for a Poisson algebra, define for any b1, b2 E B,
{b1, b2} = b1b2 - b2b1. Axioms (2) and (3) of Definition 1.2.1 are satisfied
for B with its usual algebra multiplication and { , }, although B is not
 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 27

commutative, so it is not a Poisson algebra. Now, moving { , } from B to

gr B does not affect the axioms. The proposition follows.

Here are some examples.

Example 1.3.3. (cf. [Di]) Let B be the associative C-algebra with genera-
tors

P1, . , Pn , ql, ... , qn,

and relations
[pi, p2] = 0 = [qi, q,] and [pi, q,] = bij (Kronecker delta).
Note that B is filtered but not graded, since the above relations are not
homogeneous (the relation [pi, qj] = bii is not degree preserving: [pi, qq] is of
degree 2 and bid is degree 0). One has a concrete realization of B given as
follows. Let
(r /
Diff = { L: aklx)
ak,+...+k

i ak(x) E C[x1, ... , k = (k1, ... , kn)

l 7X_
... axn^
be the algebra of the polynomial differential operators on Cn. Define an
assignment
a
Pi'-4 ax,, qi +-4 xi.

This assignment preserves the relations above, hence, extends to an algebra

isomorphism B +-+ Diff..
We will now give another construction of the same algebra in a coor-
dinate free way. Let (V, w) be a symplectic vector space, and c a dummy
central variable. By the well-known theorem about the canonical form of a
skew-symmetric bilinear form, we may find a basis p,.... , pn, q1, ... , qn of
V such that
w(pi,pi) = 0 = w(gj,g1), w(pi,q,) = bij.
Form the algebra TV ® C[c] where TV is the tensor algebra of V. Endow
both C[c] and TV with their standard gradings by assigning c and every
element v E V grade degree 1, and put the natural total grading on the
tensor product TV ® C[c]. Set
B=TV ®C[c]/(v1(9
The ideal of relations that we quotient out is not graded, since v1 ® v2 has
grade degree 2, while c w(v1, v2) has grade degree 1. Therefore the algebra
B is not graded. It inherits however a natural increasing filtration, F.. By
28 1. Symplectic Geometry

definition, its k-th term, Fk, is spanned by all monomials of degree < k in
the generators, written in any order. Moreover, we have
grE, b = S(V)[C] = C[p1,... ,pn,gl,... gn,cl
where S(V) is the symmetric algebra on V. Since RHS is a commutative
algebra, we see that b is almost commutative.
Since b is almost commutative, Proposition 1.3.2 says that gr, b has
a canonical Poisson structure. An explicit computation yields the following
formula for the Poisson bracket
8f 8g 8f 8g
(1.3.4) { f, g} C.
8pc 8gid9c Bpi
Note that if f is a homogeneous element of deree r and g is a homogeneous
element of degree s then the RHS has correct degree
(degf -1)+(degg-1)+1=degf +degg-1.
To prove formula (1.3.4) we use the following general argument, to be
exploited many times later on. We observe first that both sides of (1.3.4)
satisfy the Leibniz rule (LHS by Proposition 1.3.2, and RHS as a first
order differential operator in both f and g). Hence to show that the above
formula yields the Poisson bracket given in Proposition 1.3.2, it is enough to
check the equality LHS = RHS only on the generators pl, ... , pn, q1, .... qn
This, however, is trivial and is left to the reader.
One can get a Poisson bracket on the symmetric algebra SV itself
by specializing the central variable c to a concrete complex number. For
example, taking the quotient of b modulo the relation c = 1 we see that
(cf. beginning of Example 1.3.3) B ^-- B/(c - 1) and
grB^-,grB/(c-1)-SV.
The Poisson bracket on gr B induces the Poisson bracket on SV =
C f p1, ... , pn, ql, ... , qn], given by formula (1.3.4) specialized at c = 1.
Further, we may identify SV with the algebra C[V'] of polynomial
functions on V', the dual space. Also, the non-degenerate 2-form w on V
yields a vector space isomorphism V = V. Transferring the 2-form w to V'
via this isomorphism makes V' a symplectic manifold. The base elements
Pi, ... , pn, q1, ... , qn E V become canonical linear coordinates on V. In
these coordinates, the symplectic 2-form on V* takes the standard form of
Example 1.1.2. Thus, we arrive at the following important
OBSERVATION. The Poisson bracket { , } on grB given by formula (1.3.4),
specialized at c = 1, is the one coming from the symplectic structure on V.
The reader is suggested to return to this point after Proposition 1.3.18.
 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 29

Note next that if f,g E SV are homogeneous elements of degree 2, then

it is clear from (1.3.4) that deg{ f, g} is a homogeneous element of degree
deg f + deg g - 2 = 2 + 2 - 2 = 2. Therefore the Poisson bracket { , } makes
the space S2V of degree 2 homogeneous elements a Lie algebra.
Lemma 1.3.5. The elements of degree 2 form a Lie algebra isomorphic
canonically to s132n = $p(V), the symplectic Lie algebra.
Proof. Observe that if f,g are homogeneous of degrees 2 and 1 respec-
tively, then if, g} is again homogeneous and we have
deg{f,g}=degf+degg-2=2+1-2=1.
This implies that the Lie algebra S2V acts, via the Poisson bracket, on the
vector space V of degree 1 homogeneous elements. Observe also that, for
f, g E V, one has {f, g} = w(f, g). Hence, for homogeneous f, g, h with
deg h = 2 and deg f = deg g = 1, the Jacobi identity for { , } yields
w({h, f},g) + w(f,{h,g}) = {h,w(f,g)} =0.
This equation shows that the S2V-action on V is compatible with the
symplectic structure on V. We therefore get a Lie algebra morphism
S2V Zsp(V ).
We leave to the reader to check that both sides have the same dimension.
We claim further that the morphism above is injective. Indeed, if f E S2V
commutes with any element of V then it commutes with the whole algebra
SV, due to the Leibniz rule. It is clear however from (1.3.4) that the
Poisson algebra SV has no center with respect to the Lie bracket. Thus,
the above map is an isomorphism.
Example 1.3.6. Let D(X) be the algebra of of regular (in the correspond-
ing category) differential operators on a manifold X. In general, the notion
of a regular differential operator requires the use of sheaf theory. We con-
sider here the following three special cases where the sheaf theoretic lan-
guage can be avoided, at least in the definitions. Thus we assume that X
is

a C°°-manifold in the R-case, or

an open subset in Ca in the holomorphic case, or
a smooth complex affine algebraic variety.
In each of these cases we write T(X) for the vector space of regular (in
the corresponding category) vector fields on X, and define D(X) to be
the subalgebra of EndcO(X) generated by O(X) and T(X), where O(X)
acts on itself via multiplication, and vector fields act via derivations. By
definition, the algebra D(X) comes equipped with an increasing filtration
30 1. Symplectic Geometry

filtration O(X) = Do(X) C Dl{X) C D2(X) C ... , where D1(X) =

O(X) + T(X) and, for any n > 1, we put D,a(X) = D1(X) ... . DA(X)
(n factors). This clearly makes D(X) a filtered algebra. Elements of Dn(X)
are called differential operators of order n.
Let X be an open subset of Cd, and x = (x1, ... , xd) be some coor-
dinates on Cd. In these coordinates an element u E D(X) can be written
uniquely as a finite sum

(1.3.7) u= E u,-, ,... ,nd (x)e;' ... ad's , u,, ..., ,nd E 0(X) ,
n,,... ,n,,>0

where 8i stands for ex; . It is clear that u E Dn(X) if and only if the
coefficients u, vanish whenever Ein, > n. If X is a C°°-manifold then
an element u E D(X) has the form (1.3.7) in any local chart. Moreover,
using partition of unity (this is the instance where sheaf theory implicitly
enters), one can prove the following. Let u : O(X) -i O(X) be an operator
such that in any local chart it restricts (on functions supported there) to an
operator of the form (1.3.7), where the summation goes over nl + + nd <
n. Then u is a regular differential operator on X of order n, i.e., u E
In the algebraic case, no local coordinates are available so that formula
(1.3.7) does not make sense. This obstacle can be (partially) overcome as
follows. For any point x E X, one may find a Zariski open affine subset
U C X such that the tangent bundle on U is trivial, i.e., T(U) is a free
0(U)-module. To construct U one proves first that regular vector fields on
an affine variety span the tangent space at each point of the variety. Choose
a collection {8i , i = 1, 2, ... , d} of (not necessarily commuting) regular
vector fields on X whose values at the point x form a base of the tangent
space TAX. Let U be the affine subset of X consisting of the points where
the fields 8i are linearly independent. It is then clear that these vector
fields form a free basis of T (U) regarded as a O(U)-module. One can prove
that any regular differential operator on U can be written uniquely in the
form (1.3.7), where 8i' ... 8a` now stands for the product of the first order
differential operators 8i written in this particular order.
To any differential operator u of order n on X, one can associate its
principal symbol, an(u), a regular function (in the corresponding category)
on T*X which is a degree n homogeneous polynomial along each fiber of
T'X. Consider the holomorphic case first. Let X be an open subset of Cd
and x1, ... , xd, Pl, , pd be the canonical coordinates on T*X X. Then, for
u E D,,(X) written in the form (1.3.7), the principal symbol is given by (see
e.g. (Bjl)

(1.3.8) a, (u) = E
n1++nd=n
u,,,...,nd(x) -Pi ...Pdd E 0(T*X).
 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 31

A similar formula applies in the C°°-case in local coordinates.

The principal symbol of a first order differential operator has an es-
pecially simple meaning. By definition, any such operator is of the form
u = + f where is a regular vector field and f is a regular function (this
presentation is canonical, because we have f = u(1)). Since a1(f) = 0, it
follows that a1(u) = a, (C). Further, the principal symbol a, (C) is nothing
but the linear function on T'X obtained by contracting covectors with ,
i.e., given by the assignment Ti X E) a a, x >, where = is the value of
at x E X. Thus, we have defined of (e) in an intrinsic coordinate free way.
Note that, for a coordinate vector field 8i in the canonical coordinates we
have a,(8i) = pi -

We can now show that, for a differential operator u of any order n

on a C°°-manifold X, there is a well-defined regular function on(u) on
T*X which restricts to the previously defined one (1.3.8) in any local
chart. To see this, write u as a linear combination of operators of the type
6 6 - ... G, r < n, where £, are regular vector fields on X. Now fix some
local chart. One verifies easily that in this chart, the corresponding symbol
on takes a linear combination of such operators into the corresponding
linear combination of symbols; furthermore we have on(S1 - 6 - ... - Sr) =
oi(Si) - ot(S2) ... if r = n and zero otherwise. Thus we get a
coordinate free expression for the principal symbol. Hence, an(u) is a well-
defined regular function on T`X. Note that while this expression shows
the invariance of the principal symbol, it cannot be taken as a definition,
since the presentation of a differential operator as a linear combination of
operators of the type Sl - b2 ... Sr is by no means unique.
We now define the principal symbol in the algebraic case. For a first
order differential operator, use the above given intrinsic definition in the
C°°-case. Let u be a regular differential operator of order n > 1 on an
affine algebraic variety X. We may find a finite covering of X by Zariski
open affine subsets U such that the tangent bundle on U is trivial. As
we have explained (two paragraphs above), on U the operator u can be
written in the form (1.3.7), which depends of course on the choice of a
basis {8i , i = 1, 2,... , d} of T(U) regarded as a O(U)-module. Using this
basis, we define o,(u) by formula (1.3.8), where pi is now understood as
ol(-x ). The argument of the preceding paragraph shows that these "local"
constructions on the subsets U give rise to a global regular function on
and that this function is independent of the choices involved.
Observe further that for any differential operator u of order < n we have
on(u) = 0. We therefore get a well-defined morphism given by the principal
symbol:
32 1. Symplectic Geometry

Homogeneous polynomial
(1.3.9) on : Dn(X)/Dn_1(X) ---- functions onT'X
of degree n

One can prove that for each of the three types of the variety X we are
considering here, the above morphism is an isomorphism. This is immediate
"locally" from formulas (1.3.7) and (1.3.8). The corresponding global result
requires some extra work in "patching local results together" using sheaf
theory, see e.g. [Bo5]. The idea is that the local result yields a short exact
sequence of sheaves

0-'Dn-1 -'Dn-'On-'0,
where D; is the sheaf of order i differential operators on X, and On is
the sheaf (on X) formed by homogeneous polynomial functions on T'X
of degree n. Proving that (1.3.9) is an isomorphism amounts to showing
that the short exact sequence of sheaves induces a short exact sequence
of the corresponding vector spaces of global sections. In the C°°-case this
can be established using the partition of unity, and in the case of an affine
algebraic variety, this can be deduced, cf. [Bj], from Theorem 2.2.7(ii).
Summing up isomorphisms (1.3.9) over all n > 0 we obtain an algebra
isomorphism (cf., [Bj])

Polynomial functions = Opol(T'X).

gr V(X) -=---> ®
n>O on T *X of degree n
Here 0 (T'X) is the algebra of regular functions on T'X polynomial
along the fibers (in the algebraic case we have Opa(T'X) = O(T'X)).
Let 1;, n are regular vector fields on X viewed as first order differen-
tial operators. Then [l;, rl] is again a first order differential operator corre-
sponding to the vector field given by the Lie bracket of t and 77, viewed
as vector fields. Thus, in V(X) we have [7(X), T (X )] C T (X) and also
[7(X),O(X)] C O(X). Since the algebra D(X) is generated by D1(X),
it follows by the Leibniz rule that [D;(X),Dj(X)] C Di+j_1(X), for any
i, j > 0. Therefore grD(X) is commutative so that 1(X) is an almost com-
mutative algebra. Thus, Proposition 1.3.2 yields a canonical Poisson struc-
ture on gr D(X) = Opo!(T'X).
On the other hand, T'X is a symplectic manifold and therefore O(T*X)
has a Poisson algebra structure arising from its symplectic structure. It
turns out that these two structures are the same.

Theorem 1.3.10. (cf., [GS11,[AM]) The Poisson structure on Opoi(T'X)

given by Proposition 1.3.2 is the same as the one arising from the symplectic
structure on T'X.
 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 33

Proof. One can prove that, under our assumptions on X, the algebra
Op°i(T`X) is generated by the subalgebra O(X) C Opo1(T`X) formed by
the pullbacks of functions on X (these are constant along the fibers of
T'X -' X) and by the space of functions that are linear along the fibers,
i.e., symbols of vector fields on X. As has been explained, checking that
the two Poisson brackets in question are the same amounts, due to the
Leibniz rule, to checking this on generators. We leave the more simple case
involving O(X) to the reader. For the vector fields, the claim is equivalent
to saying that if , al are regular vector fields on X viewed as first order
differential operators, then the commutator of these differential operators
corresponds to the vector field given by the Lie bracket of and 77, viewed
as vector fields. This latter result which follows from definitions has been
already used in proving that D(X) is an almost commutative algebra.
Remark. Note that we may avoid any appeal to the fact that Opoi(T'X)
is generated by O(X) and by the symbols of regular vector fields, using a
covering of X by appropriate open subsets U for which the analogous fact
is obvious (e.g., in the algebraic case this is obvious if the tangent bundle
on U is trivial). Since each of the Poisson brackets has a local definition, it
suffices to check that the two brackets are the same when restricted to each
T`U. To prove the latter, the argument of the previous paragraph applies.
It is instructive to check the equality of the two Poisson brackets of the
theorem by an explicit computation in local coordinates (assuming X is
either an open domain in C" or a C°°-manifold). Given two vector fields,
u, v, in coordinates we get

a a
u=Eu;(x)-
axi v=Ev1(x) ax j

Writing o = of for the symbol of first order differential operators, we have

o(u) = > u;(x)p; o(v) = E vj(x)pi.

We compute

[u, v) (ui--
av; a
= i,; - v,--
aui a
ax; ax; ax; ax;

so that

a(lu, 0 _ DuiaV pi - v' aU;p;).

34 1. Symplectic Geometry

By formula (1.3.4) (with c = 1) of Example 1.3.3 we obtain

{Q(u),v(v)} _ ( ac(u) ao(v)

apk axk
aui
ao(v)
apk axk
ao(u))

_>
i,i
(uiipi
axi - vi ax, Pi) = o([u,v)).
a

To a vector field u on X one associates canonically a vector field u on

T'X as follows: u gives rise to an infinitesimal diffeomorphism of X which
naturally induces an infinitesimal diffeomorphism of T'X, that is it gives
rise to the vector field u.
u = Vector field on X

Infinitesimal diffeomorphism of X

l
Infinitesimal difeomorphism of T'X

u = vector field on T'X

We sketch here a more explicit construction of the vector field u, assum-

ing for concretness that we are in the algebraic setup. Observe that the
infinitesimal diffeomorphism of X corresponding to the vector field u acts
on T(X) and on O(X) via the Lie derivative, see [Ster). The Lie derivative
gives a map
(1.3.11)
u : T(X) + O(X) T(X) + O(X) , t + f W [u, C] + u(f),
where E T(X) and f E O(X).
We proceed now in two steps. Assume first that T (X) is a free O(X)-
module. Then O(T*X) = ST(X), the symmetric algebra on T(X) over
O(X). Note that giving a vector field u on T'X is equivalent to giving
a derivation of the algebra O(T*X). But one can verify easily that the
assignment (1.3.11) extends uniquely to a derivation of the symmetric
algebra ST(X). This completes the first step.
In general, a regular vector field on T'X is a global section of the
sheaf of regular vector fields on T'X. Therefore, to construct u as a global
section, we may cover X by appropriate open subsets U, as we have done
before, and construct u on each T'U separately. The first step yields such
a construction of the vector u on T*U. The naturality of the construction
 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 35

insures that the vector fields we obtain in this way for different U's agree
with each other.
For any x E X and any covector a E TTX, we have by the definition of
u

(1.3.12) ir.(u) = u= where x : T*X -i X.

Claim 1.3.13. For any vector field u on X, u is a symplectic vector field
on T'X.
Proof. Recall that w = dA is the symplectic 2-form on T*X. The form A,
being constructed in a canonical way, is invariant under all automorphisms
of T'X arising from automorphisms of X. Infinitesimally, this means that
Lv,A = 0. It follows that Luw = LudA = dLuA = 0 so that u is a symplectic
vector field.
Observe next that to any function h on T'X, one can associate the sym-
plectic vector field Sh on T*X. This applies, in particular, to the function
h = o (u), the linear function on T*X attached to the vector field u on X.
The following result clarifies the relationship between the objects u, u and
h introduced above.
Lemma 1.3.14. We have u = Shu and, moreover hu = \(fi).
Proof. We have
(1.3.15) 0 = Lu.1= iudA + diva = iuw + d(iuA).
Set h = iu.A so that d(iuA) = dh. Then u) = d(iuA) = dh. We want
to show that hu = h = a(u). Recall the definition of A: let ' be a tangent
vector at a point a E T'X. Then A(0) = a(7r.0) where zr.: T(T'X) TX
is the tangent map to the projection 7r : T*X - X, whence,
h(a) = (,\(u))(a) = a(ir.(u)) = a(u) =
and the lemma follows.
Second Proof of Theorem 1.3.10. We must prove {hu, hi,,,,,i. We
already know, by Lemma 1.3.14, that G. = u and h = a(u). Observe
further that [u, v] = [u, v]. Hence, we get {hu, u(A(v)). But
u Lu (A(v)) _ (Lua)(v) + A(Luv) = A([u, v]) (because LaA = 0)
Hence we find u,\(v) = A([u, v]) = h1u,,,1. This proves the claim. a
Remark. All the above holds in the C°°-setup provided we take V(X) to
be the algebra of differential operators with C°°-coefficients and O(T'X)
to be the algebra of C°°-functions on T*X which are polynomial along the
fibers. An argument involving partition of unity may then be used every
36 1. Symplectic Geometry

time the assumption that X is affine is exploited in the algebraic setup

above.
Example 1.3.16. Let g be a finite dimensional Lie algebra. Let Ug be its
enveloping algebra, that is the quotient of the tensor algebra Tg modulo
the ideal generated by expressions x 0 y - y 0 x - [x, y] for all x, y E g. The
algebra Ug has a canonical filtration
O=U0gC U1gc . such that
U;g is the C-linear span of all monomials of degree < j formed by
elements of g, i.e., the image of C ® g ® T2g® ... ® Tag under the canonical
projection Tg -» Ug. For the proof of the following well-known result, the
reader is referred to [Di].
Theorem 1.3.17. (Poincare-Birkho -Witt) There are canonical graded al-
gebra isomorphisms:

grUg=Sg=C[9*]
Thus Ug is almost commutative. Hence by Proposition 1.3.2, there is a
canonical Poisson bracket { , } on C[g']. We will now describe this bracket
explicitly.
Let el,... , e,, be a base of g, and c E C the structure constants defined
by [e;, e;] = Ek c?ek. Observe that any element of g may be viewed, via the
canonical isomorphism (g*)" = g as a linear function on g'. In particular
let x 1 ,... , x be the coordinate functions on g' corresponding to the base
e1,... ,e,,.
Proposition 1.3.18. One has the following two expressions for the Pois-
son bracket if, g} of f, g E C[g']:

if, 9} _ c,f . x k o f ag , {f, 9} : a r- (a, [daf, da9]) , a E g*,

8xi ax;
where da f E (g')' = g denotes the differential off at a point a, and [, ]
denotes the Lie bracket on g.
Proof. Observe first that the polynomial algebra, C[g'J is generated by
linear functions. Observe further, that both the LHS and RHS of either
formula clearly satisfies the Leibniz rule. Thus, by our standard argument,
we have only to show that the formulas hold for linear functions on g'.
Such functions may be identified naturally with elements of g = (g`)`. For
f = x, g = x E g, by construction of the Poisson structure (cf. 1.3.18) we
have
(1.3.19)
{x, y} = [x, y] in particular {e;, ej} = [e;, e,,] = E c'ek.
k
 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 37

Remark 1.3.20. Observe that for homogeneous polynomials f, g E C[g'i,

the RHS of Proposition 1.3.18 is a homogeneous polynomial of degree
deg f + deg g - 1, in accordance with the degree of the LHS.
We now reinterpret the Poisson algebra of Example 1.3.3 in our present
Lie algebra setup. Thus, given a symplectic vector space (V, w), set g =
V ® C and write c for a base vector in the second direct summand. One
verifies easily that the following bracket makes g a Lie algebra
Vx,yEV, /,)EC.
The Lie algebra g is called the Heisenberg algebra. By our general construc-
tion we get a Poisson structure on Sg. But we have
S(g) ^' S(V ® C) S(V) 0 C[c].

The rightmost term here is nothing but the algebra gr b considered in Ex-
ample 1.3.3. In fact we have a natural algebra isomorphism Ug = B. Thus,
the Poisson bracket of Example 1.3.3 is essentially the Poisson bracket on
the symmetric algebra of the Heisenberg Lie algebra, and formula 1.3.4 is
nothing but a special case of the first formula of Proposition 1.3.18.
We recall next that g' is a union of coadjoint orbits, and that each
coadjoint orbit 0 has a canonical symplectic structure.
Proposition 1.3.21. (cf., [Ki]) For any regular functions f, g E C[9*], and
any coadjoint orbit 0 C g' we have
{f, g}lo = If lo, glo}symplectic
The bracket on the right hand side comes from the symplectic structure on
® while the bracket on the left hand side comes from the Poisson bracket
on C[g'] restricted to 0.
Proof. Again, by our standard argument, we have only to show that the
two brackets are the same for linear functions on g'. By formula 1.3.19,
{x, y} = [x, y] is also a linear function on g'. Now, take a E 0 C g'. We
calculate
[x, y](a) = a([x, y]) _ (adx(y))Ia = (Sa . y)la = {xlo,ylo}symplectic.
Let (V, w) be a symplectic vector space. Given a vector subspace W C V
let W1" C V denote the annihilator of W with respect to w, to be
distinguished from Wl, the annihilator in V'.
Definition 1.3.22. A linear subspace W C V is called
(1) Isotropic if w]w = 0, equivalently W C W L';
(2) Coisotropic if Wl' is isotropic, equivalently, W C W;
38 1. Symplectic Geometry

(3) iagrangian if W is both isotropic and coisotropic, i.e., W = Wl'Example

1.3.23. Let V = C2n and teji... , en, fl,... , fn} a basis and let
the 2-form w be given by (cf. Example 1.1.2):

w(e=, ei) = O = w(fi, f;), w(e:, fi) = Ss, = -w(fi, e+)

Then we have, for any k < n,
(1) W = (e1,... ,ek) is isotropic,
W1W
(2) = (e1, ,en,fk+1,...,fn) is Coisotrop2C,
(3) (el, ... , en) and (fl, ... , fn) are lagrangian.
One can show that, in general, a lagrangian subspace of V is always of
dimension 1/2 dim V; an isotropic subspace is of dimension less than or
equal to 1/2 dim V; a coisotropic subspace is of dimension greater than or
equal to 1/2 dim V. These are easy exercises in linear algebra and are left
to the reader.
We now extend the "linear setup" above to the nonlinear case. Let M
be a symplectic manifold.
Definition 1.3.24. A (possibly singular) subvariety Z of M is called an
isotropic (resp. coisotropic, lagrangian) subvariety of M, if for any smooth
point z E Z, TZZ is an isotropic (resp. coisotropic, lagrangian) subspace of
TIM.
Example 1.3.25. Let X be any manifold, and M = T*X its cotangent
bundle with canonical 2-form w. Let f E 00(X ). Then df, the image of a
section X - T'X given by the differential of f, is a lagrangian subvariety
of TX. This is clear if dim X = 1; for a proof of the general case, see e.g.
[GS1].

Assume from now on that X is a manifold and let T`X be its cotangent
bundle. Given a submanifold Y C X, define TYX, the conormal bundle of
Y, to be the set of all covectors over Y which annihilate the subbundle
TY C (T*X)ly. We note that TTX is a vector bundle over Y, and we have
a natural diagram
(T*X)ly D TYX -» Y.
Proposition 1.3.26. The total space of the bundle TYX is a lagrangian
[Link] of T*X stable under dilations along the fibers of T*X.

Proof. To see this we observe first that TYX has the correct dimension,
i.e.,

dimTYX = 1/2. dimT`X.

 1.3 Poisson Structures arising from Noncommutative Algebras 39

This follows by observing that if X were a vector space then T'X = X®X',
in which case we have TT X = Y ED Y', and dim Y + dim Y1 = dim X, so
that dim TTX = dim X = 1/2 dim TAX. The general case follows similarly
since any manifold is locally isomorphic to a vector space.
Thus, to show that TYX is lagrangian, it is enough to show that TYX is
isotropic, that is wI T; X = 0. It is enough to show that AI TT X = 0 where A
is the canonical 1-form such that dA = w. But the latter follows from the
definition of A and of TYX.

A subvariety of T*X stable under dilations along the fibers will be

referred to as a cone subvariety of T"X. Let Eu be the Euler vector
field generating the C* action along the fibers of T*X. First we note that
iEuw = A(=standard 1-form). This is easy to verify in local coordinates: if
q1, ... , qn are local coordinates on X, and pl,... , pn are the dual "cotan-
gent" coordinates, then we find
8
A=Fpidgi, Eu =Epi , andw=E dpiAdq,.
9pi
We now give a useful characterization of lagrangian cone-subvarieties in
a cotangent bundle. It is due to Kashiwara, though we could not find an
appropriate reference in the literature.

Lemma 1.3.27. Let X be a smooth algebraic variety. Assume A C T*X

is a closed irreducible (possibly singular) algebraic C`-stable lagrangian
subvariety. Write Y for the smooth part of a(A), where 7r : T*X -+ X
is the projection. Then A = TTY.

Proof. It is clear by construction of Y that A C it-1(Y). Since A is

C`-stable, Eu is tangent to A"9, the regular locus of A. Further, A being
lagrangian, for any vector t' tangent to Are9, we have
0 = w(Eu, ) = \(C), `d E TATe9

and therefore AJA = 0. Fix a E ATe9 such that y = ir(a) E Y. This implies,
by the definition of the 1-form A, that the covector a vanishes on the image
of the map
7r.: T.A -+ TXY.

Furthermore, the Bertini-Sard lemma implies that there exists a Zariski

open dense subset Ageneric C ATe9 such that this map is surjective at any
point a E Ageneric Hence a(T,,Y) = 0, whence a E TYX. This yields an
inclusion
Ageneric
C TTX.
40 1. Symplectic Geometry

Both sets here are irreducible varieties (for A is irreducible) of the same
dimension. Therefore they have the same closure. Hence, we have A =
Ageneric = TYX. 8
APPLICATION. Let V be a finite dimensional vector space, P(V) the
corresponding projective space, and lP(V*) the projectivization of the dual.
Let G C PGL(V) be an algebraic subgroup of the group of projective
transformations of IP(V).
Theorem 1.3.28. [Pi] Assume that G has finitely many orbits on P(V).
There is a natural bijection between the G-orbits on 1P(V) and the G-orbits
on P(V*).
Proof. Let d be the inverse image of G under the projection GL(V) -
PGL(V). Thus G is a subgroup of GL(V) containing the scalars, that is
to say, containing the matrices consisting of a scalar times the identity. It
suffices to set up a bijection between G-orbits in V and V*.
We have canonical isomorphisms T*V = V x V* = T*(V*); let p,, and
p,,, denote the 1st and 2nd projections of V x V* respectively. Observe that
V x V' is a C* x C*-variety, the first copy of C* acting on V and the second
on V* by scalar multiplication.
Any G-orbit 0 C V' is a cone, hence To(V*) is a G* x G*-stable
subvariety of V x V*. Let ® denote the closure in V of the set
We claim:
(a) ® is the closure of a single 6-orbit 0" C V.
(b) The orbit 0 can be recovered from the orbit 0".
To prove part (a), recall that the number of 6-orbits in V is finite, by
assumption. We have the following simple result
Lemma 1.3.29. Let G be a connected algebraic group acting on an alge-
braic variety X. Then any irreducible G-stable algebraic subvariety of X is
the closure of a G-orbit.
Proof. Let Y be this G-stable subvariety, let 0 be an orbit of maximal
dimension contained in Y. Since 0 cannot be contained in the closure of
any other orbit 0' C Y, and there are only finitely many orbits in Y, we
conclude that 0 is an open subset of Y (in the Zariski topology). It follows
that ®, the closure of 0, is an irreducible component of Y. Since Y is itself
irreducible we get Y = U.
The lemma implies that ® (notation of the claim before the lemma), be-
ing an irreducible G-stable subvariety of V, is the closure of a single orbit.
This proves claim (a). To prove (b), view To(V*) as an irreducible G*-stable
lagrangian subvariety of T*V. By Lemma 1.3.27, we have Ta(V*) = TYV,
where Y is the smooth locus of the image of T®(V*) under the projection
 1.4 The Moment Map 41

p,: V x V' -+ V. This image is nothing but O. Hence Y = O", and we

obtain
To(V*) =T;(V)
Observe now that this equation is symmetric with respect to 0 and O".
Applying Lemma 1.3.27 once again, we find similarly that 0 is the smooth
locus of the image of T; (V) under the projection p,,, : V x V' --+ V*.
Thus, the assignment 0 - O" is the bijection we are seeking.

Proof of the following result requires a bit of algebraic geometry and will
be sketched in 1.5 below.

Proposition 1.3.30. Let M be a smooth algebraic symplectic variety and

Z a possibly singular isotropic (reduced) algebraic subvariety of M. Then
any subvariety of Z is isotropic again.

The proposition is obvious if Z is a submanifold of M. The point is that

the claim holds for a subvariety contained in the singular locus of Z.

1.4 The Moment Map

Let (M, w) be a symplectic manifold. We have the following exact sequence
first considered by Kostant [Ko4]:

0
constant
functions -' O(M) -' vectorSymplectic
a
fields on M
where the map 8 sends a function f to the vector field l f. Note that this
map need not be surjective. Indeed, the Cartan homotopy formula shows
that a vector field is symplectic (i.e. Lgw = 0) if and only if the 1 -form
icw is closed. Notice that if l; = f for some f E 0(X), then if1w = -df is
an exact form. This way one obtains an isomorphism
Coker(8) {closed 1-forms}/{exact 1-forms}.

Thus, in the C°°-setup, for instance, we get Coker(8) ^_- Hl (M), the first
de Rham cohomology of M. Thus, in the real case, we get a 4-term exact
sequence:

Symplectic
0 -> R O(M) --a- vector fields - H'(M, IR) 0.
on M
Suppose that a Lie group G acts on M, preserving the symplectic form,
that is w(x,y) = w(gx, gy) for all X, y E TmM, M E M and g E G. The
42 1. Symplectic Geometry

infinitesimal G-action gives a Lie algebra homomorphism

Symplectic
9 Lie G
' vector fields on M

Definition 1.4.1. ([Ko4J) A symplectic G-action is said to be Hamiltonian

if a Lie algebra homomorphism H : 9 --+ O(M), x ' -+ Hx is given, making
the following diagram of Lie algebra maps commute:
9
HI

O(M)I Symplectic
vector fields on M
In other words a symplectic G-action is Hamiltonian if the Lie algebra
homomorphism from g to symplectic vector fields lifts to O(M). In case of
a Hamiltonian G-action, we assume the Lie algebra lifting g -a O(M) to
be fixed once and for all. This map H : g 3 x +--+ Hx E O(M) is called the
Hamiltonian. We may view H as a function on the cartesian product M x g,
i.e., as a function in 2 variables. Define the moment map p : M -+ g" by
assigning to m E M the linear function lc(m) : g -+ C, x +- Hy(m), so that
µ(m)(x) = HH(m)
Lemma 1.4.2. [Ko4] (i) For any x E g we have H. = µ"x, where µ"x
denotes the pull-back to M of a linear function on g'.
(ii) The map
'U*: C[9"] -+ O(M)
induced by p : M --+ g" commutes with the Poisson structure.
(iii) If the group G is connected then the moment map µ is G-equivariant
(relative to the coadjoint action on 9").
Proof. Claim of part (i) is essentially the definition of the moment map.
Indeed, we have to show that the following two functions on M are equal:
m +--+ H. (m) and m F-+ (µ(m), x). But by definition we have (p(m), x) =
p(m)(x) = HH(m), and the claim follows.
To prove the second claim, it suffices by our usual argument, to verify
the assertion on linear functions, that is, elements of g. For x, y E g we
want to check that
{µ"x' A *y) = A"[x, y] = u"{x, y}.
The first equality here holds since x'-+ H= is a Lie algebra homomorphism;
the second follows from the definition of the Poisson bracket {x, y}.
To prove the last claim, write lx for the vector field on M corresponding
to the infinitesimal action of x E g on M. Pickup m E M, let A = p(m),
 1.4 The Moment Map 43

and let p.: TmM -+ g' denote the differential of the moment map at the
point m. The "infinitesimal" Lie algebra version of the G-equivariance of
the moment map reads
(1.4.3) A. (l Z) = ad*x(a), 'dm E M, x E g .
To prove this equation holds, it suffices to check that any linear function
on g` takes the same value on both LHS and RHS. For the LHS and any
y E g, viewed as a linear function on g we have
{Hx,j'y} = {tt'x,p`y},
where the last equality is due to part (i). For the RHS of (1.4.3) we find
using part (ii):

(y,ad*x(A)) = \([x,y)) = (A*[x,y))(m) = {µ`x,µ`y}(m)

This proves (1.4.3), hence, shows that ,a is "infinitesimally" G-equivariant.
It remains to observe that, for a connected Lie group, "infinitesimal" G-
equivariance implies G-equivariance.
Example 1.4.4. Let M = C2 with coordinates (p, q), and w =ldp A dq. Set

(1.4.5) G = SL2(C) , g = s[2(C) b, c E c y .

a)
la,

(c
Then G acts on M = C2 in a natural way. The induced g = 512(C)-action is
given by the following symplectic vector fields on C2

Co o) 1-4 qap = Cq2/2,

(i o) H paqa = E-pl/2,
1 a a
0 1

This action is clearly Hamiltonian with the Hamiltonian functions

(01
CD o) '--g2/2, 0) ' - _P2 /2, , fi 01 I H pq'

To compute the moment map µ : M -+ s[2(C) explicitly, we identify

s[2(C)* and s12(C) via the non-degenerate bilinear form: (A, B) +-+
Then the above formulas yield
1 pq q2
µ : (p, q)
-p2 -pq)
Notice that this matrix has zero determinant, and hence is nilpotent.
Therefore µ maps C2 into the set of nilpotent matrices. This map yields a
44 1. Symplectic Geometry

2-fold covering of the nilpotent cone in 512(C) ramified at the origin, which
illustrates the phenomena to be studied in more detail in Chapter 3.
The above example is a special case of the following result (cf., e.g.
[GS2]).

Proposition 1.4.6. Let (V, w) be a symplectic vector space. Then the nat-
ural action on V of the symplectic group Sp(V) is Hamiltonian with
quadratic Hamiltonian functions given by
HA(v) = 1/2 w(A v, v), A E sp(V), v E V.
Proof. Let A E sp(V). Set H = 1/2w(A v, v) and let denote the
differential of the function H at a point v E V. We have to check that, for
any vector w E V, the following equation holds: w(A v, w) .
We calculate the differential of the quadratic function H = HA : v H
1/2 w(A - v, v) at v E V. One finds
1/2w(A v, w) + 1/2w(A w, v) = w(A v, w),
(the last equality is due to the skew-symmetry of A). This proves the
claim. Thus, it remains only to show that the assignment A -4 HA is a
Lie algebra homomorphism. But this amounts essentially to Lemma 1.3.5
which says that the Poisson bracket on the space of quadratic polynomials
on V corresponds to the Lie algebra bracket on sp(V).
Example 1.4.7. Let M = T*X and let G act on X. We have Lie algebra
homomorphisms
Vector fields _-, Vector fields , 2; ,-, uz, F-
on X on T*X
The G-action on T*X arising in this way is clearly symplectic, since any
diffeomorphism of X induces a symplectic diffeomorphism of T*X. More-
over, Lemma 1.3.14 implies
Proposition 1.4.8. For any G-manifold X, the G action on T*X is al-
ways Hamiltonian with Hamiltonian
x '- HH = .t(ux) E O(T'X),
where A is the canonical 1-form on T'X.

Let X be a G-manifold. The Lie algebra homomorphism g - {vector

fields on X } given by the "infinitesimal action" can be uniquely extended,
by the universal property of the enveloping algebra Ug, to an associative
algebra homomorphism
a : Ug D(X) = regular differential operators on X.
 1.4 The Moment Map 45

Recall that taking differential operators of order < i, i = 0, 1, 2.... gives a

natural increasing filtration on the algebra D(X) of differential operators.
Similarly, there is the standard increasing filtration C = U0g C U,g C
on the enveloping algebra, where Utg is the finite-dimensional subspace
spanned by all the monomials x y - ... z, x, y, ... , z E g of length < i.
Now the map a : Leg --+ V(X) is clearly filtration preserving. The leftmost
column of the diagram below corresponds to the associated graded map.

grog Sg C[g«]

It'.

O(T'X)
Using the identifications provided by the horizontal isomorphisms in the
diagram, we get an algebra homomorphism O(T'X) depicted
in the rightmost vertical column. This map turns out to be induced by
the moment map: T'X -+ g' of the underlying varieties. Thus, the map
Ug - D(X) may be thought of as a "quantization" of the moment map
above.

We need an explicit description of the moment map in a special case.

Let G be a Lie group and P C G a Lie subgroup. Let p = Lie P and write
pl for the annihilator of vector subspace p in g'. By Claim 1.4.8 the left
G-action on G/P induces a Hamiltonian G-action on T*(G/P). The latter
gives rise to the moment map
µ:T*(G/P)-'g'
We would like to calculate y explicitly. We first describe the cotangent
bundle to G/P.
Lemma 1.4.9. There is a natural G-equivariant isomorphism
T*(G/P) = G x, ply
where P acts on pl by the coadjoint action.
Proof. Let e = E G/P be the base point. We have Te(G/P) = g/p
and Te (G/P) = (g/p)* = pl C g'. It follows that, for any g E G
TT.e(G/P) = gp19-'
This shows that the vector bundles T*(G/P) and G x, pl have the same
fibers at each point of G/P, hence are equal as sets. To prove that they are
isomorphic as manifolds, one can refine the argument as follows.
Consider the trivial bundle ge,,, = G/P x g on G/P with fiber g.
The infinitesimal g-action on G/P gives rise to a vector bundle morphism
46 1. Symplectic Geometry

OC/P ---1 T(G/P). It is clear that the kernel of this morphism is the
subbundle E C g,,,P whose fiber at a point x E G/P is the isotropy
Lie algebra p.., C g at x. This gives an isomorphism T(G/P) = 9o1P/E.
Further, the description of the fibers of E gives an isomorphism E :--
G x p (g/p). Hence, T (G/P) Gx and the result follows by taking
the dual on each side.
Observe next that there are two "types" of tangent vectors to T' (G/P).
First there are "vertical" vectors, i.e., vectors which are tangent to the
fibers of the projection T*(G/P) G/P; since these fibers are themselves
vector spaces, we may identify these vertical tangent vectors with elements
of the fibers of T`(G/P). Second, there are tangent vectors of the form C.f
x E g. Note that gpg-1 is the Lie algebra of the isotropy group of the point
g e E G/P. Hence, for any x E gpg`1 the vector l:x is tangent to the fiber
T9 e(G/P) of T`(G/P), hence, is a vertical vector.

Proposition 1.4.10. Under the isomorphism T*(G/P) = G x, pl the

moment map u is given explicitly by
(9, a) "gag-1, g E G, a E pl.
Note that this map is well-defined on G x p pl, a quotient of G x pl.
Proof. The moment map sends (g, a) to the linear function µ(g, a)
g - C given by x i- H1(g, a), x E g, where H., is the Hamiltonian for
x. By Lemma 1.3.14 we have Hx = A(x). The differential of the projection
7r: T*(G/P) --, G/P takes i to x. Hence, we find

A(x)(9, a) = 9p9-1(r'.,i) = 9p9-1(x).

Thus, p(g,a)(x) = gpg"1(x) as was shown.
It is often useful in concrete computations to also have an explicit de-
scription of the canonical symplectic form, w, on T`(G/P). This is provided
by

Proposition 1.4.11. The canonical symplectic form w is given by the

formulas:
(a) w(a1, a2) = 0, for any vertical vectors a1, a2 E T9 (G/P).
(b) a(g[x, y]9-1) for x, y E g, a E TT,e(G/P), a covector.
(c) w(p,Sa)1a = f3(gxg-1) for any vertical Q E T9,(G/P) viewed as a
tangent vector to T*(GIP) at a E T9 e(G/P).
Proof. Given a 1-form a on X = G/P, let & denote the vertical vector
field on T*X whose restriction to any fiber of T=X is the constant vector
field a,,, the value of a at x.
 1.4 The Moment Map 47

Proving (a) amounts to showing that w(&1, &2) = 0 for any 1-forms
al and a2. Now the canonical 1-form A on T'X vanishes on any vertical
vector field. Hence A(&1) = A(&2) = 0. Furthermore, the field [&ji &2J is also
vertical. Hence, A([&,, &21) = 0 and part (a) follows from

w(&i, &2) = d,\(& I, &2) = &1 A(&2) - &2 \(&i) - .X([&1, &2]) = 0 + 0 + 0.
The left hand side of the equality in (b) can be rewritten as {µ`x, µ`y}(a)
and the right hand side as i*([x, y]) (a). The claim now follows from Lemma
1.4.2.
To prove (c) observe first that [l x, QJ = [i, %3] = L113 = (L, f3) (the first
equality is due to Lemma 1.3.14). Then we obtain

(dA)(/3, :) _ /3 A($) -)t ((L=,O)) = Q

for A vanishes on vertical vector fields Q and (Lx,l3). To compute

note that the restriction of A(l x) to a fiber T. *X is a linear function:
a Ml z)(a) = A(x)(a) = a(x). Hence the derivative of that function in
the direction of the constant vector field Q= is the constant function J3y(lx).

The following elementary result will be frequently used in the future.

Lemma 1.4.12. Let P be an algebraic group with Lie algebra p. Let V
be a finite-dimensional representation of P and E C V a P-stable linear
subspace. Then
(i) If P is connected, then for v E V, the following conditions are equivalent:
(1) The affine linear subspace v + E C V is P-stable;
(2) We have p v C E, that is the image of p under the induced
"infinitesimal" Lie algebra action-map p -' V, x - is contained
in E.
(ii) Moreover, if the linear map p - E, x ' x v is surjective, then P v,
the P-orbit of v is a Zariski open dense subset of v + E.
Proof. If condition (1) holds, then we have P v C v + E. Differentiating
this condition at the identity of the group P yields p v C E, hence,
condition (2). Conversely, assume condition (2) holds. The tangent space to
v + E at any point u E v + E clearly gets identified with E. Given x E p,
let : be the vector field on V arising from the action of x on V. Then, for
any uEv+E, we find
(1.4.13)
e C
pvCE p C E by the P-invariance of E. Formula
(1.4.13) shows that the vector field t'x is tangent to the subspace (v + E)
48 1. Symplectic Geometry

at any of its points. Hence, this subspace is stable under the action of a
small neighborhood of the identity in P. Since P is connected, it follows
that v + E is P-stable.
To prove (ii) consider a morphism of algebraic varieties f : P -+ v + E
given by p H p . v (which is well-defined due to part (i)). The image,
f (P), is connected and is known to be a locally closed subset of v + E
in the Zariski topology. Observe that the differential of the map f at the
identity is the map p ' V given by the linear p-action on v as in (2). If the
differential is surjective, then f (P) contains an open neighborhood (in the
usual topology) of v in v + E by the implicit function theorem. Hence, f (P)
cannot be contained in any proper closed algebraic subvariety of v + E.
Hence f (P) is an irreducible Zariski open subset of v + E. Since v + E is
itself irreducible, it follows that f (P) is dense in v + E.
We conclude this section with the following generalization of Proposition
1.4.11.

Proposition 1.4.14. Let G be a Lie group with Lie algebra g, P a closed

connected subgroup of G with Lie algebra p. Let A be a linear function on g
such that = 0. Then
(1) The affine linear subspace A + pl C g' is stable under the coadjoint
P-action of 9*.
(2) The space G x,, (A + ps) has the natural G-invariant syrnplectic
structure, w, it is given by formulas, cf. (1.4.11)
(1) w(al, a2) = 0 if al, a2 are vertical, i.e., tangent to the fibers of the
projection Tr : C x,, (A + p1) - G/P.
(2) w(lz+lv)I = a(g[x, y]g-1) for any point (g, a) E G x p (A + p1) and
any x E 9.
(3) w(Q, liz) = f3(gxg-1) for any P tangent to gP x,, (A + p1). In partic-
ular, the fibers of the projection 7r are lagrangian affine subspaces.
Proof. Part (1) follows from Lemma 1.4.12. Proof of part (2) is similar
to the proof of Proposition 1.4.11 and is left to the reader.
The first projection n : G x,, (A + pt) - G/P clearly has a natural
structure of an affine fibration, i.e., a locally trivial fibration with canonical
affine linear space strucure on every fiber (put differently, the structure
group of the fibration is reduced from the whole group of diffeomorphisms
of A + pl to the subgroup of affine automorphisms). It is clear also that we
have

dim (A + p') = dim (pl) = dim g/p = dim G/P.

We see that the fiber dimension equals half the dimension of the total
space of the fibration. Furthermore, looking at formulas of Proposition
 1.5 Coisotropic Subvarieties 49

1.4.14, one finds that the symplectic 2-form w vanishes on each fiber.
Thus, all fibers are lagrangian submanifolds. For this reason one calls
ir : G x, (A + p1) - G/P an affine lagrangian fibration. Motivated by
comparison with Proposition 1.4.11, the space G x,, (A + p1) should be
thought of as a "twisted cotangent bundle" on G/P.
We mention the following interesting result about general lagrangian
fibrations. If M is a symplectic manifold and p : M -. B a smooth fibra-
tion with lagrangian fibers, then it is shown in [AG] that every fiber of the
fibration has a natural affine linear structure, i.e., has a canonical infinites-
imal transitive free action of the additive group of a vector space. It follows
that any lagrangian fibration with connected and simply connected fibers
is isomorphic (as lagrangian fibration) to an open subset of an appropriate
twisted cotangent bundle.

1.5 Coisotropic Subvarieties

Let (M, w) be a symplectic manifold with Poisson bracket { } on O(M).,

Recall that a subvariety E C M is called coisotropic if the tangent space

at any smooth point m E E is a coisotropic subspace of the whole tangent
space, i.e.,
TmEDTmEl, ,

where l,, stands for the annihilator in T.. M with respect to the symplectic
form. Let .7E C O(M) be the defining ideal of E.
Proposition 1.5.1. (cf., [Bj], [GS1]) The subvariety E is coisotropic if and
only if {J,;, IE} C .7E, that is, if and only if .7E is a Lie subalgebra (not
necessarily a Lie ideal) in O(M).
Proof. Suppose {,,7E, .7E) C ,7E. This occurs if and only if the following
implication holds
(1.5.2) f, 9 E .7E =:;, 0, Vm E E''`9.

Let f E .7E Write W = TmE and V = TmM for the tangent spaces at
a smooth point m E E. The differential df clearly vanishes on W = TmE,
hence df r= W -L where W -L C V*. Therefore E WL' : V. Furthermore,
the vectors of the form j, f E .7E, span Wl". This combined with (1.5.2)
implies
w(Wl"',W1'")
= 0.
But this occurs if and only if W'' is isotropic which occurs if and only if W
is coisotropic. This proves the "if" part of the proposition. The argument
can be reversed to complete the proof.
50 1. Symplectic Geometry

Let E C M be a smooth coisotropic subvariety and m E E. The

restriction of the symplectic form w to TmE is a degenerate 2-form, and
one checks easily that
(T,E)1W
Rad(wlT E) _ C TmE.

Thus the radicals of the form w at each fiber of the tangent bundle as-
sembled together form the vector subbundle (TE)1' C TE of the tangent
bundle TE. We claim that this subbundle is integrable, i.e., we have

Proposition 1.5.3. There exists a foliation on E such that, for any m E

E, the space (TmE)1', the fiber of the subbundle given above is equal to the
tangent space at m to the leaf of the foliation.

The foliation arising in this way is called the 0 -foliation on the coiso-
tropic subvariety E. Its existence is guaranteed by the following general
criterion:

Theorem 1.5.4. (Probenius Integrability Theorem) Let E C TE be a vec-

tor subbundle of the tangent bundle on a manifold E. Then E is integrable
if and only if sections of E form a Lie subalgebra, i.e., for any sections t, 77
of E, viewed as vector fields on E, we have [t;, n] E E.

In fact it suffices, for integrability, to check this only for all pairs within
a family of sections of E that span the fibers of E at every point m E E,
and not necessarily for all pairs q).

Proof of Proposition 1.5.3. Observe that

(1.5.5) f Ja =_ const q (t' f)I, belongs to the subbundle (TmE)1'
Clearly the family of vector fields {l; f , f IE = const} spans the space
(TmE)1" for any m E E. Hence, proving integrability amounts to showing
that f1, = constant and gl,, __ constant implies [Ij f, 49] E (TE)' ' . But this
follows from formula (1.5.5) and the equality [t; f, t:9) = (f,9}.

Example 1.5.6. Let M be symplectic and let f E O(M). Let E be the

zero variety of f. Suppose that df does not vanish on E, so that E is a
smooth coisotropic codimension 1 subvariety. Then the 0-foliation ("null"-
foliation) on E is generated by the vector field l; f.

The rest of this section is devoted to the proof of the theorem below.
This theorem will play an important role in our study of the Springer
resolutions in Chapter 3.
 1.5 Coisotropic Subvarieties 51

Theorem 1.5.7. Let A be a solvable algebraic group with a Hamiltonian

action on a symplectic algebraic variety M. Let a = Lie A and let it be the
moment map
p:M=a*.
Then for any coadjoint orbit 0 C a* the set u-1(O) is either empty or is a
coisotropic subvariety of M.
In the theorem, u-1(0), stands for the set-theoretic preimage, which, in
the algebro-geometric language, means the reduced scheme associated to
the scheme-theoretic inverse image, cf. Remark 1.5.8 below and also §2.2.
Remark 1.5.8. For any Lie algebra a, the defining ideal Jo C C[a*] of
a coadjoint orbit 0 C a* is stable under the natural Poisson structure
because

If, A. = {fl., glo},vmplectic = 0

if f, g vanish on 0 (the first equality follows from Proposition 1.3.21). It
follows that the ideal O(M) µ*Jo C O(M) is stable under the Poisson
bracket on M, due to Lemma 1.4.2. The above theorem is equivalent to
saying that in the solvable case the radical, (see §2.2), O(M) µ*3o is
stable with respect to { , }.

Remark 1.5.9. Assume that the orbit 0 consists of regular values of the
moment map p, i.e., the differential dot is surjective at every point of the
inverse image of 0. Then Jµ--lol = O(M) p.*9o = O(M) A *J(, and the
theorem is well-known (see e.g. [GS2]) and holds without any solvability
assumption.
First, we prove some general results that will be used in the proof of the
theorem. Let (M, w) be a symplectic manifold with a Hamiltonian action of
a Lie group A. Set a = Lie A and let p : M - a* be the moment map. Let
P E C[a*] and write P = µ*P. Then
Lemma 1.5.10. For a point m E M let a= µ(m) E a*. Then
P(m) = dP(a).
Here (dP)(a) E a because it is a linear function on a*.
Proof. We will assume first that P is a linear function so that P = dP =
a E a. Then the statement of the lemma is true, since by definition of the
moment map we have
P = µ*a * d(p*a) = a).
This implies a = m*a = gyp.
52 1. Symplectic Geometry

Now we prove the lemma for arbitrary functions. Note that locally

P = P(a) + dP(a) + "higher order terms"

where P(a) is constant and dP(a) is linear. The lemma is trivial for
constant functions (these give rise to zero vector fields) so we are done
because the higher order terms do not come into play, since both sides of
the equality are completely determined by first derivatives of P and P.

Lemma 1.5.11. Let (V, w) be a symplectic vector space. A vector subspace

E C V is coisotropic if and only if it contains a lagrangian subspace A C E.

Proof. (i) If E J A, then A is lagrangian implies E J El' because

1".
E J A = A1' DE
Therefore E is coisotropic.
(ii) Assume that E is coisotropic. Then E D E1" and E/E1"' is again
a symplectic vector space. Choose any lagrangian subspace A C E/El'
and let A be the pre-image of A in E with respect to E --+ E/El". Then
_A-L'
E1W
A which implies E D A1'. Taking into account that = A, we
obtain A = Al'", and A is lagrangian.

Lemma 1.5.12. Let N C M be an irreducible subvariety in the smooth

algebraic variety M, and f E CA(N), a nonconstant regular function. For
any c E C define the hypersurface De = f -1(c) as the set-theoretic (reduced)
preimage of c and assume Do is nonempty. Then there is a Zariski-open
dense subset Doen C Do with the following properties:
Doen is contained in the smooth locus of Do and for any point x E Doen
there exists a sequence of complex numbers c1, c2, ... -+ 0 and a sequence of
points xi E De; , i = 1, 2, ... such that
(a) xi -+ x (in the ordinary Hausdorff topology), and xi is a smooth
point of the divisor De,;
(b) TD, --+ TTDo, where the convergence (in the ordinary topology)
takes place in the Grassmannian of (dim N - 1) -planes in TM;
(c) The values c1f c2i ... of the function f are generic in the sense that
they can be chosen in the complement to any finite subset of C.
Proof. It suffices to prove the lemma locally so that we assume N and
M are affine and Do is irreducible. Let N`9 and Doig n be the singular loci
of N and Do respectively. There are two cases:
(i) First assume that Do 0 Neing . Then set Doen = Do \ (Nsing U Doing),
a Zariski-open dense subset of Do. Let x E Doen. Since x is a smooth point
of N and the claim of the lemma is local with respect to the ordinary
 1.5 Coisotropic Subvarieties 53

Hausdorff topology, we may regard N as a holomorphic complex manifold

and choose a local chart on N with coordinates (t1, ... , tn) such that x = 0.
Moreover, since Do is locally a codimension 1 smooth subvariety of N,
we may assume without loss of generality that Do = {t1 = 0}. Since Do
is the zero set of f , the function f viewed as a holomorphic function in
the local coordinates t must be of the form f (t) = t1 g(t), where g is a
holomorphic function such that g(0) 0 0. Hence, locally one can define a
holomorphic function t -+ g(t) n , a branch of the k-th root of g. It is easy
to see from the implicit function theorem that the functions (T, t21... , tn) ,
where r = g(t) n t1, form a local chart on N again. In this new chart we
have f (t) = T", so that the level sets of f are disjoint unions of hyperplanes
T = const. Thus, the claim of the lemma is clear in this case.
(ii) Assume now that Do C Neing. Since normal varieties are smooth
in codimension one [Ha] we can find a Zariski open subset U C N such
that (a) its normalization U is smooth; and (b) U fl Do is dense in Do.
Remark. The non-expert in algebraic geometry may feel uneasy about
using such results as codimension 1 smoothness of normal varieties. Here
is another argument which is, hopefully, more convincing intuitively. Let
R(Do) be the field of all rational functions on Do, let I C O(N) be
the defining ideal of the divisor Do, and S = O(N) \ I. Let O(N)s
denote the localization with respect to the multiplicative set S. Thus,
O(N)s is a local ring with maximal ideal Is, the localization of I. We
have O(N)s/Is = R(Do) so that the field R(Do) may be thought of as
the "coordinate ring of the generic point of Do" and the ring O(N)s as the
"coordinate ring of a small neighborhood" of that generic point in N. Let
R(Do) be the normalization of R(D0), cf., e.g., [Ha]. The local ring R(D0)
is 1-dimensional, hence, its normalization, R(Do) is a regular local ring (it
is an elementary fact, see [Ha], that a normal curve is always smooth). In
geometric terms this translates into the existence of a Zariski open subset
U C N with the above specified properties (a)-(b).
We now complete the proof of the lemma. Shrinking U if necessary, one
may assume Uf1Do to be smooth as well. Set Doe" = Uf1Do, let v : U -+ U
be the normalization map and f = v* f the pullback of the function f. Since
U is smooth, the first part of the proof applies to the function f . Hence,
the lemma holds for f . We may now transfer the information from U to U
because each component of Do is the image of an irreducible component of
1-'(0) = v'1(Do), and because the map U -+ M is smooth when restricted
to v'1(D09e"). The lemma follows.

Let A be a solvable Lie group, with Lie algebra a. Choose a codimension

1 normal subgroup Al C A and let a1--+a be the inclusion of Lie algebras.
If we let 1L1 be the corresponding moment map for a1 then we have the
54 1. Symplectic Geometry

following commutative diagram (left triangle)

M->a' O( _ a*

P
\A. rn Ip
al

where p is the natural projection induced by the inclusion a1'--+a. We are

interested in the special case where M = 0 is a coadjoint orbit in a`. In
this case the map p : M --> a` becomes the tautological inclusion and the
above diagram reduces to the right triangle above.

Claim 1.5.13. (cf. [Di)) There are only 2 alternatives.

(1) dimp(O) = dim O. In this case p(O) is a single A1-orbit.
(2) dimp(O) < dimO. In this case the dimension of any Al-orbit in
p(O) equals dim O - 2.
Proof. There is a natural A-action on a1, hence a;, since Al is normal
in A.
Observe that p(O) is an A-stable subvariety of ai which implies that
p(O) (being the image of an A-orbit) is an A-orbit.
Let o E p(O). Then dim (a1 o) > dim a - o - 1, since dim a1 = dim a - 1.
Hence, dim Al o > (dim A o) - 1 = dim p(O) because p(O) is a single A-
orbit. Moreover, all A1-orbits in p(O) are symplectic manifolds, hence have
even dimensions; similarly dim 0 is even. It follows that in alternative (1),
A1-orbits in p(O) cannot have dimension equal to dim p(O) - 1 = dim O -1,
hence they are of dimension equal to dim p (0), hence, p(O) is a single A1-
orbit. Similarly, if dimp(O) = dimO - 1 then A1-orbits in p(O) cannot
have odd dimension dim p(O), hence, are all of dimension dim p(O) - 1 =
dim O - 2.

Proof of Theorem 1.5.7. We proceed by induction on dim A. Choose a

codimension 1 normal subgroup Al C A.
Assume we have alternative (2) above. In this case 0 is an open part
of p-1(p (0)) so it suffices to prove that p'1(p-1p(O)) = p1 1(p(O))
is coisotropic. But p(O) is a union of A1-coadjoint orbits. This implies
p1'1(p(O)) is coisotropic by induction.
Now assume alternative (1) of claim 1.5.13. By induction p-`(p'1p(O)) _
N is coisotropic (as a union of coisotropic subvarieties, the preimages of
coadjoint orbits in ai).
This is all right because increasing the dimension of a coisotropic sub-
variety keeps it coisotropic. Now 0 has codimension 1 in p-1p(O). We may
argue locally. Let P be a local equation of 0, i.e., a function on p-1p(O),
 1.5 Coisotropic Subvarieties 55

such that P # 0, Pro = 0. This implies

µ-'(0)=Nn{µ'P=0}.
Write f for µ'P. Since we work locally assume that N is irreducible and f
does not identically vanish on N. Put
E,=Nn{f=c}, cEC.
Lemma 1.5.14. For generic c E C we have E, is coisotropic.
Proof. From now on we will write I for the annihilator with respect to w
dropping the subscript w for short. We want to show (T,nEc)1 is isotropic
(where m is a smooth point of E). We know that TmN' is isotropic. Now
dim Es = dim N - 1 which implies that dim TmEcl = dimTmN1 + 1. We
have
T.E. _ 0}.

Therefore TmEC1 = TmN1 + C 1. The space TmN1 is isotropic by induc-

tion. Further, the vector field tl is tangent to N by Lemma 1.5.10. Hence
we find
w(TmEcl., TmEcl) = w(TmNl + q1, T,nNl + C 1)

W(TmNl, Tm,N1) + w(TrNl, Q1)

= 0+0+w(TmN1,C*1) = 0+0+0.
Thus, we see that TmEC1 is isotropic, and Lemma 1.5.14 follows.
We wish to show that Eo is also coisotropic. By Lemma 1.5.12 choose a
sequence x, -+ x E Eo such that the lemma holds. Then
[Link]. - T.(,EO
in the Grassmannian of dim N - 1 subspaces of TM. By 1.5.11 and 1.5.14
there exist lagrangian subspaces A; C T,,E,;. Choose a subsequence ik
such that Ai,k - A C TT,,Eo. This is possible because Grassmannians
are compact. Then A is isotropic since all Ask are lagrangian. Therefore
dim A = dim Ai implies A is lagrangian. Now we apply Lemma 1.5.11 again
to complete the result. This completes the proof of Theorem 1.5.7.
Example 1.5.15. We now give an example where Theorem 1.5.7 fails
because the group A is not solvable.
Let M = C2, w = dp n dq and A = SL2(C). The standard SL2(C)-action
on C2 is Hamiltonian, see Example 1.4.4, and the corresponding moment
map has been computed to be
u: M --+ (bl2(C))* = C3 , (p, q)'-' (q2/2, -p2/2,pq)
56 1. Symplectic Geometry

The origin in 512(C)* constitutes a coadjoint orbit. But p '(0, 0, 0) = (0, 0)

is not coisotropic. Thus the solvability condition in Theorem 1.5.7 is really
necessary.

Proof 1.5.16 of Proposition 1.3.30. We must show that if Z is isotropic

then so is any (reduced) subvariety N C Z. This is obvious if dim N =
dim Z. Assume dim N = dim Z - 1. Our claim being local in Z, we may
assume without loss of generality that there is a non-constant regular
function f E O(Z) such that N = f(0). Hence we are in a position to
apply Lemma 1.5.12.
Let x E N. We must show that TIN is an isotropic vector subspace in
T.M. Lemma 1.5.12 implies that there exists a sequence {xi, i = 1, 2.... }
of regular points of Z and a sequence of vector spaces Wi C TI; Z , i =
1, 2, ... , such that xi x and moreover Wi -+ TN in an appropriate
Grassmannian. Each of the spaces Wi is isotropic since Z is an isotropic
subvariety. It follows by continuity that TIN is also isotropic.
Assume finally that dim N < dim Z - 1. Then we may find, shrinking
N if necessary, a codimension one subvariety Z' C Z that contains N. It
follows from the argument above that Z' is isotropic. We now complete the
proof by induction on the codimension of N in Z using that codimZ, N <
codimZ N.
We end this section with one more result involving coisotropic subva-
rieties, the so-called integrability of characteristics theorem ([Gal, [GQSJ,
(Mal, [SKK]). Although not directly related to the subject of this book,
this theorem has important applications in representation theory (cf. [BjJ,
[Gi2], [Jo2]) and is somewhat reminiscent of Theorem 1.5.7.
Let A be a filtered ring such that gr A is a commutative ring. Let I be a
left ideal in A. Form gr I C gr A. This is an ideal, and moreover it is stable
under the Poisson bracket (see 1.3.2), i.e.,

{gr I, gr I} C gr I
because x, y E I implies xy - yx E I (this is the case even though I is only
a left ideal.)

Integrability of Characteristics Theorem 1.5.17. Now assume that

gr A is a commutative Noetherian ring. Then Vrg7r, the radical of gr I,
is stable under the Poisson bracket { , }.

Remark 1.5.18. If grA = O(M) then the theorem amounts to the claim
that the zero variety of grI is a coisotropic subvariety.
 1.6 Lagrangian Families 57

1.6 Lagrangian Families

In this section we introduce the notion of a coisotropic cone subvariety
which is of independent interest, and explain its relation to families of
lagrangian subvarieties in a symplectic manifold.
Definition 1.6.1. A symplectic cone variety is a symplectic manifold
(M, w) with a vector field l: on M such that L{w = w.
Remark 1.6.2. It is important not to confuse the vector field l; in defini-
tion 1.6.1 with a symplectic vector field, which would satisfy the condition
Lbw=0.
Example 1.6.3. Let T * X = M and 1; = Eu. Then we have already
verified that this is a symplectic cone variety.
Lemma 1.6.4. The symplectic form on any symplectic cone variety is
exact, that is to say w = dAM. More precisely, if we set AM = ifw then
w = dAM.
Proof. We calculate
dAM = di£w = Lcw - i fdw = L(w
where the second equality is the Cartan homotopy formula and the last is
duetodw=0.
Let (M, w) be a symplectic cone variety. A subvariety A C M is called a
cone subvariety if l: is tangent to A at any smooth point of A.
Let Ax, x E X be a family of lagrangian cone subvarieties of M parame-
trized by a space X. Observe that giving such a family is the same thing as
giving the subset
E={(m,x)EMxX I mEAx,xEX}.
with the property that the fibers of the projection E - X are lagrangian
cone subvarieties of M.
Example 1.6.5. Let M = T*X. Set {Ay = TsX, x E X}. Then E
T*X.
Theorem 1.6.6. (Resolution of lagrangian families) Suppose that M is
a symplectic cone variety, X is a manifold, and E C M x X is a
submanifold such that the projections p,,, : E -, M and p,, : E --+ X to the
first and second factors are smooth fibrations with surjective differentials.
Assume moreover, that the fibers, Ax C M, of the projection E --+ X are
lagrangian cone subvarieties. Then there exists an immersion (i.e., a map
with injective differential) i : EtiT*X making E an immersed coisotropic
subvariety of T *X . Moreover,
58 1. Symplectic Geometry

(a) The following diagram commutes

E T'X
I,,
px

X
(b) pMAM = i"AT.x, where A. and )1T.x are the canonical 1-forms on
M and T`X, respectively.
(c) the 0-foliation on E coincides with the fibration E -+ M.
Proof. First we construct a map i : E -+ T*X as follows. Let 0 E E
and x = px (¢) E X. The tangent map (px ),* : TOE -+ TX is surjective
by assumption. Hence, given 71 E TX, one can choose a tangent vector
ii E TOE such that (px).(i) = r). We claim that for any fixed i, the value
of the 1-form p'M A,,, on ij does not depend on the choice of ij. To prove this,
let Z be another vector such that (px ). (77 ) _ . Then, it - Al = v is a vector
tangent to the fiber of the projection E -+ X over x. This fiber can be
identified naturally via pM with the lagrangian subvariety AZ C M so that
we have

pM(^M)(v) AM((pM).v) = wM(S) 0,

for A. is a lagrangian cone subvariety. Hence, (p 'M AM) (7 AM) and

the claim follows.
Thus, the map 77 H (pM)M)(n) gives rise to a well-defined linear func-
tion on TTX, i.e., to an element i(¢) E TyX. The assignment 0 H i(¢) thus
defined gives a map i : E -+ T*X. Furthermore, it follows by the construc-
tion of i that p`MAM = and that the diagram of part (a) of the
proposition commutes.
We now show that the map i is an immersion. We have a commutative
diagram of linear maps of tangent spaces induced by the diagram in (a):

TOE => Ti(o)(T *X )

TyX

Let v E TOE be a nonzero vector such that i.(v) = 0. Then by the above
diagram we have (px ). (v) = 0, hence v is tangent to the fiber A. of the
projection px : E --+ X. Hence (pM).(v) 96 0. Since the symplectic 2-
form wM on M is non-degenerate, one can find a vector u E TmM, where
m = pM (0), such that wM ((pM ).v, u) = 0. The map (PM)* : Tq,E -+ T,.. M is
surjective, by the hypothesis of the theorem, so that there exists u E TOE
such that (pM ). (u) = u. Furthermore, by part (b) we have p'M (wM) =
 1.6 Lagrangian Families 59

i*WT.x, whence we obtain

056 =PMWM(V,v') = i*WT'x(v,u) =W(i5v,i.u).
It follows that i.v # 0, a contradiction.
To complete the proof of the theorem, it suffices to show that i*(TTE)
is a coisotropic subspace of T;lml (T*X ), for any 0 E E. To that end, put
dim M = 2n, an even integer. Then dim Ax = n, for any x E X, since Ax is
lagrangian. Hence

(1.6.7) dim E = n + dimX,

since E --+ X is a fibration with fiber Ax.
Let W C TOE be the kernel of the projection (pM).: TOE - T.. M, the
tangent space to the fiber over m(:= pM (0)) of the fibration pM : E -+ M.
Clearly, the space W is the radical of the 2-form p*, WM. Using the equality
1JMWM = i*WT.x we see that the spaces i.W and i*TTE are orthogonal with
respect to the symplectic form on T*X, i.e.,
(1.6.8) i.(TTE) C (i.W)1
where 1 stands for 1, for short. On the other hand, from (1.6.7) one
obtains
dim W = dim pM' (m) = dim E - dim M = (n + dim X) - 2n = dim X - n.
The map i. being injective, we get dim (i. W) = dim W - dim X - n. It
follows that
dim(i.W)1 = dimT*X -dim(i*W) = dimX+n.
Using (1.6.7) one obtains

(1.6.9) dim (i* W)1 = dim E = dim TAE = dim i.(T#E).

Formulas (1.6.8) and (1.6.9) yield (i.W)1 = i.T,E, hence (i.T,.E)1 C
(i.W)1 = i.(T4E) and the coisotropicness follows. Finally, we have
(i.W) = ((i*W)1)1 = (i*(TiE))1 and part (c) follows.

Remark 1.6.10. For any x E X we have Ax = i-' (T. X) which explains

the name of the proposition.
 CHAPTER 2

Mosaic

2.1 Hilbert's Nullstellensatz

Let A be an associative, not necccesarily commutative, C-algebra with unit.
For a E A define
Spec a = {A E C I a - A is not invertible).
MOTIVATION: (i) Let A = C[O,1] be the algebra of continuous C-valued
functions on the segment 0 < t < 1. A function t '-+ a(t) is invertible if and
only if it does not vanish on [0, 1]. Thus, for any a E A, the set Spec a is
equal to the set of values of a.
(ii) Let A = be the algebra of n x n-matrices with complex
entries. For any A E C and a E the matrix a - \ is invertible if
and only if A is not a root of the characteristic polynomial det (a - t Id).
Thus Spec a is the set of roots of the characteristic polynomial of a.
Theorem 2.1.1. [Nullstellensatz] Assume that A has no more than count-
able dimension over C. Then
(a) Weak version: If A is a division algebra, then A = C.
(b) Strong version: For all a E A we have Spec a # 0; furthermore,
a E A is nilpotent if and only if Spec a = {0}.
Proof. Part (a) implies part (b) as follows. Suppose that A is a division
algebra strictly containing C and a E A\C. Then since a - A 36 0 it is
invertible for all A E C. Hence Spec a = 0 which contradicts (b).
Part (b): Let a E A and A ¢ Spec a. Then (a - A) is invertible.
Therefore if Spec a is empty then (a - A) is invertible for every A E C.
Thus {(a - A)-I , A E C} is an uncountable family of elements of A, for
C has uncountable cardinality. Therefore, elements of this family cannot
be linearly independent over C, since A has countable dimension over C.
Hence, we may find finitely many A, and µs E C, not all of which are zero,

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_3,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
62 2. Mosaic

such that

E µi(a - A)-' = 0

with Ai, µi E C. Therefore clearing the denominators we have a polynomial

P(t) E C[t] with P(a) = 0. The field C being algebraically closed, we can
write the polynomial P in the factorized form P(t) = (t - al) . (t -
It follows that

(2.1.2) (a-a,).... (a-a")=0

which is a contradiction, since all (a - ai) cannot be invertible or else we
have the implication 1 = 0.
Assume now that a is nilpotent, so a" = 0 for some positive integer n.
We have for A # 0

(a - A)-' = - X-'a)-' = )-' >(A-la)i

i=O

by the geometric progression formula. Thus a - A is invertible, and A ¢

Spec a.
Assume finally Spec a = {0}. Since C\{0} still has uncountable cardi-
nality, the same argument as at the beginning of the proof shows that there
exists a polynomial P such that P(a) = 0. This implies (2.1.2). Collecting
all ai such that ai = 0 we obtain

a - ai,, is invertible which implies a" = 0 where n > 0.

Lemma 2.1.3. [Schur's Lemma] Let M be a simple A-module.
(a) Weak form: End AM is a division algebra.
(b) Strong form: If A has countable dimension over C, then EndAM =
C.
Proof. (a). If 0 0 f E EndAM, then Ker f and Imf are A-stable
submodules of M. This yields Ker f = (0) and Im f = M by simplicity
of M. Hence f is invertible and (a) follows.
We now prove (b).
Step 1. We claim that M is of countable (or finite) dimension over C.
Let m E M. We have a map
A -+M a-'a - m,
and A m is M or 0 by simplicity of M. Pick M E M such that A m = M
(this is possible or A annihilates each m E M). Then A maps onto M so
that dimcM < dimcA.
 2.2 Affine Algebraic Varieties 63

Step 2. We claim EndAM has no more than countable dimension over

C. Choose m E M such that M = A m as above. We claim the map
EndAM -+ M, f +-+ f (m) is an injection. Indeed, M = A m and
f (am) = a f (m) which implies that f is determined by f (m). Therefore
dim EndAM < dim M and the claim follows.
Now steps 1 and 2 together with (a) show that EndAM is a division
algebra of countable dimension over C, hence equal to C by the weak form
of Nullstellensatz (2.1.1).
Let g be a complex finite dimensional Lie algebra and Ug its universal
enveloping algebra. Let Zg be the center of Ug. Recall that any g-module
has a canonical ldg-, hence a Zg-module structure.
Corollary 2.1.4. [Q3] The center Zg acts by scalars on any simple 9-
module M.
Proof. It is clear from the definition that Ug has countable dimension
over C, and that Zg maps into Endu9M. But Lemma 2.1.3(b) implies that
EndugM = C.
Given a finitely generated commutative C-algebra A, let Specm A denote
the set of all maximal ideals of A. The following version of Nullstellensatz is
at the origin of the relationship between commutative algebra and algebraic
geometry (see e.g., [AtMa], [Ha], and the next section).
Theorem 2.1.5. Any maximal ideal of A is the kernel of an algebra
homomorphism A - C.
Proof. Let I C A be a maximal ideal. Then A/I is a field, cf., [AtMa].
Moreover, A being a finitely generated C-algebra, implies that it has no
more than countable dimension over C. Hence the same is true for All.
Thus, the weak version of Theorem 2.1.1 yields All = C. It follows that
the natural projection A -+ All may be identified with an algebra homo-
morphism A C whose kernel clearly equals I.
Due to the above theorem, the set Specm A may be identified with the
set of all homomorphisms X : A -+ C.

2.2 Affine Algebraic Varieties

Throughout this section the ground field is the field C of complex numbers,
and an "algebra" means a commutative C-algebra with unit. Given a C-
algebra A, we will write Specm A for the set of maximal ideals of A.
Definition 2.2.1. A (reduced) affine subvariety X C C" is the subset
consisting of all roots of a finite collection of polynomial equations
X = l(xl, ... , x") E C" I fl(xl, ... , x") = 0, ... , fm(xi, ... , x") _ O}.
64 2. Mosaic

It is clear that the above set depends only on the ideal

I = (fl, ... fm) C C[xl, ... , xn],

,

and not on the actual polynomials fi. Therefore, given an ideal I C

C[x1i... , xn] , we write
V(I)={(x11...,xn)EC")f(xi,...,xn)=0 for all f EI}.
Observe that, for any x E V(I), the evaluation map f '-4 f (x) vanishes on
I, hence induces an algebra homomorphism C[x1,... , xn]/I - C. Let mx E
Specm C[xl,... , xnJ/I be the kernel of this homomorphism, a maximal
ideal in C[xli... , xn]/I.
Proposition 2.2.2. For any ideal I C C[x1 i ... , xn], the assignment x r--+
mx yields a bijection V(I) '-' Specm C[x1, ... , xn]/I.
Proof. The injectivity of the map x F-+ mx is clear. To prove surjectivity
we use Theorem 2.1.5 which says that every maximal ideal of the finitely
generated C-algebra C[x1i... , xnJ/I is the kernel Ker X of an algebra ho-
momorphism X : C[xl i ... , xn]/I --+ C. For each i = 1, ... , n, let ai E C
denote the image of xi under the composition.
C[x1i... ,xnJ --N C[x1,... , xn]/I -x C.
Put a = (a1i ... , an) E C. By multiplicativity we have x(f) = f (a) for
all polynomials f and moreover f (a) = x(f) = 0 whenever f E I. Thus
a E V (I) and Ker x = ma.
To an affine subvariety X C C n we associate its defining ideal I (X) and
its coordinate ring, O(X), as follows:

I (X) = If E C[xl, ... , xn] I f (x) = 0, Vx E X},

and O(X) = C[xl, ... , xn]/I(X).
EXAMPLES
(a) I(0) = C[xl,... , xn] and I(C") = 0.
(b) If X = {(a1,... ,an)} is a single point, then X C C" is an affine
subvariety and 1(X) is just the maximal ideal (x1 - a1, ... , xn - an) C
C[x1, ... , xn].
(c) If I = (f) C C[x1i ... , xn] is a principal ideal, then the affine
subvariety V(I) is called a hypersurface.

Let X C Cn and Y C C'" be affine subvarieties.

Definition 2.2.3. A morphism f : X --+ Y is a polynomial map f : C" -'
Cm such that f (X) C Y. Two morphisms fl, f2 : X --+ Y are said to be
equal (write f1 = f2) if f1(x) = f2(x) for all x E X.
 2.2 Affine Algebraic Varieties 65

Affine subvarieties X C C ' and Y C C' are called isomorphic if there

are morphisms f : X --4 Y and g : Y -* X such that g o f = idx and
f o g = idy. For example, any two linear subspaces of Cn of the same
dimension are isomorphic to each other as affine subvarieties of Cn. An
isomorphism class of affine subvarieties is called a (reduced) affine algebraic
variety.
Observe that isomorphic affine subvarieties have isomorphic coordinate
rings so that there is a well-defined ring 0(X) associated to an affine
algebraic variety X which is independent of an embedding X '-' C n.
It is therefore natural to ask what kind of rings arise as coordinate rings
of affine varieties. To that end, recall that for any commutative ring A and
an ideal I C A, one defines the nil-radical of I as the set
v"I ={aEAI a'EIforsome k=k(a)»0}.
This is again an ideal, for if a" E I and b°` E I, then (a + b)"+m E I by the
binomial formula. Observe that
I C 1, and V(v/-I) = V(I).
The following classical version of Hilbert's Nullstellensatz provides the basic
relation between affine subvarieties of Cn and ideals in C[x1, ... , x,,].
Theorem 2.2.4. (Nullstellensatz) (i) For any ideal I C C[xl, ... , we
have

1(V(I)) = Vi
(ii) The assignment X '--+ 0(X) sets up a contravariant equivalence be-
tween the category of affine algebraic varieties and the category of finitely
generated C-algebras without nilpotents.
Proof. (i) We clearly have f C I(V(f )) = I(V(I)), whence proving
the equality amounts to showing that the canonical surjection
7r: C[xl,... ,xn]/vI -oC[x1i... ,xn]/I(V(I))
is a bijection. Let f E C[xl,... , xn]/v'i and assume that 7r(f) = 0, that is,
f E I(V(I)). By Proposition 2.2.2, there is a bijection
Specm(C[xl,... V(/7) = V(I), m= - x,
Therefore f belongs to all the maximal ideals of C[xl,... , x j/ f, since
f vanishes on every point of V(I). Assume A E C is such that A - f is
not invertible. Then there exists a maximal ideal m in C[xl,... , xn]/ f
containing A - f. Since f E m it follows that A = (A - f) + f E in. This
implies A = 0. Thus we have shown that Spec f = {0}, cf., the beginning of
Section 2.1 for the definition of Spec. The strong form of the Nullstellensatz
66 2. Mosaic

2.1.1(b) implies now that f is nilpotent. But the ring C[xl,... , x,,]/VII-
clearly has no non-zero nilpotents by definition of the nil-radical. Thus
f = 0, and part (i) follows.
We now prove surjectivity of the assignment of part (ii). Let A be a
finitely generated C-algebra without nilpotents. Making a choice of gen-
erators al, ... , a, of A is the same as giving a surjective algebra homo-
morphism C[xl,... , xn] -++ A sending xi H ai. This yields a presentation
A c- C[xl,... , with a certain ideal I such that f = I, since A has
no nilpotents. Let X = V(I) be the algebraic variety corresponding to 1.
We have

A = C[xl,... , x,,]/I = C[xl,... , x,,]/v/-I = C[xl,... x.]II (V (I)),

where the last equality is due to part (i). Thus A O(X ), and the
surjectivity claim follows.
Finally, we prove that the assignment of part (ii) is faithful. Assume that
X C C" and Y C Cm are affine subvarieties such that O(X) = O(Y), that
is there are mutually inverse morphisms
C[x1i... , X"]/I(X) G[yl,... , ym]II (Y)
Let bj , j = 1, ... , m, denote the image of yy under the composition

C[yi, ... , ym] -+ C[yl, ... , ym]/1(Y) -+ C[xl, ... , x.]/I(X).

Each element b; can be expressed in terms of the generators x1, ... , x as
bi = f, (xl, ... , for a certain polynomial f. The collection fl, ... , fm
gives a polynomial map f Cn -+ cm that induces an isomorphism
:

C[yl,... , y.]/I(Y) -=+ C[xl,... , hence takes X into Y. By sym-

metry, one gets by means of a similar argument the inverse morphism
g : Y --+ X. Thus X and Y are isomorphic.
An affine algebraic variety X is said to be irreducible if it cannot be writ-
ten as the union of two proper non-empty affine subvarieties. Algebraically
the irreducibility of a variety X is expressed by the property that the ideal
I(X) is a prime ideal in C[x1, ... , i.e., an ideal that is not the inter-
section of any two strictly bigger ideals. Equivalently I C C[x1,... is a
prime ideal if and only if the quotient C[xl, ... , has no zero divisors
[Mum3]. In other words we have, cf. [Mum3].

Proposition 2.2.5. An affine algebraic variety X is irreducible if and only

if its coordinate ring O(X) has no zero-divisors.

Given a finitely generated C-algebra A without zero-divisors, let Q(A)

be the corresponding field of fractions and A the integral closure of A in
Q(A), cf. [Mum3].
 2.2 Affine Algebraic Varieties 67

Definition 2.2.6. The ring A is called the normalization of A; it is the

maximal subring among the subrings A C B C Q(A) such that B is a
finitely generated A-module. If A = A the ring A is said to be normal.

If X is an irreducible affine algebraic variety then the affine variety

f( := Specm A corresponding to the normalization of the ring A = O(X )
is called the normalization of X. The embedding of the ring A into its
normalization induces a canonical morphism of affine varieties: X - X. If
X = X the variety X is called normal. The coordinate ring of a smooth
affine variety is known to be normal.
The affine algebraic varieties have a natural topology in which all mor-
phisms are continuous. More precisely, if we take the weakest topology in
which all the preimages by morphisms of points of C are closed we get the
so called Zariski topology. The Zariski closed sets of C" are by definition all
sets of the form V(I). The Zariski topology on an affine subvariety X C C"
is the induced topology from the Zariski topology of C". Due to Theorem
2.2.4, this gives a well-defined topology for the affine algebraic varieties in
which all algebraic morphisms are continuous.
The Zariski topology is very weak. For example the Zariski closed sub-
sets of C are precisely the finite subsets. In particular any bijection f : C -
C is continuous in the Zariski topology. This shows that not every map
continuous in the Zariski topology is a morphism of affine varieties.
Nevertheless, the Zariski topology is sometimes a convenient tool for
geometric reinterpretation of certain algebraic notions. For instance, for an
affine variety X, the property of being normal is equivalent to the following
(Hartgos property): for any Zariski open set U C X and for any morphism
f : U -+ C the function f extends by continuity to the whole X if and only
if it extends as a morphism of affine algebraic varieties [Hal.
Let now X C C" be an irreducible affine subvariety. Since the ring O(X)
does not have zero divisors we can form its field of fractions Q(X). For any
point x E X consider the ring
Ox = {9 I f,9 E O(X), g(x) 0 0} C Q(X)
Now for a Zariski open set U C X set Ox(U) = laEUOx. By construction
Ox(U) is a subring of Q(X) and if U C V is an inclusion of Zariski open
sets we have Ox(V) C Ox(U). This defines a sheaf Ox on X called the
structure sheaf of X.
Let r denote the "global sections" functor. We complete our review of
the relationship between algebra and geometry with the following impor-
tant result due to Serre, cf. [Se2]:

Theorem 2.2.7. For any affine algebraic variety X we have

(i) r(X, Ox) = O(X).
68 2. Mosaic

(ii) The assignment M +-+ M = r(X, m) gives an equivalence between

the category of coherent Ox-sheaves and the category of finitely generated
O(X)-modules. The inverse equivalence is given by the functor M k-+
Ox ®ocx) M.

The first claim of the theorem amounts to the equality O(X) = fXExO,.
This can be proved easily, see [AtMa]. The second part was proved by Serre
[Se2].

2.2.8. Remarks. (1) Part (i) of the theorem insures consistency of the
notation O(X ), that is the space of global sections of the sheaf Ox is indeed
equal to the space of regular functions on X.
(2) It follows from the second part of the theorem above that the global
sections functor t is an exact functor on the abelian category of coherent
sheaves on an affine algebraic variety.
In fact, the following stronger result (also due to Serre) holds. Let .1 be
a coherent sheaf on a complex affine algebraic variety X equipped with the
Zariski topology. Then,

Hi (X, .F') = 0 for any i > 0.

Theorem 2.2.4 provides a nice geometric interpretation of commutative

C-algebras without nilpotent elements. A generalization of this result to
commutative C-algebras that may have nilpotent elements requires the
more sophisticated notion of a scheme. We will not attempt to review
the theory of schemes here and refer the reader to e.g., [Mum3]. Since
we will use this notion on several occasions, we just mention that there
is a contravariant equivalence between the category of finitely generated
commutative C-algebras and the category of affine schemes of finite type
over C.

Definition 2.2.9. (cf.[Ku], [BeLu[) A finitely generated commutative C-

algebra A will be called Cohen-Macaulay if it contains a subalgebra of the
form O(V) such that A is a free O(V)-module of finite rank, and V is a
smooth affine algebraic variety.

Remark 2.2.10. The property of being locally Cohen-Macaulay has the

following geometric meaning. Write Xecheme for the (not necessarily re-
duced) affine scheme (see [Mum3]) corresponding to the algebra A. Then
A = O(Xacheme) is locally Cohen-Macaulay if and only if there is a smooth
V/

affine variety and a finite morphism (cf.[Mum3)) ir : Xecheme -. V such

that O(X"" "'e) is a free O(V)-module, equivalently, by Theorem 2.2.7(ii),
if the direct image sheaf [Link],Ch,,,,, is free over Ov.
 2.2 Affine Algebraic Varieties 69

For the applications considered in this book it will suffice to take V to be

a vector space, that is to find a polynomial subalgebra C[yl, ... , y,,,] C A
such that A is a free C[yl, ... , y,,,]-module of finite rank.
Now let X = V(I) C /C'° be the affine variety defined by an ideal

I = (f1,... ,f,) C C[x1,...

Here is one of the main results of this section.

Theorem 2.2.11. [BeLu], [Ku] Assume that

(a) The algebra C[xl,... , xn]/I is Cohen-Macaulay.
(b) The differentials dfl, ... , dfp of the polynomials f;, i = 1, ... , p, are
linearly independent at each point of a Zariski-open dense subset
X°CX.
Then
(i) I = f so that O(X) = C[xl,... , xn]/I. Furthermore,
(ii) if X is irreducible and dim (X \ X°) < dim X - 2, then O(X°) _
O(X ), and the ring O(X) = C[xl,... , xn]/I is normal, cf. 2.2.6.
Proof. Let Xscheme be the scheme corresponding to the algebra
C[xi, ... , xn]/I, and it : Xscheme --+ V the finite morphism of affine schemes
(as in 2.2.10) corresponding to the algebra embedding C[V] '--+C[xl, ... ,
xn]/I. Proving (i) amounts to showing that the natural sheaf morphism
Ox-h.- -+ Ox arising from the natural projection C[xl,... , xn]/I -++
C[X]/VI- is an isomorphism. It suffices to show that the induced map
u : 7riOX..h... -' [Link]
is an isomorphism, since 7r is a finite morphism.
Write X BAD := X \ X°. The linear independence of the differentials
df1,... , df on X° (condition (b)) implies that the map u becomes an
isomorphism when restricted to V° = V\ir(XBAD), for 7r-I(V°)flXscheme c
X° is a smooth reduced subvariety of 7r (V°). Clearly V° is a Zariski-open
dense subset of V. Thus, the map u is a surjective morphism from a free
sheaf and, moreover, u is an isomorphism on a Zariski open subset. Hence
the kernel of such a morphism is a subsheaf of a free sheaf supported on a
proper closed subvariety of V. But a free sheaf has no subsheaves supported
on proper closed subvarieties. Thus, u is an isomorphism, X = X°cheme, and
part (i) follows.
To prove part (ii) observe first that we have dim X = dim V, since it is
finite. Hence, dim (X \ X°) < dim X - 2 implies dim (V \ V°) < dim V - 2.
Therefore, any regular function on V \ V° can be extended to a polynomial
function over all of V. Thus the same holds for sections of a free sheaf on
V. Applying this to the sheaf [Link] yields O(X°) = O(X).
70 2. Mosaic

It remains to prove that the ring O{X) is normal. Let X be the nor-
malization of X. We have the canonical projection v : X --+ X, a finite
morphism which is an isomorphism over X°, since the latter is smooth.
The natural restriction maps and the projection v give rise to the following
commutative diagram.

O(X) r O(X°)

110

O(X)C-"}ow, vo))
The vertical isomorphism O(X°) = 0(v-'(X°)) is due to the fact that
X' is smooth. The diagram implies that the map v* : O(X) °-+ O(X) is a
bijection.

Let V be a finite dimensional vector space. We endow C[V] with the

standard grading C[V] = ®i>oCi[V], where C'[V] stands for the space
of the degree i homogeneous polynomials on V. Given a vector space
embedding E V we get a canonical restriction homomorphism of graded
algebras resE : C[VJ -+ C[E]. Further, the projection V -+ VIE of
vector spaces induces the "pullback" homomorphism of graded algebras
C[VIE] +C[VJ.
Let A be a graded subalgebra of C[V]. We consider the natural algebra
homomorphism 0: C[V/EJ ®c A --+ C[V], given by the pullback of the first
factor followed by multiplication with A.
The following result of Bernstein-Lunts provides a useful criterion for
C[V] to be a free A-module.

Proposition 2.2.12. [BeLu] Assume that there is a vector subspace E C

V with the following properties:
(1) The composition A--+C[V] = C[E] is injective. Write AE for the
image of the above composition.
(2) The algebra C[E] is a free graded AE-module of rank r.
Then the map 0: C(V/E] ®c A - C[V] is injective. Moreover, C[V] viewed
as a graded C[VIE] ®c A-module is free of rank r.

The proof of the proposition is based on the following simple linear

algebra considerations. The projection V -+ VIE makes V an affine bundle
over VIE, that is, a principal bundle for the additive group of the vector
space E. This puts a natural increasing filtration on C[V], cf. n°2.3.10:
(2.2,13) FpC[V] := {P E C[V] I P has degree < p along the fibers}.
 2.2 Affine Algebraic Varieties 71

Write grFC[V] = ®pC[V](p) for the associated graded ring corresponding

to the filtration F.. Clearly, we have
FoC[V] = C[V](O) ='C[V/E] .

Thus, each graded component, C[V](p), is an (infinite dimensional) free

C[V/E]-module. More precisely, there is a canonical isomorphism of free
C[V/E]-modules
(2.2.14) C[V ](p) = C[V/E] ®c C p[E] , p = 0,1, .. .

where C"[E] stands for the space of the degree p homogeneous polynomials
on E. Let up : FC[V] --+ C[V](p) = C[V/E] ®c CP[E] be the canonical
projection (= "principal symbol map").
Lemma 2.2.15. Let p > 0 and f E FpC[V] be a homogeneous degree p
polynomial (relative to the ordinary grading) such that resE(f) # 0 in C[E].
Then op(f) equals the image of the element 1®resE(f) E C[V/E] ®c C p[E]
under the isomorphism 2.2.14. In particular, op(f) # 0 in C[V](p).
Proof. Choose a vector subspace W in V complementary to E, so that
V = E ® W. Hence, a graded algebra isomorphism C[V] = C[E] ® C[W].
Using this isomorphism we can write FpC[V] = E;<pCi[E] ® C[W]. Thus,
the homogeneous polynomial f E FpC[V] has the form

(2.2.16) f = ep ®1 + E ei ® wp_i, ei E C'[E) , wp_i E Cp-'[W] .

i<p

We see that resE(f) = ep, while Qp(f) = ep ®1. The lemma follows.
Proof of Proposition 2.2.12. On C[V] consider the increasing filtration
F.C[V] defined by formula (2.2.13) above, and let F.A = A fl F.C[V]
be the induced filtration on A. Assign C[V/E] grade degree zero and put
C[V/E] ® A on the tensor product filtration. Then the map 0 : C[VIE]
A --+ C[V] is clearly filtration preserving. Proving the injectivity of this
map amounts to showing injectivity of the associated graded map gr c :
C[V/E] ® grF A -+ grF C[V], due to Proposition 2.3.20 of the next section.
The target space of the latter map is isomorphic naturally to the graded
vector space C[V/E] ®c C'[E], due to equation 2.2.14. To prove injectivity
we will now describe the resulting map
(2.2.17) gr 0: C[V/E] ® grF A -+ C[VIE] ®c C'[E]
more explicitly as follows.
Recall that A = ®1A1 is a graded subalgebra in C[V] = ®iCi[V] (the
standard grading).
Define the second filtration on C[V] by GPC[V] = ®1<pC1[V], and write
GpA := A fl GpC[V] for the induced filtration. Clearly, for any p, we have
72 2. Mosaic

GpA C FpA. This inclusion gives the associated graded map grG A - grF A.
Proof of the following claim will be postponed until the end of this section.
Claim 2.2.18. The map grG A -4 grF A is an algebra isomorphism.
Now given any p and any element a E grF A, we can find using the claim,
an element a E AP such that 'a = vp(a). Due to Lemma 2.2.15, the map gr 0
from (2.2.17) is given by
(2.2.19) gr 0: f ®Qp(a) H f ®resE(a), V f E C[V/E].
The formula shows that the map gr qS is essentially the tensor product of
id cIV/E) with the restriction morphism A -+ C[E]. The latter is injective by
assumption (1), and the injectivity claim follows.
Finally, we prove by a similar argument that C[V] is a free graded
C[V/E]®A-module. To that end, view C[V] as a filtered C[V/E]®A-module
by means of the filtration F.. By Proposition 2.3.20 it suffices to show that
gr'C[V] is a free C[V/E] ® grF A-module of rank r. But equation 2.2.14
and formula 2.2.19 yield a grF A-module isomorphism

grFC[V] " ' C[V/E] ®c C*[E],

where the grFA-action on C[E] arises from the algebra homomorphism
gr'A-4 C[E] , cp(a) -4 resE(a).
This homomorphism is injective and makes C[E] a free grFA-module of
rank r, by assumption. The proposition follows.
2.2.20. PoINCARE SERIES. The formalism explained below serves as a
replacement of "dimension arguments" in the standard linear algebra when
a finite dimensional vector space is replaced by an infinite dimensional one.
Let E _ ®,>0E; be a (possibly infinite dimensional) graded vector space
with finite dimensional graded components E. Write E* := ®;>o(E')` for
the graded dual of E. For a graded subspace F C E, write Fl C E* for the
annihilator of F. Thus there is a natural isomorphism of graded spaces
(2.2.21) Fl = (E/F)*.
The tensor product E ® E' of two graded vector spaces has a natural
grading E 0 E' = ®k>u(E (9 E')k given by (E (9 E')k = ®;+i=k E; ® E.
To a graded vector space E, as above, we associate its Poincare series,
P(E), a formal power series in t given by

(2.2.22) P(E) _ t` dim Ei.

,_o
Verification of the power series identities contained in the following
lenirna is straightforward and is left to the reader
 2.3 The Deformation Construction 73

Lemma 2.2.23. (a) P(E (9 E') = P(E) P(E'),

(b) P(E/F) = P(E) - P(F), and
(c) P(E*) = P(E).
Repeated application of property (b) yields the following
Corollary 2.2.24. Let F.E be a (possibly infinite) filtration on E by
graded subspaces F;E. Then the grading on E induces a natural grading
on grF E, the associated graded space, and P(grF E) = P(E).
The following lemma is also clear.
Lemma 2.2.25. Let f : E -+ E' be a grading preserving linear map. If f
is either injective or surjective, and moreover, if P(E) = P(E'), then f is
an isomorphism.

Proof of Claim 2.2.18: Write AP := A n CP[V]. Due the canonical

isomorphism GpA/Gp_,A N As', the map r gives a chain of maps:

(2.2.26) A p = GpA/G,_,A r (FDA n GpA)/FF_1A) `2y"

---+ (C[V/E] ® C'[E]) n GpA = 1® CP[E] - Cp[E] .

Summing up over all p, the composition above yields an embedding of the

subspace r(grG A) C grF A into C[E]. It follows from Lemma 2.2.15 that
this composition is nothing but the restriction map resE : A -+ C[E].
Hence, this composition is injective by assumptions of Proposition 2.2.12.
Therefore, the map r : gr° A -+ r(grG A) is injective, hence bijective.
It suffices to show that r(grG A) = grF A. To that end, consider the
Poincare series P(A) with respect to the standard grading. Observe further
that the filtration F. is a filtration by graded subspaces relative to the
standard grading. Hence, Corollary 2.2.24 yields P(A) = P(grF A). On
the other hand, the isomorphism grG A ti r(grG A) established in the
previous paragraph implies that P(grG A) = P(r(grG A)). Hence, we obtain
P(r(grG A)) = P(A) = P(grF A). Since r(gr° A) is part of grF A, it follows
from the latter equality and Lemma 2.2.25 that r(grG A) = grF A.

2.3 The Deformation Construction

Let A be a ring with unit and t a central element which is not a zero-divisor
such that
=n t'A = {o}.
1

A basic example of this is A = C[t].

Let At denote the localization of A at the multiplicative set S =
{t' I k = 1, 2, ... }. Let M be a finitely generated At-module.
74 2. Mosaic

Definition 2.3.1. A lattice in M is a finitely generated A-submodule L C

M such that At L = M, or equivalently Uk>ot-kL = M.

Proposition 2.3.2. For any two lattices L and L' there are integers k, l >
0 such that
C L' C
Proof. Let u1,. .. , u,. be generators of the A-module L'. Since L is a
lattice there is an integer l such that u1i ... , u,. E 0 L. Consequently
L' C t-' - L. The second inclusion follows by symmetry.

Assume from now on that A is Noetherian. We will use the following

elementary result whose proof is left to the reader.

Lemma 2.3.3. Let 0 --+ M' -+ M -+ M" --+ 0 be a short exact sequence of
At-modules, and let L C M be an A-lattice. Then
(i) L' := L fl M' and L" := L/L fl M' C M" are lattices in M' and M"
respectively.
(ii) The sequence 0 -+ L' -+ L -+ L" 0 is exact.

Associated to any ring A is the Grothendieck semigroup, K+(A), of

finitely-generated A-modules. This is the free abelian semi-group generated
by finitely-generated A-modules, modulo the subgroup generated by all
relations given by short exact sequences of A-modules:

Given an A-module M write [M] for the class of M in K+(A). Thus, if

0 --+ M' -p M -+ M" -+ 0 is an exact sequence of A-modules then in
K+(A) one has [M] = [M'] + [M"].
Lemma 2.3.4. In the setup of Definition 2.3.1, for any two lattices L and
L', in K+ (Alt A) we have
[L/t L] = [L'/t L'].

Proof. Call L and L' adjacent if t L' C t L C L' C L. In this case the
exact sequence 0 --+ L'/t L -+ Lit L -+ L/L' -+ 0 implies
(L/t L] = [L/L'] + [L'/t L],

and similarly L'-+L'/t

(L'/t L] _ [L'/t L] + (t L/t L'].
The statements now follow since t Lit L' L/L'.
 2.3 The Deformation Construction 75

In the general case of arbitrary lattices L and L' set L; = L + t3 L', j E

Z. Clearly L; = L for large j and L; = t' L' for very negative j. It remains
to note that for each j the lattices L,, and L;+1 are adjacent.

2.3.5. Assume that B is a ring with a separating Z-filtration, i.e.,

... C B_1 C B0 C B1C..., UBi=B, f1Bi={O}, 1EBo
where Bi B3 C Bi+i , Vi, j E Z. In particular, Bo is a subalgebra.
Form the graded ring B = ® Bi. It will be convenient to view B as a
iEZ
subset of the'ring of Laurent polynomials B[t, t-1] over B by means of the
natural bijection B3 +--+ Bj t' C B[t, t-1] . Thus we have

(2.3.6) B ^' E Bit' C B[t, t-1]

iEZ

that is, b is the set of all finite expressions E bit', bi E Bi.

Proposition 2.3.7. We have
(a) B is a subring of B[t, t-
(b) B is a graded ring with the Z-grading being given by the decomposi-
tion B = ®Bi, i.e., (B)i = Bit'.
(c) t E B, is central and is not a zero-divisor,
(d) ut-kB = B[t, t-1].
Proof. The proofs of (a), (b) and (c) are immediate. To prove (d), pick
up bi E Bi. Then we can write bit' = biti (t3-'), and (d) follows because
B=UBi.
Corollary 2.3.8. (i) There is a natural isomorphism:
B = ®Bi/Bi_1 is the associated graded ring of B.
(ii) The ring B[t,t-1] is isomorphic to the localization of b at t, i.e.,
B[t, t-1] = (B)t.
Proof. Observe that multiplication by t shifts degree in b by 1, and can
be identified with the natural embedding ®,Bi-1 '-+ ®iBi. Therefore we get
B/t.B=®i(Bi/Bi-1) =grB
and part (i) follows. Part (ii) follows from Proposition 2.3.7 (d).
2.3.9. GEOMETRIC INTERPRETATION. Let X be an affine algebraic variety
over the complex numbers and let B = O(X) be the ring of regular
functions on X. Suppose that there is a given Z-filtration on B. Then we
have the associated ring b which corresponds to a certain affine algebraic
variety ±. The natural ring embedding C[t] " B gives rise to the surjective
morphism of algebraic varieties: f : X --' C. Since t is not a zero-divisor,
76 Z. iviosaic

b is a torsion-free C[t]-module and therefore flat. Thus we have produced

a flat family, k, of algebraic varieties parametrized by C.
To study this family observe first that part (i) of Corollary 2.3.8 yields

f '(0) = Specm B/t B = Specm gr B

Similarly, using part (ii) of the corollary we obtain
f -'(C*) = Specm (B)t = Specm B[t, t"'] = O(X x C")
Thus, there is the following canonical diagram:

Specm (gr B)(-s. f{ x C`

if I 2nd projection
I
{0}1 oC= C.

2.3.10. PROJECTIVE COMPLETION OF AN AFFINE SPACE. (cf., [Fu]) Let V

be a vector space. A principal homogeneous space, E, of the additive group
of V is said to be an affine linear space over V. A choice of a base point
e E E gives an isomorphism of varieties Te : V=+E defined by v i.-+ v + e
(traditionally `+' here stands for the v-action on e). Thus an affine linear
space may be thought of as a "vector space without preferred origin."
A function f on E is said to be polynomial of degree < n if, for some
e E E, the composition
T.

V =+ E + C
is a polynomial on V of degree < n. This does not depend on the choice
of e E E, since if P is a polynomial on V of degree < n then the function
x --+ P(x + v) is again a polynomial on V of degree < n for any fixed
v E V. Let C[E] denote the algebra of all polynomial functions on E. The
subspaces C [E] of polynomials of degree < n form an increasing filtration
on C[E] making it a filtered algebra. Observe that this algebra has no
natural grading, since the notion of a homogeneous polynomial on E is
not well-defined.
The elements of C1 [E] form a vector space of acne functions with the
distinguished subspace C = Co[E]'-sC1[E] of constant functions.
Given e E E, to any f E C 1 [E], associate a function f' on V given by
the formula f e (v) = f (v + e) - f (e). The assignment f -- f' vanishes on
the subspace Co[E] and yields a canonical vector space isomorphism
(2.3.11) C1[E]/Co[E] V*,

which does not depend on the choice of e E E. By multiplicativity, one

extends this isomorphism of vector spaces to a natural graded algebra
 2.3 The Deformation Construction 77

isomorphism

(2.3.12) gr C[E] ^-' C[V],

where "gr" stands for the "associated graded ring" with respect to the
above defined filtration on C[E], and G[V] = S*(V*), is the polynomial
algebra on V.
We now apply the general construction of Section 2.3.5 to the filtered
algebra C[E] and form the algebra C[E]. We have by definition

C[E] ti ®C [E] = S'(C1[E]) = G[E],

where E := C1[EJ* is a vector space of dimension dim E + 1.
The general diagram of Section 2.3.9 reduces in the special case under
consideration to a diagram

(2.3.13)

{0}c0 C -*-- G*,

where we used (2.3.12) to identify Specm (gr C[E]) with V. The maps in the
diagram can be described explicitly as follows. The embedding V -+ E is
the adjoint to the projection C1[E] -» V* arising from (2.3.11). The projec-
tion E --+ C is the adjoint of the canonical embedding C = Co [E] +C1[E].
Finally the embedding E x G* i--+ E assigns to (e, t) E E x C* a linear func-
tion eve,t on C1 [E] given by the formula eve,t (f) = t f (e), f E C1 [E].
Set PE := 1P(E), the projective space associated to the vector space E.
Thus IPE is the space of C*-orbits in E \ {0} and diagram (2.3.13) yields
the canonical decomposition

(2.3.14) PE N E U IP(V)

with E being a Zariski-open cell in P(E) and P(V) the hyperplane at

infinity. We call IPE the projective completion of the affine space E. Note
the different meaning of the symbol P in the two notations PE and P(V):
the latter one is the projectivization of a vector space so that dimP(V) =
dim V - 1. The symbol PE does not stand since the projectivization of
E, for the projectivization of an affine space is not defined, in particular,
dim PE = dim E.

2.3.15. DEFORMATION TO THE NORMAL BUNDLE. (cf., [BFM1], [Ger],

[DVJ) Set D = O(X) for a smooth affine algebraic variety X. Let Y C X
be it smooth, closed subvariety, and Zy C O(X) the defining ideal of Y.
78 2. Mosaic

Set

Zy` i < 0,
Bi =
O(X) Vi > 0.
We now use natural graded algebra isomorphisms
gr B = ® TYi/IYi+i = ® S-=(I'Y/-TY) = 0(TYX ),
i<o i<o

where TYX is the normal bundle of X over Y. With this setup the diagram
in section 2.3.9 becomes the following deformation diagram:
TYX -; XY x C*
I2nd projection

C. c*
We see that Xy is a flat family of varieties over C whose special fiber,
i.e., the fiber over 0 is TYX. On the other hand the generic fibers are all
isomorphic to X. Moreover, XY can be shown to be smooth.
Note that the above construction is completely natural so that it can be
glued to yield the same construction globally on arbitrary smooth, but not
necessarily affine algebraic varieties.
2.3.16. GOOD FILTRATIONS. Suppose that M is a finitely generated B-
module. Assume that we are given a separating Z-filtration on M (that
is, a filtration ... M-1 C Mo C M1... , such that f1Mi = {0}) which is
compatible with the Z-filtration on B in the sense that
Bi - Mj C Mi+;, Vi,jEZ
The associated graded module grM := ®Mi/Mi_ 1 has a natural grB-
module structure. Set M = ®iMi, and view it as the submodule M =
E ti Mi C M(t, t-1). Clearly k is a graded B-module and we have

Lemma 2.3.17. For a filtered B-module M the following conditions are

equivalent:
(a) There are m1i ... , mr E M such that
Mi = Bi+k, - m1 + ... + Bi+k. mr, ki,... , kr E Z
(b) M is a B-lattice in M[t, t-1].
Proposition 2.3.18. If the filtration on B is bounded below, i.e., Bi = 0
for i < 0, then
gr B is Noetherian B is Noetherian.
 2.3 The Deformation Construction 79

Moreover, the conditions of Lemma 2.3.17 are equivalent to the condition

gr M is finitely generated over gr B.
Proof. Let m1, ... , mk E M be such that their images fi 1, ... , rnk in
gr M = ®M,/M;_1 generate gr M over gr B. For m E M, we have

m = blrnl + + bkfnk, bi E gr B, ini E gr M.

Hence, m - E bimi E M;_1. Iterating this procedure, we obtain eventually

that m-EbimiEMk,k<<0.
Note that since the filtration on B is bounded below and gr M is finitely
generated over gr B we have grk M = 0 for very negative k. Hence, Mk = 0
for k << 0, for the filtration on M is separating. Thus the procedure above
terminates so that m can be written as a finite B-linear combination of
M1,---,Mk-

A filtration {M.} on a B-module M is called good if it satisfies either

of the two equivalent conditions of Lemma 2.3.17. Good filtrations are
abundant in practice: for instance if M is finitely generated and we choose
generators m1, ... , mk E M then setting

gives rise to a good filtration on M. Of course this depends on the choice

of generators and therefore is far from canonical. In spite of that, Lemma
2.3.4 implies the following important corollary.

Corollary 2.3.19. The class [grM] E K+(grB) does not depend on the
choice of good filtration.

The general proposition below has been already used in the previous sec-
tion and will be frequently used throughout the book. Its proof is straight-
forward and is left to the reader.

Proposition 2.3.20. Let M and N be filtered B-modules such that Mi and

Ni vanish for all i << 0. Then we have:
(i) If gr M is a free gr B-module of rank r, then M is a free B-module
of the same rank.
(ii) Let 0: M -+ N be a filtration preserving B-module morphism such
that the associated graded morphism gr ¢ : gr M -' gr N is an isomorphism.
Then 0 is an isomorphism.
80 2. Mosaic

2.3.21. SPECIALIZATION IN K-THEORY. Let X be a complex affine alge-

braic variety. Assume we have a flat map t : X -» C which will be viewed as
a complex valued regular function on X. Giving t algebraically means giv-
ing an algebra homomorphism C[t] O(X) such that O(X) is t-torsion-
free. Set X* = t-'(C*) and Xo = t'1({O}). Then O(X*) = O(X)t is the
localization of O(X) at t, and O(Xo) = O(X)/t - O(X). Thus we have the
diagram

Xoc-. X - X*

{0}-r cC <---,A,*
We will define a morphism

limt-.o : K+(X*) -- K+(Xo),

from the Grothendieck semigroup of finitely generated O(X)t-modules to
the Grothendieck semigroup of finitely generated O(X)/t O(X)-modules.
For M E K+(X*) choose any lattice L C M. Then by definition M is
a finitely generated O(X),-module, while L is a finitely generated O(X)-
module. Therefore Lit L is an O(X)/t O(X)-module whose class in the
Grothendieck semigroup is independent of the lattice chosen by Lemma
2.3.4. We set

L .o[M] =
[L/t U.
Lemma 2.3.3 implies that the map limt.o so defined is a semi-group homo-
morphism. Hence, it can be extended, by additivity, from K+ to K, the full
Grothendieck group.

Example 2.3.22. Assume, in the above setup that F is a coherent sheaf

on X which is flat over C. Then

im(.jx.) = restriction of F to Xo.

To see this, write X = SpecmA. Then X* = Specm At, and X0 =
Specm A/tA. Let M be the finitely generated At-module corresponding to
F. Then the restriction to Xo of F corresponds to M ®A A/tA. Now, F
being flat is the same as M being t-torsion free. This means in particular
that M, regarded as an A-module, is a lattice in itself. Thus
.o[M] = [M/tM] = M ®A A/tA.
h
 2.4 C*-actions on a projective variety 81

2.4 C*-actions on a projective variety

Let X be a smooth complex projective variety with an algebraic C*-action
C* x X -+ X, (z, x) F--+ z x. Embed the torus C* into the Riemann sphere
Cl?' so that Cl' \ C* = {0} U {oo}. The following result is a special case of
the theorem of Borel [Boll on the existence of fixed points of solvable Lie
group actions.

Lemma 2.4.1. For any point x E X the map z -+ z x has a limit

as z E C* approaches 0 E Cl', resp. oo. Furthermore, the limit points
limz_o z - x (resp. limz z x) are fixed points of the C* -action.

Proof. Fix x E X. Let Graph = {(z,z x) E C* x X, z E C*} be the

graph of the C*-action on x and Y = Graph C Cl' x X be its closure in
Cl' x X. Clearly, Y is a 1-dimensional algebraic variety. Furthermore, the
first projection Cl?' x X -+ Cl' gives a morphism p : Y -+ C?1 which is an
isomorphism over C* = Cl' \ {0, oo}. We claim that p is an isomorphism.
The claim being proved, the existence of the limits follows from explicit
formulae:

lim z x = p-' (0), lim z x = p-' (00).

To prove the claim consider the normalization (cf. §2.2) it : Y -+ Y of the

curve Y. By [Mum2], k is a smooth compact complex curve, and the map
p o it : Y - Cl?' is a birational isomorphism, i.e., induces an isomorphism
of the fields of rational functions (possibly with poles) on k and Cl'
respectively. Hence, Y = Cl', for there are no birational isomorphisms
between curves of different genera. Moreover, any birational automorphism
of Cl' is an isomorphism (this is a special case of the Liiroth theorem,
cf. [Full, [Hum]). It follows that the map p o it, and hence p, are actually
isomorphisms.
Observe next that the closure of the orbit C* x C X equals p(Y), the
second projection of Y. Since Y = Cl?', the closure of C* x is obtained
by adding to the orbit at most two points, the images of 0 and oo. These
points form a C*-stable set. Finally, any C*-orbit is connected so that each
of the points must be a fixed point.

Corollary 2.4.2. [Bo3] The fixed point set of an algebraic C*-action on a

projective variety is always non-empty.

Let W denote the fixed point set of the C*-action on X, which we will
assume to be finite. For each w E W we define the attracting set
Xw={xEX1 li9zx=w}.
82 2. Mosaic

Clearly W E Xw. Since C* fixes w there is a natural C'-action on TwX,

the tangent space of X at w. We have the weight space decomposition into
positive and negative eigenspaces:

TwX =TwX®TwX, Tw = ® TwX (n), Tw = ® TwX (n),

n>O nEZ n<O nEZ

where the group Z is identified with Hom°!9(C`,C*) by means of the

isomorphism sending n E 7L to the homomorphism z - zn, and where
TwX (n) _ {x E TwX I z - x = znx, V z E C*J. Observe that n = 0 is not
an eigenvalue, since w is an isolated fixed point of the C'-action. We now
state without proof

Theorem 2.4.3. (Bialynicki-Birula Decomposition [BiaBi])

(a) The attracting sets form a decomposition X = UwEwXW into smooth
locally closed algebraic subvarieties;
(b) There are natural isomorphisms of algebraic varieties
Xw ^_- Tw(Xw) = TwX which commute with the C'-action.
There is a generalization of this result where the fixed point set W is not
supposed to be discrete in which case the pieces X,, of the Bialynicki-Birula
decomposition are parametrized by connected components of W.
In the remainder of this section we discuss the relationship between the
Bialynicki-Birula decomposition and Morse theory for Kahler manifolds.
Our exposition will be rather sketchy, [At], [GH],[GS2] and [We] for more
details.

2.4.4. LINEAR ALGEBRA OF A HERMITIAN VECTOR SPACE. Given a real

vector space VR let (VR)c = C OR VR denote its complexification and
10 u+i0 v i-+ 10 u+i0 v = 10 u-i0 v the "complex conjugation"
endomorphism on (VR)c. Assume now that V is a complex vector and write
Vgt for the real vector space arising from V by forgetting the complex
structure. We have an R-linear endomorphism I : Vs -4 Vit given by
the multiplication by and we extend it, by C-linearity, to a complex
endomorphism IC : (Va)c --, (VV)c. There is a canonical (complex) direct
sum decomposition: (VR)C = W G V", where
V'={zE(VV)c, V"={zE(Va)c,
Further, the assignment v '-+ 1®v - i ®I (v), resp. v i.- 1®v + i ®I (v), gives
a canonical isomorphism V V', resp. V = V", of complex vector spaces.
Note that v E V' a V E V". We write VhOL for V' and Vh°i for V" in the
future. Observe also that the operator Ic, hence the complex structure on
V, is completely determined by the above direct sum decomposition

(2.4.5) (VR)c = Vhol ®jJho1

 2.4 C'-actions on a projective variety 83

A few remarks on hermitian metrics on a complex vector space V are

now in order. First, let V = C be the complex line with coordinate function
z = x + i - Y. The standard hermitian form on C is given, for z1 = x1 + i y1
and

More generally, given a finite dimensional complex vector space V, let

Sl : VR x VR --+ C be an IR-bilinear form on the underlying real vector space.
The form Sl is called a hermitian metric on V if the following holds for any
u,v E V:
1(v, u) = SZ(u, V), Sl(i u, v) = i Sl(u, v) = -SZ(u, i v),

u#0 Sl(u,u)>0.
Given a hermitian metric Sl, write SZ(u, v) _ (u, v) + i w(u, v), where
stands for the real and w for the imaginary part of Sl. The above conditions
imply that is a symmetric positive-definite bilinear form on the real
vector space VR and w is a non-degenerate skew-symmetric form on V.
The forms Sl, w and are related by means of the following identities:
(u, v) = Re Sl(u, v), w(u, v) = Im S2(u, v), w(u, v) _ (u, i - v).
Thus, the real vector space VR comes equipped with three additional struc-
tures:
(a) Euclidean form and orientation (coming from the complex
structure),
(b) Symplectic form w,
(c) Complex structure operator I = : VR --+ VR.

One can check also that the orientation in (a) induced by the complex
structure is the same as the one induced by the symplectic structure (b).
Conversely, given a real 2n-dimensional vector space VR with three struc-
tures w, I, as above, we obtain a complex n-dimensional vector space
V with a hermitian metric, provided the following compatibility conditions
hold:
(2.4.6)
w(u, v) _ (u, I - v), (I u, I v) _ (u, v), w(I - u, I v) = w(u, v).
Observe that any two of the three structures determine the third one
completely due to the compatibility conditions.
Given a complex vector space V with hermitian form Sl = i w,
extend the 2-form w to a complex symplectic 2-form w, : (VR)c x (VR)c -+ C.
The form ww is compatible with complex conjugation in the sense that
v) = wc(u, v). Further, recall decomposition 2.4.5 (VR)C = Vho1®Vho!
84 2. Mosaic

Claim 2.4.7. Vh°` and Vh°! are complex lagrangian subspaces relative to
the symplectic 2-form wC.
Proof We prove the claim for V'°'; the other one follows by complex
conjugation. Recall that Vh°1 - V so that any element of Vh°i is of the
form 10 v - i 0 I(v), v E V. Thus, we calculate
wC(1®v-i®I(v),1®u-i0I(u))=
w(v, u) - i w(v, I (U)) - i - w(I(v), u) - w(I(v), I(u)).
Both the real and the imaginary parts of this expression vanish due to
the identities (2.4.6). Hence, Vh01 is an isotropic subspace. The dimension
equality dim c Vh°i = dim CV = 1/2 dim c (VR )c completes the proof.
A similar computation shows that wC (v, v) > 0 for any v E
(Va)c , v # 0. This, together with the fact that the complex structure on
V is completely determined by the subspace Vh°i C (VR)C, yields the
following result (see [We], [GS1] for details).
Proposition 2.4.8. Let (VR, w) be a real symplectic vector space. Giving a
hermitian structure on VR with imaginary part equal to w amounts to giving
a complex lagrangian subspace Vh°1 C (VR)c such that there is a complex
direct sum decomposition
Vh°i ®Vh.1, and v/- 1 - wC (v, v) > 0, d v E (VR)c , v # 0.
(VR)C =
Given a hermitian vector space V of complex dimension n, let
S02n(R), Sp2n(R), GLT(C)
denote the groups of R-linear automorphisms of VR preserving the struc-
tures (a), (b) and (c) of (2.4.6) respectively, and let SUn be the group pre-
serving all three structures, the special unitary group. Since any two of the
structures determine the third one, the group SUn turns out to be equal to
the intersection of any pair of the groups above:

S02n(R) n Sp2n(R) = Sp2n(R) n GLn(C) = GLn(C) n S02n(]R) = SUn.

2.4.9. KAHLER MANIFOLDS. Given a C°°-manifold XR, let TXR denote

the tangent bundle on X and (TXR)C its complexification, a complex C°°-
vector bundle on XR. If X is a complex manifold, write XR for the underly-
ing real C00-manifold. We have a vector bundle analogue of decomposition
(2.4.5)

(2.4.10) (TXR)c = TXh°! ® TX-hot.

A hermitian form on the complex manifold X is a C°°-map ) : x ,- S2=
assigning to a point x E X a hermitian form fl, : TTXR x T=XR --. C on
 2.4 C'-actions on a projective variety 85

the tangent space at x (that is, 11 is a C°°-section of the vector bundle

(TXh0' (9 TXh°')*). The real part, Re Q, gives a Riemannian metric on the
real manifold Xll and the imaginary part, Im 1), gives a differential 2-form
w on X. Here is a "non-linear" extension of Proposition 2.4.8 from the
setup of linear algebra to that of differential geometry.
Theorem 2.4.11. (cf.,[GH], [GS2]) Let XR be a real C°°-manifold. Then
the following three sets of structure on XR are equivalent:
(a) The structure of a complex manifold X with a hermitian form S1
having the following additional property: for any point x E X, there are
holomorphic local coordinates z1i ... , zn with the origin at x such that
f ( - , _ ) = b=j + O(I z12).
(b) The structure of a complex manifold with a hermitian form 1 such
that the real 2 -form ImIl is closed.
(c) The real symplectic structure w on XR and a complex vector subbun-
dle TXh°' C (TXR)c such that:
(1) TXh°1 has lagrangian fibers with respect to the complex 2-form wC;
(2) TXho1 is an integrable subbundle of (TXR)c in the sense of Frobenius
Theorem 1.5.4 extended to the complexification by complex linearity;
(3) there is a vector bundle direct sum decomposition
(TXR)c = TXh°i ®TXh°1;
(4) Positivity: w° (v, v) > 0 for any v E TXh°' , v # 0.
The hermitian form SZ in (a), (b) and the symplectic form w in (c) are
related by the equation w = Im Il.
The real manifold X is called Kdhler if it is equipped with any of the
equivalent structures of the theorem above. For example, the standard
hermitian form 0(u, v) = En o ui i) on Cn makes X = Cn a Kahler
manifold.
2.4.12. FUBINI-STUDI METRIC. We will study in more detail the special
case X = C1Pn, to be denoted P" for short. There is a distinguished Kahler
metric on F" which we now define.
Let SZ be the standard hermitian form on C n+1. Let S2n+1 C C"+1
be the unit sphere and let S' = {z E C' JzJ = 1} be the unit circle.
I

Recall that the group C" acts freely on Cn}1 \ {0} and by definition F" :_
(C"+1 \ {0})/C'. This orbit space of a complex group inherits the natural
structure of a complex manifold. Observe further that the action of the
subgroup S' C C* on Cn+' preserves the sphere Moreover, the
S2n+1.

embedding S2n+1 ti Cn+l yields an isomorphism of real C°°-manifolds:

(2.4.13) S2n+1/S.1 = (Cn+1 \ {0})/c' = pn.
86 2. Mosaic

The real part of the hermitian form on C"+' induces by restriction a Rie-
mannian metric on Stn+' . The group S' clearly acts on Stn+' by isome-
tries, so that the metric on S2"+1 gives rise to a Riemannian metric on the
quotient Stn+'/S'. When transported to P" by means of the isomorphism
2.4.13, this metric turns out to be compatible with the natural complex
structure on P" and, moreover, turns out to be Kahler.
In more detail, consider the tautological complex line bundle L on IP",
i.e., the line bundle associated with the principal C'-bundle C"+1 \ {0} -+
(Cn+' \ {0})/C` =1P". In other words, the fiber of L at a point [x] E 1P" is
the line in C"+1 spanned by x. Thus we may view L as a subbundle of the
+'
trivial bundle C; on iP" with fiber Cn+'. It is clear that the (holomorphic)
tangent bundle on 1P" can be expressed in terms of L as follows:
Th tpn = T((Cn+t \ {0})/C') = Hom (L, C '/L)
The standard hermitian 2-form, Sl(u, v), on Cn}1 gives rise to a hermi-
tian metric on the trivial bundle C"+'. The later one induces a hermi-
tian metric on the subbundle L by restriction and on the quotient bundle
C;+/L, by orthogonal projection. This way the tangent bundle T10,pn =
Horn (L, C;+%L) acquires a natural hermitian metric which we will denote
again by C.
The standard GLn+1(C)-action on Cn+' induces a natural GLn+, (C)-
action on II'" by projective linear transformations. By construction the
group U C GLn+1(C) of all unitary transformations preserves the metric
on Th°'IP". It follows that the real 2-form w = Im Sl must be U-invariant
and in particular closed. Hence Sl is a Kahler metric on P. This Kahler
metric is known as the Fubini-Studi metric.

Due to the fact that the group U acts on 1P" preserving the symplectic
structure w, each element of the Lie algebra Lie U gives rise to a symplectic
vector field on 1P".

Proposition 2.4.14. The U-action on 1P" is Hamiltonian with respect to

the Fubini-Studi symplectic form w. More precisely, the assignment a -- Ha
given by the formula
H6(v) = (a v, v), v E Stn+'/S'
is a Lie algebra homomorphism LieU -+ C°°(1Pn) such that iaw = dHa.

Proof. Left to the reader.

Remark 2.4.15. Observe that the expression (a v, v) is well-defined, i.e.,

the function v -+ (a v, v) on S2n+1 is S'-invariant, hence, descends to
S2"1 1 /S'
 2.4 C'-actions on a projective variety 87

Now let G be a complex reductive group with maximal compact sub-

group K C G and let X be a smooth quasi-projective G-variety. By the
equivariant projective embedding theorem 5.1.25 of part 5 below, we can
find an algebraic group homomorphism p : G -+ GL"+1(C) and a projective
embedding i : X _P" so that i(g - x) = p(g) i(x),bg E G,x E X since the
image of K is a compact subgroup of GL"(C), there exists a K-invariant
hermitian form on Cs}1. Fix such a form and let H be the corresponding
Fubini-Studi metric on P". Then i512, the pullback of 0 to X, is a Kahler
metric on X. Furthermore, we have p(K) c U, hence, the Kahler form
i5 2 is K-invariant. Thus, any G-equivariant projective embedding X' 1P"
makes X a symplectic C°°-manifold with symplectic 2-form Im (i"6Z), the
imaginary part of the Kahler form. Moreover, Proposition 2.4.14 yields

Corollary 2.4.16. The K-action on X is Hamiltonian with respect to the

form Im (i`12).

We return finally to the setup of the beginning of this section, i.e., to the
special case where G = C` and X is a smooth projective C`-variety with
isolated fixed points. Let Sl C C' be the unit circle, the maximal compact
subgroup of C`, and let f be the vector field on X generating the S1-action.
From Corollary 2.4.16 we obtain (setting K = S') the following result.

Lemma 2.4.17. Let 2 be the Sl-equivariant Kdhler form on X arising

from a C'-equivariant projective embedding as above. Then there exists a
function H E C°°(X) such that it(ImIl) = dH.

Remark 2.4.18. The above result is not quite trivial. Its alternative proof
based on Hodge theory is given in [CL].

2.4.19. MORSE THEORY REVIEWED. We recall a few basic definitions. Let

H : M - R be a C°°-function on a smooth manifold M. The point x E M
is called a critical point of H if d.,H, the differential of H at x, vanishes.
Let x be a critical point of the function H. Associate to it a bilinear form
on the space of vector fields on a small neighborhood of x by the following
assignment: (u, v) '--+ u(v(H)),x. The expression on the right clearly depends
not on u but only on its value at x. The equation [u, v](H)I-, = 0 shows that
u(v(H))Iz = v(u(H))Iy so that the dependence of the form on v is only by
means of its value at x. Thus, the bilinear form on the vector fields descends
to a symmetric bilinear form on the tangent space TTM, called the Hessian
of H and denoted d,,H. In local coordinates {xi} near the critical point, the
matrix of the Hessian is given by the second partial derivatives:
a22
dZHx = 11 x(41.
88 2. Mosaic

Definition 2.4.20. (see [Mi]) A real C°°-function H on a smooth manifold

M is called a Morse function if the following conditions hold:
(a) The critical points of H are isolated;
(b) At each critical point x, the Hessian form d 2 H is a non-degenerate
bilinear form.
Now let M be a compact C°°-manifold with a Riemannian metric
Any C°°-function H on M gives rise to the gradient vector field on M
defined by the equation (gradH, ) = dH(.). There is a gradient flow corre-
sponding to the gradient vector field, a C°°-map 4D : M x JR -+ M satisfying
the differential equation
d(D(x, t)
= gradHI. (y,t) , 4D(x, 0) = x , x E M.
dt
Assume that H is a Morse function on the Riemannian manifold M.
There are two symmetric non-degenerate bilinear forms on the tangent
space ,,,M at each critical point x E M. The first form is the Riemannian
metric and the second is the Hessian d2H. Hence, there is a self-
adjoint linear operator Ax : TTM - TxM uniquely determined by the
condition d'H(u, v) = (Axu, v), Vu, v E T.M. Let TxM (resp. TxM)
denote the span of the eigenspaces of Ax corresponding to positive (resp.
negative) eigenvalues. We have TxM = Ty M®T; M, and there are no zero-
eigenspaces since A. is non-degenerate. Here is a version of one of the main
results of Morse theory. See [GM1],[Mi] and references therein for proofs
and more details.
Theorem 2.4.21. Let H be a Morse function on a compact Riemannian
manifold M with the set W (necessarily finite) of critical points. Then we
have
(i) For any x E M, the gradient flow t -.+ t) has limits as t -+ ±oo
and those limits are critical points of H.
(ii) For each critical point w E W the attracting set
Mw = {x E MI t lim° oD(x, t) = w}.

is diffeomorphic to the vector space T, ;M.

(iii) The attracting sets M,,, w re W, form a cell decomposition M =
11w Mw.

We are now in a position to establish a link between the Bialynicki-

Birula decomposition and Morse theory.
Let X be a smooth complex projective variety with an algebraic C'-
action having finitely many fixed points. Let S' C C' be the unit circle
and let 11 be the S1-invariant Kahler form on X arising from an equivar-
iant projective embedding (cf., Proposition 5.1.25). Let liP0 C C' be the
 2.4 C'-actions on a projective variety 89

multiplicative subgroup of the positive real numbers. The following result

plays a key role in relating the complex geometry of the C'-action on X
with the real symplectic geometry arising from the Kiihler form.

Proposition 2.4.22. (cf. [At],[GS1],[Kirw])

(a) The function H, introduced in Lemma 2.4.17, is a Morse function
on X whose critical points are precisely the fixed points of the C*-
action.
(b) The orbits of the gradient flow (with respect to the Kdhler metric)
associated to the function H coincide with the orbits of the natural
R'0-action on X obtained from the C`-action by restriction.
Proof. (a) Observe that given the C'-action on X holomorphic we have
that x is a C`-fixed point if and only if x is an Sl-fixed point . l (x) = 0.
Since the Kahler form w is non-degenerate we thus obtain: x is a C`-
fixed point q (x) = 0 if and only if (i{w)(x) = 0 a dH(x) = 0 4- x is a
critical point of H.
We refer the reader to [Mil for the proof of the non-degeneracy of the
Hessian at critical points.

(b) Let rl be the vector field on X generating the R>0-action. Proving

part (b) amounts to showing that grad H = i or, equivalently, that
(2.4.23) Re SZ(grad H, u) = Re Sl (rl, u)

for any vector field u on X. The LHS of (2.4.23) can be rewritten as

dH(u), by definition of the gradient vector field. On the other hand, the
RHS equals ImSl(Vf-_1 rl,u). Observe further that the Lie algebra of the
subgroup S' C C', resp. 1[x'0 C C', gets identified by means of the
exponential map exp : C - C' with the subspace JR C C, resp.
R C C. Therefore we have 77 = l; . Also Im c is by definition the
-

symplectic 2-form w associated with the Kahler form Sl. Since ifw = dH we
find

RHS of (2.4.23) = Im fZ(l;, u) = (i(Im SZ)(u) = dH(u) = LHS of (2.4.23).

This completes the proof.

Corollary 2.4.24. The Bialynicki-Birula decomposition of X associated to

the C'-action coincides with the cell decomposition of X associated to the
Morse function H in Theorem 2.4.21 by means of Morse theory.

Thus, the Bialynicki-Birula decomposition on a Kahler manifold can be

deduced (at least as a C°°-cell decomposition) from Morse theory.
90 2. Mosaic

2.5 Fixed Point Reduction

In this section we prove a general result relating the cohomology of a variety
with that of a fixed point subvariety. This result will play an important role
in our approach to the classification of irreducible representations of affine
Hecke algebras given in Chapter 8, and is useful in many other matters as
well.
Let L be a Lie group and X a "reasonable" (see beginning of 2.6)
topological space, such as a possibly singular closed complex subvariety of
a complex manifold or a finite-dimensional CW-complex, with a continuous
L-action. Let T be compact torus (a product of several copies of the circle
S1) contained in the center of L. Let XT denote the fixed point set of T.
Since the L-action commutes with that of T, the subvariety XT is L-stable.
The following result relates the cohomology of X with that of XT .
Proposition 2.5.1. Assume that the group L has finitely many connected
components. Then
(i) The following equality holds in the Grothendieck group of finite-
dimensional L-modules: [H" (X, C)] = [H* (XT, C)].
(ii) H°dd(X, C) = 0 implies Hodd(XT, C) = 0.
Let L denote the group of components of L which is finite by assump-
tion. An L-action on cohomology always factors through L. Hence, the
equation of part (i) holds in effect in the representation ring R(L) of the
finite group L. This remark applies everywhere below: the group L may
always be replaced, as long as the cohomology is concerned, by its finite
quotient.
Proof. Arguing by induction on dim T, one may assume without loss
of generality that T = S. Let C°° be an infinite dimensional complex
vector space with a hermitian metric. One may take C°° to be either the
direct limit of the standard direct system C '- CZ i-+ C3 '- ... of finite
dimensional hermitian vector spaces (with the direct limit topology), or a
complete separable complex Hilbert space. The unit circle S' C C' acts
freely on S°°, say on the right, and we write CP1 for the orbit space (which
is either the direct limit of a system of finite dimensional projective spaces
or the projective space associated to a Hilbert space, depending on our
choice of C°°). Then the natural projection S°° S+ ClP°° is the standard
model for a universal S'-bundle. (A universal S'-bundle is a principal S1-
bundle with contractible total spaces: we exploit that the sphere S°° is
known to be contractible.)
For any topological space X with a left S'-action, we define the Borel
mixing construction (cf. [AtBo]) on X as
XT := S°° x s, X = {(s, x) E S°° x X }/(sg, x) - (s, gx), g E S' }.
 2.5 Fixed Point Reduction 91

The second projection S°° x X --+ X induces a canonical fibration

(2.5.2) 7r: XT + C]!n°°

with fiber X. Thus, the cohomology H*(XT,C) becomes an H*(CP-, C)-
module by means of lr*. Recall that, see [Sp],

(2.5.3) H* (CP°°, C) C[u], deg u = 2

is the polynomial algebra in one variable u of degree 2.

The proof of the proposition is based on the Leray spectral sequence for
the fibration (2.5.2):

(2.5.4) EZ'a = HP (X) ® HI(CP°°) Hp+a(XT)

This is a multiplicative first quadrant spectral sequence with finitely many

rows, since H1(X) vanishes for p >> 0. In particular, the spectral sequence
converges. Further, the differentials in the spectral sequence are H*(ClP )-
linear maps that commute, in addition, with the natural action of the finite
group L.
Let K be the Grothendieck group of finitely generated graded C[u]-
modules equipped with L-action preserving the grading. Any graded com-
ponent of such a module is clearly a finite dimensional representation of L.
Next, write E,± _ ®r=p+9Ek'9, where the summation is taken over all even
values of r in the "+" case and over all odd values of r in the "-" case, re-
spectively; we use similar notation for the other graded spaces and identify
H*(Cl?°°) with C[u]. This way both H}(XT) and all the terms Ek of the
spectral sequence become graded L-equivariant C[u]-modules. Observe that
these modules give rise to well-defined classes in the Grothendieck group
K.
We now recall the so-called Euler-Poincare principle. It says, that for any
bounded complex {C', d} with cohomology groups H' = Ker (C' d+ Ci+1)/
Im (C'-' d+ C') in an appropriate Grothendieck group, one has an equation
(2.5.5) C+-C-=H+-H-.
Further, the differential of the spectral sequence makes each term Ek of
the spectral sequence (2.5.4) a complex of C[u]-modules with L-action. The
cohomology of this complex is by construction of the spectral sequence,
just the next term Ek+1 of the spectral sequence. Hence, (2.5.5) yields the
following equation in the Grothendieck group K:

Ek - Ek = Ek+1 - Ek+1
The spectral sequence being convergent, for each n, the n-th graded com-
ponent of the modules E2*, E3 , ... stabilizes to that of the limit module
92 2. Mosaic

E. Therefore, iterating the above argument, we find that

E2 -EZ =E.-E; in K.
On the other hand, the term E,,. of the spectral sequence is known to be,
see [BtTu], the associated graded (with respect to a certain filtration) to
the RHS of (2.5.4). A similar argument then yields the equation

E.-E, =H+(XT)-H (XT).

Combining the last two equalities with isomorphism E2 = H*(X) 0 C[u]
we obtain
(2.5.6) H+(X) OC[u] - H-(X) ®C[u] = H+(XT) - H (XT).
Next, we apply the specialization map 2.3.21 in K-theory (for L-
equivariant C[u]-modules). Since H: (X) 0 C[u, u-1] is a free C[u, ucl]-
module, we clearly have

= H}(X).
®C[u,u-1]1
lim [H±(X)
U-0 1

Using equation (2.5.6) we get

(2.5.7)
H+ (X) - H- (X) = li [C[u, u-'] ®ri-i H+(XT) - C[u,u-l] ®c(.1
m
H"(XT)}.

The RHS of this expression can be related to the cohomology of XT,

the fixed point set, by means of the localization theorem for equivariant
cohomology, see [AtBo], (analogous to the Localization Theorem 5.10 in
our book for equivariant K-theory). It says that there is a parity preserving
(but not degree preserving) isomorphism of C[u, u-1]-modules:
(2.5.8) C[u, u-1] ®C(, H: (XT,C) = C[u, u-1] ®c H*(XT,C)
This isomorphism combined with (2.5.7) yields the following equation in K.

H+(X) - H-(X) = li m [c[u, u-1] ®c(..1 H+(XT) - C[u, u-1] H (XT)}

= h m [C[u, u-1] ®, H+(XT) - C[u, u-1] ®, H (XT)]
H+(XT) - H (XT).
This completes the proof of part (i) of the proposition. To prove (ii)
assume H°dd(X) = 0. Then all the terms in the spectral sequence involving
non-even p or q vanish, due to (2.5.3). Thus, all the differentials in the
spectral sequence are zero, and the spectral sequence collapses. It follows
that the spectral sequence degenerates at the E2-term, and we have
H-(X)=0 EZ =E, =0 H-(XT)=0.
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 93

The localization isomorphism (2.5.8) now implies H- (XT) = 0=

H- (XT) = 0, and part (ii) follows.

Corollary 2.5.9. If the variety X has no odd-dimensional rational homol-

ogy, then in R(L) we have an equation Heven(X) = Heven(XT)

Remark 2.5.10. For a smooth projective variety X with an algebraic C*

action, Proposition 2.5.1 can be deduced from the Bialnicki-Birula decom-
position. This argument gives a stronger result than part (ii): it shows that
H°dd(X, C) = 0 if and only if Hodd(XT, C) = 0. For such an argument see
e.g. (KL4, sec. 4]. A similar result can also be obtained (using Morse the-
ory methods) for an arbitrary Hamiltonian S'-action on a general compact
symplectic manifold.

2.6 Borel-Moore Homology

Borel-Moore homology will be the principal functor we use in this book
for constructing representations of Weyl groups, enveloping algebras, and
Hecke algebras. We review here the most essential properties of the Borel-
Moore homology theory and refer the reader to the monographs [Bre] and
[Iv] for a more detailed treatment of the subject.
We have to say a few words about the kind of spaces we will be dealing
with, which will sometimes be called "reasonable." By a "space" (in the
topological sense) we will mean a locally compact topological space X
that has the homotopy type of a finite CW-complex, in particular, has
finitely many connected components and has finitely generated homotopy
and homology groups (with Z-coefficients). Furthermore, our space X is
assumed to admit a closed embedding into a countable at infinity C°°-
manifold M (in particular, X is paracompact). We assume also that there
exists an open neighborhood U D X in M such that X is a homotopy
retract of U. Similarly, by a closed "subset" of a C°°-manifold we always
mean a subset X which has an open neighborhood U D X such that X
is a homotopy retract of U. In this case one can also find a smaller closed
neighborhood V C U such that X is a proper homotopy retract of V (recall
that a continuous map f : X -i Y is called proper if the inverse image
of any compact set is compact). It is known, cf. [GM], [RoSa], that any
complex or real algebraic variety satisfies the above conditions. These are
mostly the spaces we will use in applications.
We now give a list of the various equivalent definitions of Borel-Moore
homology of a space X, see [BoMo],[Bre). Everywhere below all homology
and cohomology are taken with complex coefficients, which may be replaced
by any field of characteristic zero.
94 2. Mosaic

(1) Let X = X U {oo} be the one-point compactification of X. Define

HBM(X) = H. (X, oo), where H. is ordinary relative homology of the pair
(X, oo).
(2) Let X be an arbitrary compactification of X such that (X,X\X)
is a CW-pair. Then, HBM(X) ^ H.(X,X\X), see [Sp]. The fact that this
definition agrees with (1) is proved in [Bre].
(3) Let CBM(X) be the chain complex of infinite singular chains
Z°_o ai0i, where Qi is a singular simplex, ai E C, and the sum is locally
finite in the following sense: for any compact set D C X there are only
finitely many non-zero coefficients ai such that D fl supp Qi # 0. The usual
boundary map 8 on singular chains is well-defined on CBM(X) because
taking boundaries cannot destroy the finiteness condition. We then have
HaM(X) = H.(CBM(X) a)
(4) Poincare duality: let M be a smooth, oriented manifold, and
dim RM = m. Let X be a closed subset of M which has a closed neigh-
borhood U C M such that X is a proper deformation retract of U. Then
there is a canonical isomorphism (cf. [Iv], [Bre]):
(2.6.1) HBM(X) ,,. H'-'(M, MIX),
where each side of the equality is understood to be with complex coeffi-
cients. In particular, setting X = M we obtain, for any smooth not nec-
essarily compact variety M, a canonical isomorphism (depending on the
orientation of M)
(2.6.2) HBM(M) = H"(M).
We will often use the "Poincare duality" definition to prove many of the
basic theorems about Borel-Moore homology by appealing to the same
theorems for singular cohomology. In these instances we will refer the
reader to [Bre], [Sp] for the proofs in singular cohomology, despite the fact
that Borel-Moore homology is not explicitly developed there.
There is one more definition of Borel-Moore homology with real coeffi-
cients based on the de Rham approach, which generalizes the ordinary de
Rham complex on a smooth manifold. Its equivalence to the other defini-
tions can be taken to be a "singular-space de Rham" theorem.
Let M be a smooth m-dimensional manifold, and X C M a (possibly
singular) closed subset. Write S1,*(M) for the vector space of C°°-forms on
M with compact support equipped with the standard topology, see e.g.
[Ru), of uniform convergence (of partial derivatives) on each compact set.
A continuous linear function iP : 0' --' JR is called a distribution of degree
k. The continuity condition can be spelled out explicitly as follows. Given
lb and any compact subset K C M there exist: (1) integers L > 0, N >
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 95

m - k; (2) C°°-vector fields ti, ... , bL and rll, .. , 77N defined on an open
neighborhood of K, and (3) a constant C > 0 (all the data depend on
and K), such that
I -,P(w) I< C max
xEK 0<i,.... i, <Lih,...j__kGN

for any m - k-form w supported on K.

2.6.3. DISTRIBUTION DE RHAM COMPLEX. Let Di(M) denote the vector
space of degree i distributions on M. The exterior differential on Si,(M)
induces, by adjunction, a differential d : Dk(M) -+ Dk_1(M). The complex
(D. (M), d) is called the distribution de Rham complex of M. Write D. (X)
for the subcomplex of distributions supported on X.
The following singular version of the de Rham theorem is due to L.
Shwartz and M. Kashiwara (see [Ka] and references therein).
Theorem 2.6.4. Assume M is an oriented real analytic manifold and X
is a closed analytic subset of M. Then there is a natural isomorphism
H.(D.(X),d) N HBM(X).

Remark 2.6.5. Let m = dim RM. Then any Coo-differential form ¢ E

Stm_k(M) gives a degree k distribution on M by means of the formula
w -4 fm 0 A w. This way we obtain a natural embedding of complexes
(2.6.6) Q'- * (M) --+ D. (M).

Assume now that M is compact. Choose a Riemannian metric on M

and let A = dd* + d*d denote the corresponding Laplace-Beltrami opera-
tor on distributions (resp. differential forms). Then the cohomology of the
complexes (D.(M), d) and (110 (M), d) are isomorphic, by Hodge theory (cf.
[GH]), to the corresponding spaces of harmonic elements, i.e., such that
A0 = 0. By elliptic regularity (cf. [Ru], [GH]) any harmonic distribution is
actually smooth. Hence the embedding of complexes 2.6.6 induces an iso-
morphism of cohomology. This proves Theorem 2.6.4 for smooth manifolds
A. The singular case is much more complicated and was proved by Kashi-
wara using resolution of singularities.

2.6.7. NOTATION. Rom now on we will reserve the notation Hi for the
Borel-Moore homology groups, since these will be used most frequently. We
will write H,"'' for the ordinary homology. Note that if X is compact then
the ordinary homology of X and the Borel-Moore homology of X coincide,
as follows for instance from definition (3) above.
We now study the functorial properties of Borel-Moore homology.
96 2. Mosaic

2.6.8. PROPER PUSHFORWARD. Borel-Moore homology is a covariant func-

tor with respect to proper maps. It f : X -+ Y is a proper map, then we
may define the direct image (or proper pushforward) map
f.:H.(X)-'H.(Y)
by extending f to a map f : X --* Y where X = X U fool, resp.
Y = Y U fool, and f (oo) = oo (observe that f being proper ensures that f
is continuous).

2.6.9. LONG EXACT SEQUENCE OF BOREL-MOORE HOMOLOGY. Given

an open subset U C X there is a natural restriction morphism H.(X) -
H.(U) induced by the composition of maps
H. (X) = H." (X, X \ X) - HH'd(X,U)=H.(U)
where Y stands for a compactification of X, cf., definition (2) of Borel-
Moore homology, and the map in the middle is induced by the natural
morphism of pairs (X, X \ X) -+ (X, X \ U) . For an alternative ad hoc
definition of the restriction to an open subset, see [Iv].
Suppose next that F is a closed subset of X. Write i : F -+ X for the
(closed) embedding, set U = X \ F, and consider the diagram

Since i is proper and j is an open embedding, the functors i. and j` are

well-defined. Then there is a natural long exact sequence in Borel-Moore
homology (see [Bre], [Sp] for more details):

(2.6.10) ...-+Hp(F)--*Hp(X)--+Hp(U)--+Hp-1(F)- ...

To construct this long exact sequence, choose an embedding of X as a
closed subset of a smooth manifold M. Then the Poincare duality isomor-
phism (2.6.1) gives

H'-p(M, M \ X) N Hp(X) and H'-p(M, M \ F) ti Hp(F).

Further, the set U being locally closed in M, we may find an open subset
M' C M such that U is a closed subset of M'. Then, the excision axiom,
see [Sp], combined with Poincare duality yields
H'-p(M, M \ U) H'-p(M', M' \ U) = Hp(U)

Thus, we see that terms of the standard relative cohomology long exact
sequence, cf. [Sp]:
(2.6.11)
-+ Hk(M, M\F) -+ Hk(M, M\X) -- Hk(M, M\U) -; Hk+1(M, M\F) -,
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 97

get identified by means of the above isomorphisms with the corresponding

terms of (2.6.10). This way we define (2.6.10) to be the exact sequence
induced by the cohomology exact sequence above.

2.6.12. FUNDAMENTAL CLASS. Any smooth oriented manifold X has a

well-defined fundamental class in Borel-Moore homology:

[X] E Hm(X), m = dimRX.

Note that there is no fundamental class in ordinary homology unless X
is compact. As a particular example, write the long exact sequence of the
ordinary homology associated with the pair (S" = R" U {oo}, R"). Using
the definitions we find

C.
[R"]
if i=n
(2.6.13) Hti(II8", (C) _
0 if ion
The essential feature of Borel-Moore homology is the existence of a fun-
damental class, [X], of any (not necessarily smooth or compact) complex
algebraic variety X. If X is irreducible of real dimension m, then [X] is the
unique class in Hm(X) that restricts to the fundamental class of the non-
singular part of X. More precisely, write X"9 for the Zariski open dense
subset consisting of the non-singular points of X. Being a smooth complex
manifold, Xre9 has a canonical orientation coming from the complex struc-
ture, and hence a fundamental class [X''e9] E Hm(XTe9). The inequality
dim (X \ Xfe9) < m yields (e.g., by definition (1) of Borel-Moore homol-
ogy)

Hk(X \ X''e9) = 0 for any k > m - 2.

The long exact sequence of Borel-Moore homology (see 2.6.9) shows that
the restriction Hm(X) -4 Hm(X''e9) is an isomorphism. We define [X] to
be the preimage of [X''e9] under this isomorphism. If X is an arbitrary
complex algebraic variety with irreducible components X1, X2, ... , X. then
[X] is set to be a non-homogeneous class equal to E[X;].
The top Borel-Moore homology of a complex algebraic variety is partic-
ularly easy to understand in light of the following proposition.

Proposition 2.6.14. Let X be a complex variety of complex dimension

n and let Xl,... , Xm be the n-dimensional irreducible components of X.
Then the fundamental classes [X1], ... , [Xm] form a basis for the vector
space Hp(X) = H2n(X).

2.6.15. INTERSECTION PAIRING. Let M be a smooth, oriented manifold

and Z, 2 two closed subsets (in the sense explained at the beginning of this
98 2. Mosaic

section) in M. We define a bilinear pairing

(2.6.16) fl: H;(Z) x HH(Z) , Ht+i_m(Z fl Z), m = dimRM

which refines the standard intersection of cycles in a smooth variety. The

only new feature is that instead of regarding cycles as homology classes
in the ambient manifold M we take their supports into account. So, given
two singular chains with supports in the subsets Z and Z respectively, we
would like to define their intersection to be a class in the homology of the
set-theoretic intersection ZnZ. To that end we use the standard U-product
in relative cohomology (cf. [Sp]):

U : Hm-s(M, M\Z) x Hm-i (M, M\2) - H2m-i-i (M, (M\Z) U (M\2)).

Applying Poincare duality (2.6.1) to each term of this U-product, we get

the intersection pairing (2.6.16).
The above introduced intersection pairing has especially clear geometric
meaning in the case when M is a real analytic manifold and Z, Z are closed
analytic subsets in M. One can then use the definition of Borel-Moore
homology as the homology of the complex formed by subanalytic chains, see
e.g. [GM1] or [KS, §8.2]. It is known further, see [RoSa], that the set z n Z
has an open neighborhood U in M such that z fl z is a proper homotopy
retract of U, the closure of U (this is a general property of analytic sets).
Now given two subanalytic cycles c E H.(Z) and c E H«(Z), one can give
the following geometric construction of the class c fl c E H.(Z fl Z).
First choose V, an open neighborhood of Z in M such that Z is a proper
homotopy retract of V, and VnZ C U. Second, since V is smooth, one can
find a subanalytic cycle c' in V which is homologous to c in V and such that
the set-theoretic intersection of c' with c is contained in V and, moreover,
c' intersects c transversely at smooth points of both c' and E. Hence, the
set-theoretic intersection c' fl c gives a well-defined subanalytic cycle in
H. (V fl Z), and therefore in H.(U). Finally, one defines c fl c` E H. (Z fl Z)
as the direct image of c' n a under a proper contraction U --+ Z fl z which
exists by assumption. It is fairly straightforward to check that this way
one obtains the same class as the one defined in (2.6.16) by means of the
U-product in cohomology. It follows in particular that the result of the
geometric construction above does not depend on the choices involved in
the construction.
Occasionally, we will use an intersection pairing involving both Borel-
Moore and ordinary homology. To define it, recall that for a closed subset
Z of a smooth oriented manifold M (where Z is of the type explained at
the beginning of this section), one has a natural Poincare duality analogue
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 99

of (2.6.1) for the cohomology H,* with compact support

H,m-i(M, M\Z) ,,, H, rd(Z).

Given two such subsets Z, Z, there is also a standard cup-product map

U : Hm-'(M, M\Z) x Hm-i(M, M\Z) -+

-i-i (M, (M\Z) U (M\2)).

Transporting it to homology by means of the Poincare duality, one obtains

a well-defined intersection pairing

(2.6.17)n : H°rd(Z) x H,,(Z) --+ n Z) , m = dim RM.

In the special case Z = Z = M and i + j = m we have the following

important result.

Proposition 2.6.18. (Poincare duality) Assume M is an oriented con-

nected (not necessarily compact) smooth variety. Then, for any j, the map
n : Hmd1(M) X H; (M) -+ Hord(M) = C

arising from (2.6.17) is a non-degenerate pairing.

Thus the intersection pairing of the ordinary and Borel-Moore homology

of a smooth variety gives a natural isomorphism

H1(M) = HO ,(M).
On the other hand, for any topological space M, there is a canonical
isomorphism Hl-j(M) = H1 (M)' . Composing the two isomorphisms
one finds
.
H, (M) = H1(M) = Hm-' (M),
which is a concrete form of the Poincare duality isomorphism (2.6.2).

Warning: Since taking intersection of transverse cycles involves count-

ing points with signs that depend on orientation, the first of the above iso-
morphisms (but not the second) changes sign if the orientation of M is
changed.

2.6.19. KUNNETH FORMULA. Let Ml and M2 be arbitrary CW-complexes.

Then there is a natural isomorphism (see [Sp])

(2.6.20) 0 : H.(MI) ® H. A) -+ H. (MI X M2).

100 2. Mosaic

This follows, by means of Definition (3) of the Borel-Moore homology, from

the standard Kenneth formula for the ordinary homology, see [Sp]:
\M1)[Link](M2,M2\M2)
H.o'd(M,,M, =
H*o'd(Ml xM2iM1xM2\ (MlxM2UAX 2)),
where Mi stands for a compactification of M.

2.6.21. RESTRICTION WITH SUPPORTS. Let i : N '-+ M be a closed em-

bedding of oriented manifolds, and d = dim M - dim N. Given a closed,
possibly singular, subset Z C M we define the restriction with support in
Z functor

(2.6.22) i' : Hk(Z) -+ Hk_d(Z n N) , c ,-, c n [N] ,

where cn [N] stands for the intersection pairing in the ambient manifold M,
see (2.6.16). When transported to cohomology by means of the Poincare
duality isomorphism (2.6.1) the map i' gets identified with the standard
restriction H' (M, M\Z) -+ H* (N, N \ (Nn Z)).
It should be emphasized that the map i' in (2.6.22) depends on the
ambient variety M in an essential way, although it maps homology classes
of Z to those of Z n N and M is not explicitly present in the notation. Note
in particular that the map shifts homology degree by d = dim M - dim N.
Thus, if for example one replaces M by a larger smooth manifold M' D M
(without changing Z and N) then the restriction map with respect to the
the ambient space M' will even become zero if dim M' > dim Z + dim N.

2.6.23. DIAGONAL REDUCTION. Let Ma C M x M be the diagonal where

M continues to be an oriented manifold. Observe that for closed subsets
Z, Z C M we have a set-theoretic equality
(Zx2)nM.=ZonZ,,
where the subscript "A" indicates that the varieties are placed into the
diagonal M. There is a similar formula for homology classes. To obtain it,
recall that the standard U-product in cohomology is defined as the pullback
induced by the diagonal embedding io : Mo --+ M x M. Transporting this
pullback to Borel-Moore homology by means of the Poincare duality we
obtain the following result
(2.6.24) c n c= io(c ®c) , c E H.(Z), c E H.(Z).
The RHS here may be rewritten also as (c®c)n[Mo]. An analogous formula
in the context of algebraic cycles is proved in [Fu].
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 101

Remark 2.6.25. Observe that we may use the RHS of (2.6.24) to be

an alternative definition of the intersection pairing (2.6.16) in terms of
restriction with supports.
2.6.26. SMOOTH PULLBACK IN BOREL-MOORE HOMOLOGY. Let X be a
locally compact space and p : X -+ X a locally trivial fibration with smooth
oriented fiber F (note that X is not assumed smooth). We say that p is
oriented if all transition functions of the fibration preserve the orientation
of the fiber.
For an oriented fibration p, as above, with dim F = d one can define a
natural pullback morphism
(2.6.27) p` : H.(X) - H.+d(X)
We will not give a definition of the map p` here, and only describe here
some important properties of this map (taking its existence for granted).
The most natural way to define this map is by means of a sheaf-theoretic
approach to Borel-Moore homology, to be explained in Chapter 8. We will
see in (8.3.32) that to define the smooth pullback above one needs to know
that the Dualizing complex on X pulls back, up to shift by d, to the
Dualizing complex on k, that is p`DX = DX[-d] .
In the case of a trivial fibration p : X = X x F -- X the morphism
(2.6.27) is defined by the assignment c -+ c ® [F]. In the general case of
an arbitrary oriented fibration, the pullback morphism p' has the property
that it restricts to the map c '-4 c ® [F] on any open subset U C X such
that the fibration p : p' (U) -+ U is trivial. More precisely, whenever there
is a cartesian square like the one on the left

UxFL S' H.+d(Ux F)H.+d(X)

PJ P.
Pri I
U` ' X H.(U)H.(X)
fi I

the induced square on the right commutes.

Further, if in the above situation i : X -+ X is a continuous section of
p, one can define the Gysin pullback i' : H. (X) -+ H._d(X) (though no
ambient smooth space is assumed to be given). Moreover, one has a Thom-
type formula

(2.6.28) i' o p' = Id.,

Again, the definition of i` will be postponed until Chapter 8. We will see
there that for i" : H.(X) -' H._d(X) to be defined one needs to know that
the dualizing complex on X restricts to the dualizing complex on i(X), up
to shift, i.e., we have i*DX = DDX[d]. At this point, the reader should note
102 2. Mosaic

that the above mentioned condition involves only the local structure of the
embedding i(X)c-+X while the projection p : X -+ X is not explicitly
present. Therefore, such a Gysin pullback i* can be defined for any map i
which is locally isomorphic to a section of a locally trivial oriented fibration.
We now explicitly define i* in the case of a trivial fibration p : X =
X x F - X with a section i : x F-+ (x, f (x)) . In this case we have H. (X) =
H* (X) ® H* (F), by the Kunneth formula, and the map i* H. (X) -+ :

H._d(X) sends a class of the form c ® [F] to c, and any class c ® h with
deg h < d to zero. Formula (2.6.28) then trivially holds. In the general case,
the morphism i* has the property that it restricts to the one above on any
open subset U C X such that the fibration p : p-1(U) - U is trivial.
We claim that if there exists a way to define natural morphisms p* and
i* that satisfy the above mentioned properties then this way is unique.
To see this, assume U and V are two open subsets of X. We have the
following natural commutative diagram whose horizontal rows are given by
the Maeyer-Vietoris exact sequences

Hi (U U V) --; Hi(U) ®Hi(V) -} HL(U n V)

11p* i* 11P* i* 11p*

i*

... ) Hi-d(U U V) - Hi-d(U) 9 Hi-d(V) --> Hi_d(U n V) -

We emphasize that vertical maps in the diagram exist due to the "nat-
urality" assumption on p* and i* that we have made. Standard diagram
chase shows that if we have already proved the uniqueness of p* and i*,
and formula (2.6.28) for the restriction of X - X over U, V and u n v
respectively, then the same is true for U U V. The claim for the whole of X
is now deduced using an appropriate open covering of X.
We will usually use the morphisms p* and i* in the situation where X is
imbedded in a smooth oriented variety M, and the fibration p : X - X is
the restriction to X C M of a locally trivial oriented fibration p : M - M
with the same fiber F. In such a case the pullback morphism (2.6.27) is
induced, by means of Poincare duality, by the standard pullback morphism
in cohomology

H*(M, M\X) p-+ H*(M,1Vl\X) .

A similar formula applies to i*.
Now let p : M -+ M be as above, and let Z C M and Z' C M be
two closed subsets. Then the restriction of p gives an oriented fibration
p : p -'(Z) - Z. Assuming that the projection
p-1(Z) n Z' --' M is proper,
we write Z o Z' for its image, a closed subset in M, cf. condition (2.7.8) in
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 103

the next section. Then, for any c E H.(Z) and c' E H.(Z'), we have the
following equation in H. (Z o Z'):

(2.6.29) PROJECTION FORMULA: p. (p*c n c,) = c (1 (p.c'),

where p* : H. (Z) --+ H. (p 1(Z)). Proof of this formula is entirely analogous

to the proof of its counterpart for algebraic cycles given, for example, in
[Fu]

2.6.30. SPECIALIZATION IN BOREL-MOORE HOMOLOGY. (cf. [FM]) Let

(S, o) be a smooth manifold with base point o. Put S* := S \ {o}. Given
a possibly singular space Z and a map zr : Z -+ S, we set Z. = 7r-1 (o) n Z
and, for any subset S' C S, we write Z(S') := ir-1(S'). Assuming that
the restriction 7r : Z(S*) -' S* is a locally trivial fibration with possibly
singular fibers (warning: the map it : Z -+ S is not assumed to be locally
trivial near o) we define a specialization map

lim,.o : H.(Z(S*)) - H._d(Z0), d = dimkS

as follows, cf. [FM].
Let (B, o) be an open neighborhood of o in S diffeomorphic to (Rd, 0).
Choose a decomposition Rd = R x Rd-1, and introduce the following
notation
d d-1 C ]ltd
R>o = (0, 00) , u'>o = [O, oo) ' ]l'> o = ]R>0 x R

Accordingly, we write B>o C B for the open half-space corresponding to

under the isomorphism B = Rd. Further, we let I>o, resp. I, be the
positive, resp. non-negative, part of the one dimensional vector space in B
corresponding to ]]t x {O} C ][t x ]Ild-1 = R' Thus, we have I := I>o U {o}.
Clearly we have canonical isomorphisms, cf. (2.6.13)

(2.6.31) Hd(B>o) ,,, Hd(B>o) ,,, HI(]R>o) ,., H1(I>o)

Using the local triviality of the fibration Z(S*) -+ S* we may assume,

shrinking B if necessary, that the projection n : Z(B>o) -+ B>o is a trivial
fibration with fiber F (we have used here that B>o is contractible; note that
we cannot claim that Z(B \ {o}) --+ B \ {o} is a trivial fibration because
B \ {o} is not contractible). Then, the Kiinneth theorem combined with
(2.6.31) yields a chain of isomorphisms

H.(Z(B>o)) -+ H.-d(F) ® Hd(B>o)

(2.6.32) H._d(F) ® H1(I>o) =+ H.-d+1(Z(I>o))
shifting gradation by d - 1. Write 0 for the composition of the above
isomorphisms. We now define the specialization map lim,_0 to be the
104 2, Mosaic

following composition

(2.6.33)H.(Z(S")) -+ H.(Z(B>o)) - -e+ H.-d(Zo) .

Here the first map is induced by restriction to the open subset Z(B>o) C
Z(S"), the second map, 0, was defined above, and the last map, 8, is
the connecting homomorphism in the long exact sequence of Borel-Moore
homology, cf. (2.6.10):

(2.6.34)
... --+ H5(Z.) -+ HH(Z(I)) -+ H5(Z(I>o)) a' H;-1(Z.)

Lemma 2.6.35. The construction of the specialization map does not de-
pend on the choices involved.

Proof. Our construction was based on the choice of B, an isomorphism

B = Rd and on the decomposition Rd = R x Rd-1. Let us analyze the
dependence on these choices. Independence of the choice of B is immediate
from the transitivity of restriction to open subsets. We claim that the
composition of the first two maps in (2.6.33) depends only on the choice of
the segment I>o C B. Indeed, let U be a small tubular open neighborhood
of I>o in B such that there is a smooth contraction p : Z(U) - Z(I>o).
Then the composition of the first two maps in (2.6.33) equals the restriction
from Z(S*) to Z(U) followed by the Gysin pullback, see (2.6.28), induced
by the embedding Z(I>o) '--+ Z(U), which is isomorphic to a section of the
smooth contraction p : Z(U) - Z(I>o). It is clear that both maps in
homology are independent of all the choices.
Finally, the last map, 8, in (2.6.33) depends only on the choice of a
semi-line I>o. Such a map is clearly defined if I>o is replaced by any
path given by the image of the positive semi-line under an immersion
y : (-e, +oo)'-+ S such that y(O) = o.
Thus, we are essentially reduced to the following setup. There is a fixed
open subset B>o C S, and two different paths y(') and y(2) as above, taking
the positive semi-line into subsets I( 1o and respectively. We must show
that the two maps i o 8 corresponding to the two paths are equal.
To simplify the setup assume d = 2, the case d > 2 being totally
analogous. We can then find a smooth map 4D : R2 -- B with the following
properties:
(a) -D({0} x R) _ {o};
(b) restricts to a diffeomorphism R> = R>o x R =+ B>o;
(c) y(1) and (DIR>ox{2} = y(2).

We now pull back the map Z --+ B by means of 4, i.e., form the cartesian
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 105

diagram:

2 jZ
frI I
R >o B

The variety 2 is defined by this diagram as a fiber product, and we also

put
2.:_ Fr-'({O} x R) , Z>o := -1(lR>0) = 2 \ 2.
We are going to use the variety 2 to construct a kind of homotopy
between the specialization maps lim (1) and lim (2) corresponding to the two
.9-0 8-0
choices of semi-lines I>o and I>2o, respectively. To that end, consider the
following long exact sequence analogous to (2.6.34)

(2.6.36) ... - HI (20) - H,(2) -+ H3(Z>o) a' Hi-1(20) - ... ,

The connecting homomorphism in this exact sequence gives a map 8

H,,(Z>0) - H,-1(Z.). Observe now that we have, by property (a) of the
map -0, a canonical isomorphism Z0 = R x Z0. Therefore, each of the two
embeddings {i}-+ R, i = 1, 2 gives a Kiinneth isomorphism

(2.6.37) 0: H,(Z0) = Hj(Z. x {i}) .2 Hf+1(Z0 x R) = H;}1(2o) .

Further, by property (c) of the map D and triviality of the bundle
Z(B>0) -+ B>o, we have the following two canonical isomorphisms simi-
lar to the isomorphism used in the construction of the specialization map
(2.6.33):

W1 : H.(Z(I>o)) =4H.+1(Z>o) , i=1,2.

All the maps that we have introduced can be assembled in the diagram
below. Moreover, our construction shows that the diagram commutes:

H.+1(2>o) 02 H.(Z(I>o))
fol 08 j 6 02049

H._1(Zo x {1}) H.(Z.) H.(Z0 x {2})

The diagram yields y)l o 8 = W2 o 8. Therefore, lim;l o = limn o, and the
lemma follows.
106 2. Mosaic

Specialization enjoys the following transitivity property. Let S1 C S be a

smooth k-codimensional submanifold such that o E S1. Write limS, 0 for
the specialization map for the variety Z(S1) -- S1, as opposed to the
original specialization map lim; 0 for Z(S) - S. Let e` : H.(Z(S*)) -
H._k(Z(Sl)) be the Gysin pullback, see (2.6.28), induced by the embedding
e : Z(Si)'- Z(S*) . Locally on Si the map a may be viewed as a section of
a smooth fibration Z(S*) - Z(Sl), so that the Gysin map is well-defined.
From the construction of specialization and the above lemma we deduce the
following result.
Lemma 2.6.38. The specialization is compatible with restricion from S to
S1, i.e., we have lim;0 = e' o limi ;o.
Next, assume given a smooth oriented manifold M, a smooth locally
trivial oriented fibration 7r : M --' S over a smooth base S, and a point
o E S. Write S' = S \ {o} and, for any subset M' C M, use the notation
M'(S*) := M' n a-'(S'). Assume that the restriction it : M(S') --' S' is
a trivial fibration and fix its trivialization. Suppose further we have two
closed subsets Z, Z' C M such that the projections Z(S') - S' and
Z'(S*) S' are both trivialized by the chosen trivialization of M(S*).
We write the subscript "o" to denote the special fiber over o. Note that
we have Z, n Z.1 = (Z n Z'), and, similarly, Z(S') n z, (s*) = (Z n Z')(S').
Recall d = dim S.
Proposition 2.6.39. Intersection pairing commutes with the specializa-
tion, i.e., in the above setup the following diagram commutes

H.(Z(S*)) ® H.(Z/(S*)) n > H.(Z(S') n Z'(S*))

lim-o I lim-o
T

H.-d(Z.) ® H.-d(Z') H.-d(Zo n Zo)

Sketch of Proof. By diagonal reduction, see 2.6.23, the proposition is
reduced to the assertion that the specialization commutes with restriction
with supports. Thus, it suffices to consider the situation where we are given
only one closed subset Z C M as above, and we are also given a locally
trivial oriented smooth subbundle N in M. We get a diagram

Nc-' M -- Z

Observe next that due to the construction of the specialization we may

assume without loss of generality that S = I is a closed semi-line iso-
morphic to [0, oo). Then the specialization map reduces essentially to the
 2.6 Borel-Moorc Homology 107

connecting homomorphism in the long exact sequence of Borel-Moore ho-

mology of the pair (Z, Z°). The claim now follows from the functorial-
ity of long exact sequences, that is from the fact the embedding of pairs
i : (Z n N, Z. n N) `- (Z, Z°) induces a morphism of the long exact se-
quences, hence commutes with the connecting homomorphisms.
2.6.40. COHOMOLOGY ACTION. The Borel-Moore homology, H.(Z), of
any space Z has a natural H`(Z)-module structure. To define it, choose
a closed embedding i: Z-+ U into a C°°-manifold U such that Z is a
homotopy retract of U. Then the restriction to Z induces an isomorphism of
cohomology i` : H*(U) -Z H`(Z). Now, we have the standard cup-product
on cohomology, see [Sp]: n : H'(U) x H'(U, U\Z) -i H`+j(U, U\Z) . Setting
k = dim U - j, this cup-product gets identified, by means of the Poincare
duality and the isomorphism i" above, with an action map
H`(Z)®Hk(Z)-'Hk-;(Z) , a®c-
The construction does not depend on the choice of a closed embedding
i : Z -' U, as will become clear from the sheaf-theoretic definition of the
Borel-Moore homology given in Chapter 8. In particular, the construction
applies for any closed subset Z of a C°°-manifold M by taking U to be an
appropriate tubular neighborhood of Z in M.
Assume now that Z and Z' are closed subsets of a C°°-manifold M.
Given a cohomology class a E H` (Z), write at 0 , for its image in H* (Z n
Z') under the natural restriction. We may lift a to a cohomology class of an
appropriate neighborhood of Z. Then the associativity of the U-product in
cohomology yields the following compatibility formula between the intersec-
tion pairing in Borel-Moore homology and the cohomology action (denoted
by dot)
(2.6.41) (a c) n c' = al. iz, (c n c') , be E H(Z), c' E H. (Z') .

2.6.42. THOM ISOMORPHISM. Let it : V -+ X be a locally-trivial oriented

C°°-vector bundle. Recall that associated to V is its Euler class e(V) E
H''(X) where r = rkV, see e.g., [BtTu]. If V is a complex vector bundle
with the orientation induced by the complex structure on the fibers, then
e(V) is known to be equal to the top Chern class of V.
Let i : X '-+ V denote the zero-section. Then one has the following well-
known result, see e.g. [BtTu], usually referred to as the Thom isomorphism
in homology.
Proposition 2.6.43. (i) The Gysin pullback morphisms i' and ir', cf.
(2.6.28), give rise to mutually inverse isomorphisms of Borel-Moore ho-
mology:

H.(X) -1 H.+r(V)
108 2. Mosaic

(ii) For any c E H.(X) one has: i*i.(c) = e(V) U c.

Next let N be an oriented closed submanifold of an oriented C°°-

manifold M. Set d = dim RM - dim RN. The inclusion i : N '-+ M induces
the direct image morphism i.: H. (N) -+ H. (M) and restriction with sup-
port in N morphism i* : H*(M) -+ H*_d(N), respectively. The following
result describes the composition i*i* : H*(N) --+ H*_d(N).

Corollary 2.6.44. For any c E H. (N) one has: i*i*(c) = e(TNM) U c.

Sketch of Proof. First recall that there exists an open tubular neigh-
borhood U D N in M and a diffeomorphism TNM -Z U, see e.g. [Mi],
that takes the zero section N C TNM to N C U. Such a diffeomorphism
may be constructed, for example, by choosing a Riemannian metric on M
and taking the exponential geodesic mapping exp : TNM -+ M. The ex-
ponential mapping is known to be a diffeomorphism of a small enough
disk-subbundle in TNM with a tubular neighborhood of N in M. One then
composes this diffeomorphism with a diffeomorphism between TNM and
the disk-subbundle.
Now, using an appropriate excision axiom, one may replace the manifold
M by U in the claim of the corollary. Then, the pair (M, N) gets replaced,
due to the diffeomorphism above, by the pair (TNM, N). Thus, we are
reduced to the situation of Proposition 2.6.43. Part (ii) of the proposition
yields the assertion.
Next, assume given p : V -+ Z, an oriented vector bundle and W C V,
an oriented vector subbundle. Write j : W -+ V for the embedding of the
total spaces. Then we have the following formula

(2.6.45) j.[W] = p*e(V/W) [V] in H.(V).

To prove this formula, it suffices to show, due to part (i) of Proposition
2.6.43, that j*j.[W] = j*(p*e(V/W) [V]). The LHS of this expression
equals p*e(V/W) [W], by part (ii) of the proposition. The RHS can be
rewritten as p*e(V/W) j* [V] = p*e(V/W) . [W] , since we have j* [V] = [W].
Thus, we have proved that LHS = RHS, and formula (2.6.45) follows.

2.6.46. ACCESS INTERSECTION FORMULA. Let Z, and Z2 be two closed

oriented submanifolds of an oriented C°°-manifold M. Assume that Z =
Z, fl Z2, their set-theoretic intersection, is smooth. On Z define the vector
bundle T1,2 := TTM/(TZZ, +TZZ2).
The following formula for the intersection pairing of two fundamental
classes is used quite frequently and is essentially the most general case
among those where such an intersection can be directly calculated.
 2.6 Borel-Moore Homology 109

Proposition 2.6.47. Assume in addition that the intersection of Zl and

Z2 "clean" in the sense that

(2.6.48) TZ1 nTZ2 =TZ , dz E Z.

Then, we have [Z1] n [Z2] = e(T1,2) [Z], where the LHS involves the
intersection pairing n : H.(Z1) x H.(Z2) --+ H.(Z) in the ambient space
M, and the dot on the RHS stands for the H`(Z)-action on Borel-Moore
homology introduced at the beginning of this subsection.

Note that any transverse intersection is necessarily "clean," but not

conversely.

2.6.49. Sketch of Proof of Proposition 2.6.47. We first show that "clean"

intersection locally looks like intersection of vector subspaces in a vector
space. As a first step, one replaces M by a small open neighborhood of
Z. One then argues as in the proof of Corollary 2.6.44. Using condition
(2.6.48) and the exponential map exp : TT M -+ M relative to a Riemannian
metric on M, one constructs a local diffeomorphism between the quadruples
(M, Z1, Z2, Z) and (TZM , TZ Z1, TZ Z2, Z = zero-section).
Thus we are reduced to computing the intersection pairing of [TZZ1] and
[TZ Z2] in TZM. To that end, view TZ Z1 and T. .Z2 as vector subbundles
in the vector bundle TZM, and form the quotient vector bundle E :=
TZM/TZ Z2. Let p : TT M -+ E be the vector bundle projection and Z (N Z)
the zero-section of E. Clearly we have [TZ Z2] = p* [Z]. Hence, using the
projection formula (2.6.29), we obtain

p ([TZ ZI ] n [T z2]) = p. ([TZ ZI ] n p ` [ z]) = p. [TZ Zl ] n [2].

Put TZ Z1 := p. (T Z1), a vector subbundle in E. Observe that condition

(2.6.48) insures that the set-theoretic intersection of TZ Z1 and TZ Z2 in
TZM equals the zero-section of TZM. It follows that the projection p
induces a diffeomorphism p : TT Z1 =+ TZ Z1. Therefore the map p. identifies
the cycle [TZ Zl ] n [TZ Z2] E H. (TZM) with the cycle TZ Zl ] n [2] E H. (E).
To find the latter, we observe that there is a natural isomorphism

EITZ Zl = T. MI (TZ Zl + TZ Z2) = T1,2 .

On the other hand, writing j : TZ Zl --+ E for the natural embedding, we

calculate
TZ ZI] n [2] (2.E 4b)
(e(E/) . (E]) n [2]
(2 641) e(EITZZl)
([E] n [2]) = e(T1,2) . ([E] n [z]) = e(T1,2) [Z].
110 2. Mosaic

2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology

In this section we give a general construction of a convolution-type product
in Borel-Moore homology. Though looking technically quite involved, the
construction is essentially nothing but a "homology-valued" version of the
standard definition of the composition of multi-valued maps.

2.7.1. Toy EXAMPLE. We begin with the trivial case of the convolution
product. We write C(M) for the finite dimensional vector space of C-
valued functions on a finite set M. Given finite sets M1, M2, M3, define
a convolution product

C(M1 X M2) ®C(M2 X M3) -' C(M1 X M3)

by the formula
(2.7.2) f12 * f23 : (m1, m3) H E f12(m1, m2) . f23(m2, m3) .
m2EM2

Writing di for the cardinality of the finite set Mi we may naturally identify
C(Mi x M1) with the vector space of di x d2-matrices with complex en-
tries. Then, formula (2.7.2) turns into the standard formula for the matrix
multiplication.
As the next step of our toy example, we would like to find a similar
convolution construction assuming that M1, M2, M3 are smooth compact
manifolds rather than finite sets (note that the compactness condition is a
natural generalization of the finiteness condition. The latter was needed
in order to make the sum in the RHS of (2.7.2) finite). As one knows
from elementary analysis, it is usually the measures and not the functions
that can be convolved in a natural way. In differential geometry the role of
measures is played by the differential forms. Thus, given a smooth manifold
M, we let O(M) denote the graded vector space of C°°-differential forms
on M. This is the right substitute for the vector space C(M) when a finite
set is replaced by a manifold.
Let M1, M2, M3 be smooth compact manifolds, and pit : M1 x M2 x
M3 --' Mi x M; the projection to the (i, j)-factor. Put d = dim M2. We now
define a convolution product
04(M1 X M2) ® f2j(M2 x M3) - Hi+i-d(MI X M3)

by the formula

(2.7.3) f12 * f23 = P121 12 A p23f23

J M3
Here the expression under the integral is a differential form on M1 x M2 x M3
of degree i + j. In some local coordinates x1, ... , x, on M1, yl,... , yd on
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 111

M2, and z1, ... , ze on M3, any differential form on M1 x M2 x M3 has the
form

The integral of such a form f over M2 is understood to be zero unless the

number of the dy's in the expression equals d = dim M2, in which case it
is a well-defined (i + j - d)-form on M1 x M3 given by the integral over
dy1 A ... A dyd with x's and z's treated as parameters.
The standard properties of differential calculus on manifolds show that
convolution (2.7.3) is compatible with the de Rham differential, i.e., we
have

d(f12 * f23) = (df12) * f23 + (-1)3f12 * (df23)

It follows that the convolution product of differential forms induces a con-
volution product on the de Rham cohomology

(2.7.4) H`(M1 x M2) ® H;(M2 x M3) - H`+,-d(M1 X M3).

The latter can be transported, by means of the Poincare duality, to a

similar convolution in homology.
In what follows, we are going to give an alternative "abstract" defini-
tion of the convolution product (2.7.4) in terms of algebraic topology. One
advantage of such an "abstract" definition is that it works for any gener-
alized homology theory, e.g., for K-theory. Such a K-theoretic convolution
will be studied in detail in Chapter 5 and applied to representation theory
in Chapter 7. Another advantage of the "abstract" definition is that it en-
ables us to make a refined convolution construction "with supports." In the
de Rham approach based on Theorem 2.6.4 this would amount to replacing
differential forms in formula (2.7.3) by distributions. The problem is how-
ever that the A-product of distributions is not defined, in general. Thus, the
naive attempt of using formula (2.7.3) does not work, and it is essentially
this difficulty that makes the "correct" definition below more complicated.

2.7.5. GENERAL CASE. We proceed now to the "abstract" construction

of the convolution product. Let M1, M2, M3 be connected, oriented C°°-
manifolds and let

Z12 C M1 X M2, Z23 C M2 X M3

be closed subsets. Define the set-theoretic composition Z12 o Z23 as

(2.7.6) Z12 o Z23 = {(m1, m3) E M1 X M3 I there exists m2 E M2

such that (MI, m2) E Z12 and (m2i ms) E Z23}.
112 2. Mosaic

If we think of Z12 (resp. Z23) as a multivalued map from M1 to M2 (resp.

from M2 to M3), then Z12 o Z23 may be viewed as the composition of Z12
and Z23.
Example 2.7.7. Let f : M1 -+ M2 and g : M2 -4 M3 be smooth maps.
Then Graph(f) o Graph(g) = Graph(g o f).
We will need another form of definition (2.7.6) in the future. Let Pii
M1 x M2 x M3 - Mi x M; be the projection to the (i, j)-factor. From now
on, we assume, in addition, that the map
(2.7.8) P13 : P1s'(Z12) np231(Z23) --i M1 x M3 is proper.
We observe that

P121(Z12) np231(Z23) = (Z12 x M3) n (Ml X Z23) = Z12 XX, Z23

Therefore the set Z12 o Z23 defined in (2.7.6) is equal to the image of the
map (2.7.8). In particular, this set is a closed subset in M1 x M3 for the
map in (2.7.6) is proper.
Let d = dim aM2. We define a convolution in Borel-Moore homology, cf.
[FM]

(2.7.9)

Hi(Z12) X H)(Z23) -' Hi+j-d(Z12 o Z23), (c12, C23)'-' C12 * C23

by translating the set-theoretic composition into composition of cycles.
Specifically put (compare with (2.7.3)):

C12 * C23 = (p13). ((C12 Z [M3]) n ([M1] ® C23)) E H.(Z12 o Z23),

where c12 ® [M3J = pi2c12, and [M1] ®c23 = p23c23 are given by the Kiinneth
formula 2.6.19, and the intersection pairing fl was defined in 2.6.16. Note
that
supp ((C12 ® [M3]) n ([mil ®c23)) C (Z12 x M3) n (M1 X Z23),
so that the direct image is well-defined due to the condition that the map
P13 in (2.7.8) is proper.
Remarks. (i) The same definition applies in the disconnected case as well,
provided [MI], resp. [M3], is understood as the sum of the fundamental
classes of connected components of M1, resp. M3.
(ii) In the special case when M1, M2, M3 are (not necessarily finite) sets
with the discrete topology the group H.(Zi2) reduces to the vector space
C(Zi,,) of C-valued functions on Zip. The term "proper" in (2.7.8) gets
replaced by "has finite fibers," and convolution product (2.7.9) reduces to
the one given essentially by formula (2.7.2).
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 113

(iii) A similar convolution construction works for any generalized ho-

mology theory that has pullback morphisms for smooth maps, pushforward
morphisms for proper maps and an intersection pairing with supports. This
is the case, e.g. for the K-homology theory used in [KL4] and also for the
algebraic equivariant K-theory studied in part 5 (though the latter is not a
generalized homology theory).
2.7.10. EXAMPLES. (i) Let M1 = M2 = M3 = M be smooth, and

Z12, Z23 C MA - M X M,
where MA '-+ M x M is the diagonal embedding. If Z12 and Z23 are closed
then P13 is always proper, and moreover

Z12 o Z23 = Z12 n Z23 C Mn C M X M.

In this case we see that the convolution product * reduces to the intersec-
tion product n defined above in 2.6.15.
(ii) Let M1 be a point and f : M2 -+ M3 a proper map of connected
varieties. Set Z12 = pt x M2 = M2, and Z23 = Graph(f). Then Z12 o Z23 =
Imf C ptxM3=[Link].(M2)=H.(Z12)-
The proof of the following claim is immediate.
Claim 2.7.11. We have c * [Graph f ] = f. (c) .

(iii) Assume now that M3 is a point, f : M1 - M2 is a smooth map

of oriented, connected manifolds and d = dim M1 - dim M2 (d may be
either positive or negative). Set Z12 = Graph f, a smooth closed oriented
submanifold in M1 x M2, and let Z23 = M2 x pt = M2. Then

Z12 o Z23 = M1 x pt = Ml.

Claim 2.7.12. The assignment given by the formula: c '--+ [Graph f] * c
coincides with the smooth pullback morphism f* : H;(M2) -+ H;+d(Ml)
introduced in 2.6.26.
2.7.13. Let Z12 C M1 x M2 be a closed subset. Then the embedding of
Z12 gives, by means of the Kiinneth formula, a map H.(Z12) - H.(M1)
H.(M2). If in addition the projection Z12 --+ M2 is proper one can do better.
Namely, we will show in Chapter 8, using sheaf theoretic methods, that in
this case there is a natural map H.(Z12) -+ H,°rd(M1) ® H.(M2). Now, let
Z23 C M2 x M3 have a similar property. Then the convolution product
H.(Z12) (9 H.(Z23) -. H.(Z12 o Z23) is a refinement (with supports) of the
natural pairing

([Link](M2) ®H.(M2)) ® ([Link](M2) (&H.(Ma)) [Link](M,) ®H.(M3) .

114 2. Mosaic

The latter is obtained by contracting the middle terms by means of

Poincare duality pairing: H.(M2) ® Ho'd(M2) C given by Proposition
2.6.18.
Assume in particular that M3 = pt and Z23 = M2 x pt. Then, generaliz-
ing the setup of example 2.7.10(iii), we obtain a convolution map
(2.7.14) H;(Z12) ®HH(M2) -Ht+i-d(Ml) , d = dim M2 .

Observe further that the cap-product (2.6.17) gives rise to a well-defined

pairing between Borel-Moore and ordinary homology
rd(M2) -' H;+j-d(Z12),
H;(Z12) ®H; (z, c) i- z fl ([M1] x c).

Composing it with the pushforward (in ordinary homology) by means of

the first projection Z12 -- Ml (which is not necessarily proper) we get a
counterpart of the convolution map (2.7.14) for ordinary homology
(&H,'d(M2)
(2.7.15) Hi(Z12) -' H;+i-d(MA), d = dim M2.
Note that H;(Z12) is still the Borel-Moore homology group.

2.7.16. KUNNETH FORMULA FOR CONVOLUTION. Let M1i M2, M3, M1, M2,
M3 be smooth oriented manifolds, and
Z12 C M1 x M2, 212 C M1 X M2, Z23 C M2 x M3, 223 C M2 X M3.
We view Z12 x 212 as a correspondence in M1 x M1 x M2 x 1M12 and Z23 x 223
as a correspondence in M2 x N12 x M3 x M3. Then (Z12 x 212) 0 (Z23 X Z23) _
(Z12 0 Z23) X (Z12 0 Z23)

Lemma 2.7.17. The following diagram formed by convolution maps com-

mutes:
H.(Z12 x 212) ® H. (Z23 X 223)

H.(Z12) ® H.(212) ® H.(Z23) ® H.(223) H.((Z'12 X 212) 0 (Z23 x 223))

convolution

Kunneth
H.(Z12oZ23)®H.(212o223) H.((Z12 0 Z23) x (212 0 223))

2.7.18. ASSOCIATIVITY OF CONVOLUTION. We maintain the notation of

t he general convolution setup, as in 2.7.5. Given a fourth oriented manifold,
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 115

M4, and a closed subset Z34 C M3 x M4, the following associativity

equation holds in Borel-Moore homology.

(2.7.19) (C12 * C23) * C34 = C12 * (C23 * C34),

where c12 E H*(Z12), C23 E H*(Z23), C34 E H*(Z34)

Proof. We consider the following natural commutative diagram:

M1xM2xM3xM4

M1xM2xM3 M2 X M3 X M4

M1 X M2 M2 X M3 M3 X M4

Using the diagram and the projection formula 2.6.29, we calculate

(C12 * C23) * C34 = (p14)*(((P13)*(p12C12 np23C23) Z [M4]) n ([Ml p34C34))

= (p14)*((0120[M3®M4l)n([Ml] 0C230[M4l)n([Ml0M21 ZC34))

= C12 * (C23 * C34).

2.7.20. BASE CHANGE. Assume given spaces Z, S, S, and morphisms

f :Z-+Sand [Link] set Z:=Zx3S, and form a natural
cartesian diagram

(2.7.21)

We will assume that one of the following two assumptions holds:

(a) The map 0 : S -+ S is a locally trivial oriented fibration with
smooth fiber, or
(b) S is smooth, the map ¢ is a closed embedding of S as a submanifold
of the manifold S and, in addition, there is a smooth variety M D
Z and a locally trivial fibration M -+ S which extends the map
f : Z -+ S (note that Z -+ S is not required to be a fibration).
Under either of these assumptions, we have a well-defined (not necessarily
degree preserving) pullback morphism 4* : H* (Z) -+ H*(Z) in Borel-Moore
homology. In case (a) we use the smooth pullback 2.6.26. In case (b) we
116 2. Mosaic

form the fiber product M := S x s M and consider the cartesian diagram for
M, analogous to diagram (2.7.21) for Z but consisting of smooth ambient
varieties. In particular, we have a closed embedding 0 : M -+ M making M
a submanifold of M. We use the restriction with support map H.(Z) -
H.(M fl Z) = H.(Z) as the definition of 0*.

Proposition 2.7.22. If either of the two assumptions above hold and,

moreover, if the map f : Z - S is proper, then the following diagram
induced by the cartesian square (5.3.14) commutes

H.(Z) - H. (Z)
1. t.
H*(S)

We were unable to find an elementary proof of this result in the litera-

ture. A "non-elementary" proof is immediate from the corresponding result
for constructible (complexes of) sheaves, see (8.3.14), which is proved in
[SGA4], [Iv]. The absence of a completely elementary argument may be not
so surprising in view of the absence of a direct elementary construction of
the smooth pullback in Borel-Moore homology.
One can show using Proposition 2.7.22 that under the assumption (a)
after diagram (2.7.21), the convolution in homology commutes with base
change. This is not in general true in case (b). The situation improves
however if base change is replaced by the specialization in Borel-Moore
homology.
In more detail, let S be a manifold. Let fi : Mi -+ S (i = 1, 2,3) be
three smooth locally trivial fibrations over S. Further let Z12 C M1 x s M2
and Z23 C M2 x s M3 be closed subsets. We can then perform all steps of
the convolution construction in this "relative framework" over S. To that
end introduce the projections pi; : M1 x s M2 x s M3 - Mi x s M;, and
consider the map P13 : p12 (Z12) npaa (Z23) --+ M1 x s M3. Assuming the map
is proper, write Z13 for its image. Repeating the construction of (2.7.9) one
defines a convolution map * : H.(Z12) X H.(Z23) -+ H.(Z13)-
Next, fix a point o E S, and let i : {o} `- S be the embedding (in
terms of the base change setup, we are in case (b) with S = {o}). Put
S' = S \ {o}. Given any map f : Z -+ S we write Z° := f -1(o) and
Z' f'1(S*). We assume the following:
(1) The natural projection Z;1 --+ S* is a locally trivial fibration, for
any pair(i,j) ,i<j,i,j=1,2,3.
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 117

(2) The horizontal map in the diagram

p12 (Z12) (1 p23 (T23) P" Zi3

is a morphism of locally trivial fibrations.

The following proposition and its proof are analogous to a result proved in
[FM].

Proposition 2.7.23. Specialization commutes with convolution in Borel-

Moore homology, i.e., under the conditions (1)-(2) above the following
diagram commutes:
lim

H*(Z2) ®H*(Za3) -' H*(Zi2) ® H*(Za3)

convolution convolution
Jim
a »o
H*(Z3) H*(Zi3

2.7.24. Idea of Proof. Introduce the notation Z = p12 (Z12) fl pzs (Z23)
The convolution map H.(Z12) ® H.(Z23) -* H.(Z13) is by definition the
composite of the intersection pairing fl : H.(p12 (Z12)) ® H.(pa3(Z23)) -
H.(Z) and the proper direct image (P13). : H.(Z) - H.(Z13). Hence, it
suffices to prove that both the intersection pairing and the proper direct
image commute with the specialization. For the intersection pairing the
assertion follows from Proposition 2.6.39. To prove the assertion for the
proper direct image, observe that a proper map of pairs: (X, X') --+ (Y, Y')
gives rise to a morphism of the corresponding long exact sequences of
Borel-Moore homology. In particular, the connecting homomorphisms in
the long exact sequences commute with the proper direct image. The claim
about specialization can be deduced from this fact, since the specialization
is constructed by means of a connecting homomorphism in a long exact
sequence of Borel-Moore homology.
2.7.25. AN EXPLICIT FORMULA. We perform here a concrete convolution
computation in a special case that will be important for us in the future.
Let X X X, be complex manifolds and Y C X, x X and Y C
X, x X, complex submanifolds. As usual we write p,i : X, x X. x X, --
X; x Xt for the projection to the (i, j)-factor, and also use the notation
pr,, for the projection T* (X, x X, x X,) -+ T * (X, x X,), the cotangent
bundle companion of p,,. Our goal is to establish a relationship between
convolution product for Y and Y and the convolution product for their
118 2. Mosaic

conormal bundles. Thus we put Y. := Y o Y , and Z;, = TY,j (X; x X,),

for any pair (i, j) where i, j = 1, 2, 3, i < j.

Theorem 2.7.26. Assume that Y and Y satisfy two conditions:

(a) The intersection of and
p : p1,' (Y 3) ---+ Y is a smooth locally triv-
ial oriented fibration with smooth base Y and smooth and compact
fiber F.
Then the following holds:
(i) We have a set-theoretic equality Z o Z = Z,,; moreover,
(ii) The map pr13 : pr1 ' fl p;' Z is a smooth locally
trivial oriented fibration with fiber F;
(iii) In H.(Z,,) one has an equation: Ad= X(F) [Z,,), where
X(F) is the Euler characteristic of F.

2.7.27. Remarks. (i) It is instructive to check the meaning of the theorem

in the very special case: X, = pt, X, = pt and Y = X2 x pt. Then
condition (a) of the theorem holds automatically, and condition (b) says
Y = pt x F where F is a compact submanifold of X2. We suggest that the
reader check that in this case the theorem boils down to the well-known
fact, see e.g. [BtTu), in which the Euler characteristic of the manifold F
equals the self-intersection index of the zero-section in T*F.
(ii) Assume that either of the natural projections Y --' X, +-- Y has
surjective differential, e.g., is a smooth fibration. We will see in the course
of the proof of the theorem that in such a case the intersection of
and p,;' is necessarily transverse so that condition (a) holds.
(iii) In the special case of Theorem 2.7.26 when the map fl
p3 _1(Y23-' Yis in condition (b) is a bijection, i.e., if F = pt, our argu-
ment gives more. Namely, in this case the intersection of pr;' and
is transverse (which is not true in general) and, moreover, the
projection pr13 : pr;'(Zr,) fl Z is an isomorphism.
2.7.28. Proof of Theorem 2.7.26. Before entering the proof we would like
to emphasize two things. First, we always stick to the following sign con-
vention concerning the isomorphism T`(X, x X,) = T'X, x T*X,: our iso-
morphism is the usual one composed with changing sign in the T'X,-factor
on the right. Our choice of isomorphism is determined by requiring that, in
the case i = j, the conormal bundle to the diagonal in X; x X; goes un-
der the isomorphism to the diagonal in T*X, x T`X which is very natural
from the point of view of symplectic geometry. Second, the reader should
not be mistaken to confuse the variety pr;'(Z,,) Z,, x T'X, with the
conormal bundle to which is equal to Z,, x (zero section of T"X,) .
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 119

Now, introduce the shorthand notation X := X, x X, and X,,,

X, x X, x X, , etc. We also put y := fl and Z
Pr121(Z,3) n
To prove the theorem we must analyze the intersection

Z= Pr171(Z,2) n pr-'(Z23)
23 = (Z1,, x T*X3) n (T*X, x Z2.)
This variety clearly projects to Y by means of the cotangent bundle pro-
jection. We may thus study the fibers of each term above over some fixed
point o E Y. The fibers in question will not change if we "linearize" the
situation, that is replace each variety by its tangent space at the point o.
Thus, assume for the moment that X, , X, , X, are vector spaces with
o being the origin, and Y C X , Y23 C X73 are vector subspaces, etc.
In this linear setup, the second projection Y -+ X7 becomes a linear map,
and we write W1 C X2 for its image. To simplify notation we assume
first that this map has no kernel, hence gives an isomorphism Y, =+ W1.
Inverting this isomorphism, and composing it with the first projection
Y -+ X, we obtain a linear operator Al : Wl -+ X, . We see this way
that Y = {(A,(w), w) E X1 ®X, , w E W1} . Write Ai : X; -+ Wl for
the adjoint operator, and identify Wl with X, /W, . We therefore obtain
(keeping our "sign convention" in mind)

(2.7.29) Y,s = (6, t2) E X1 ® X; I t2 = A*, (t1) mod Wi },

where Y, C (XI ® X,)* stands for the annihilator of Y,,.

We may replace X, by X, in the above and repeat the same argument
for the projection Y23 -+ X2. Assuming it has no kernel again, and writing
W3 C X7 for its image, in the obvious notation, we then get similarly
Y. = {(A3(w),w) , w E W3}. We thus obtain

(2.7.30) (T; X73)J0 = Y,3 = {(&3, t2) E X9 ® X tz = mod W3 I.

We keep our linearized setup and combine the information we have

about Y and Y79 to derive several consequences. First of all we obtain

Y1 2 +43 = {(A,(wl), w, +w3, A3 (W3)) E X,®X,®X, , w1 E W1 , w3 E W3} .

It follows that

(Y13 ®X3) ® (XI (D Y33) X, ® (W1 + W3) ® X. .

We see that the intersection

(2.7.31) (p171(Y,2) fl is transverse at o) . W1 + W3 = X2 .

120 2. Mosaic

(In particular, transversality holds provided either W1 = X, or W3 = X

cf. Remark 2.7.27(ii).) Furthermore, the linearized version of the LHS above
is equal to

(2.7.32) (Y ® X3) n (X, ® {(Ai(w), w, A3(w3)) , w E W1 n W3} .

Note that the RHS may be conveniently expressed in terms of the vector
space W = W1 n W3 and the operator A = Al ® A3 : W X, ® X, ,
w '--+ Al(w) + A3(w) .
We next turn to the dual spaces and observe that (2.7.29) and (2.7.30)
yield ("sign convention" again!):

(Y, ®X,) n (X, E X, ®X, ®X,

6mod W, & S2 = W3.
Note that LHS here is the fiber of Z = pr-,(z,.) n pr-'(Z..)
23
at point o.
The RHS may be expressed in terms of the operator A" : Xi ® X3 --+ W" ,
dual to A. Because of our sign convention for the identification of (X,®X3)"
with Xl ® X3 , we have A" : (C11 6) r-+ Ai(C1) - A3(e3) . (To see that signs
are right check the special case where X, = X2 = X, and both Y and Y
are diagonals). We thus find
(2.7.33)
Z1. = {( 1, s>SZ) 1 (616) E Ker(A*) & 6 = Ai(t1) mod (Wl nW3)},
where the apparently non-symmetric equation 6= Ai(t1) mod (W1 nW3 )
is equivalent to t2= A2 (e2) mod (W1 nW3) , which recovers the symmetry.
Further, recall the projection p : X,,, -' X and set x = p,,(o). The
induced tangent map ,,X,33 -+ TxX becomes, in our linearized setup, the
natural projection X, ®X, ®X, -+ X, ® X, . From formula (2.7.32)
we find

(2.7.34) (P.)* ((Y2 $X3) n (X, ®f93)) = Im A.

We also have the linear projection (along T"X,-factor) pr13 : To Xl -+
T.X of the corresponding cotangent spaces. We see from (2.7.33) that the
image and the kernel of the restriction of this linear projection to Z10 are
given by

(2.7.35) Ker (A"), Ker (pr,31(zI,)) = Wl n W3

This completes our analysis of the "linearized" situation under the as-
sumptions that the projections Y - X, +- Y are both injective. In
the general case write K1 C X, and K3 C X, for the respective ker-
nels. Let Xi C X, and X3 C X, be arbitrary complementary vector
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 121

spaces to the kernels so that we have X. = Ki ® X' , i = 1, 3. Also put

Y, = Y n (X, ® X,), and for Y' = Y n (X, $ X. It is then easy to see
that all the above arguments go through once X; , i = 1, 3 is replaced by
X, and the projections Y - X, +-- Y are replaced by Y2 -+ X, - Y3 .
The direct summands K1 and K3 effectively split off and play no essential
role.
We are now in a position to prove claims (i) and (ii) of the theorem.
Assumption (a) of the theorem saying that and intersect
transversely implies that Toy equals the intersection of the tangent spaces
to p-' and p731(Y ), respectively. Hence, we have Toy = (Y ® X,) n
(X, and formula (2.7.34) yields Im A. Further, let
p,,: Y Y denote the restriction of the projection p,,. Since assumption
(b) of the theorem implies that the map p,, has surjective differential, the
equation above yields TTY = (p,, ), (T,y) = Im A. Therefore, for the
cotangent space we obtain

Ti Y, = (Im A)1 = Ker (A*).

But then the first equation in (2.7.35) yields

(2.7.36) pr,,(Z10) = T.* Y,.

This proves part (i) of the theorem.

Next, we combine assumption (a) of the theorem with equation (2.7.31)
to conclude that W1 + W3 = X, . Hence, Wi n W3 = (W1 + W3)' = 0, and
the second equation in (2.7.35) implies that the map

(2.7.37) pr13 : ZJ, - T. *X is injective.

To prove part (ii) of the theorem, we consider the subbundle 9C

T*X,,,L,, , the pullback of the cotangent bundle on X13 by means of p,,. We
can factorize the natural projection pr : Z -+ T`X13 as the composition
in the top row of the following diagram

Z `'p,T,*3

Y ---> X.
Note that the square in the diagram is cartesian, due to the natural iso-
morphism p,*,T1, Y xx19 T`X,,. Note further that, by property (2.7.37),
the map e : Z p ,T , in the top row is a closed embedding. Moreover,
formula (2.7.36) shows that the image of this embedding equals y x x,3 Z .
It follows that the cartesian square restricts, by means of the embedding e,
122 2. Mosaic

to the following cartesian square

(2.7.38)

The vertical map p,, on the right of this diagram is, by assumption (b) of
the theorem, a fibration with fiber F. Since the diagram is cartesian the
vertical map on the left is a fibration with the same fiber, and part (ii) of
the theorem follows.
We can now prove the convolution formula of part (iii). First, it is
clear that whenever two submanifolds intersect transversely their conormal
bundles have "clean" intersection, see 2.6.47, in the cotangent bundle. Thus
the intersection f1 pr; 1(Z,3) is clean, and Proposition 2.6.47
applies. The proposition says

(2.7.39) [pr31(Z,2)1 n [pr231(Z13)1 = e(T/(T1 + T2)) . [Z],

where T1, T2, and T stand for the normal bundles at Z to pr;l
pr;1(Z,3) , and T*Xt3, respectively.
Let Tyl y,, denote the relative tangent bundle on Y, the tangent bundle
to the fibers of the projection py : Y - Y13 We have a natural isomorphism
of vector bundles on Z:

T/(T1 + T2) = 7r*Ty,,,13 where it : Z --+ Y,

is the cotangent bundle projection. To check this, one first linearizes the
setup at a point o E Y. In the linear case the result follows easily from
formulas (2.7.29) - (2.7.35). We leave the details to the reader.
Using formula (2.7.39) and the definition of convolution, we see that to
complete the proof of part (iii) we must compute the direct image of the
class [Z] under the projection pr13 : Z --p Z13 . To that end we
use the base change Theorem 2.7.22 for the cartesian square (2.7.38). We
find

(pr13)* (e(1r'Ty,Y13) . [Z])

= (pr13)*7r* (e(Tylr13) ' [Y1) = W*(p ,)* (e(TwY,3) . [Y1)

But py : Y -i Y13 being a locally trivial fibration with fiber F, the direct
image of e(TYJ1,13) [Y] under py is known, see e.g. [BtTu], [Sp], to be equal
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 123

to Thus we obtain

[Z12, * [Z23] = (pr13)*([pr-'(Z,2)]

12
n' [pr;1(Z23)1)
1
1

= (pr 13)* (e(T/(Ti + T2)) [Z]) -

_ (pr,3)* (e(lr*T,,,,,3) . [Z])

_ r*(X(F)[y,31) = X(F) If* M31
= X(F) . [Z,3].

2.7.40. THE CONVOLUTION ALGEBRA [Gi4J. Let M be a smooth complex

manifold, let N be a (possibly singular) variety, and let it : M -+ N be a
proper map. Put M1=M2=M3=M and Z = Z12 = Z23 = M XN M in
the general convolution setup 2.7.5. Explicitly we have
Z={(mi,m2)EMxM17r(m1)=ir(m2)}.
It is obvious that Z o Z = Z. Therefore we have the convolution map, cf.
(2.7.9)

H.(Z) x H. (Z) H. (Z).

The following corollary is an immediate consequence of (2.7.19).
Corollary 2.7.41. H.(Z) has a natural structure of an associative algebra
with unit. The unit is given by the fundamental class of Ma C Z.
Choose X E N and set M., = 1r'1(x). Apply the convolution construction
for M1 = M2 = M and M3 a point. Let Z = Z12 = M x N M and
Z23 = Mr C M x {pt}. We see immediately that Z o Mx = M.
Corollary 2.7.42. H.(MM) has a natural structure of a left H*(Z)-module
under the convolution map.
We give some examples.
Example 2.7.43. Let N be a point and M a compact manifold. Then
according to the above constructions we have Z = M x M. Hence we have
H. (Z) H.(M) ® H.(M) = H.(M) ® H. (M)' End H. (M) ,
where the first isomorphism is the Kiinneth theorem and the second one
arises from Poincare duality. On the other hand, the convolution action
H. (Z) X H. (M) - H. (M) , see (2.7.14), clearly gives an algebra homomor-
phism H.(Z) -> End H.(M). One can check that this homomorphism is
equal to the composition of the chain of isomorphisms above.
Thus, the convolution algebra H.(Z) is isomorphic to a matrix algebra,
and the convolution action makes H.(M) a simple H.(Z)-module.
124 2. Mosaic

Example 2.7.44. Let Y be smooth and compact, N smooth and con-

nected. We put M = Y x N and let it : M -+ N be the second projection,
a proper map. Then Z = Y x Y x N, and we have isomorphisms similar to
those in Example 2.7.43:

H.(Z) = H.(Y) ® H.(Y) ® H.(N) =

= H.(Y) ® H.(Y)` ® H.(N) (End H.(Y)) ® H'(N) .
Furthermore, the cohomology H'(N) has a natural commutative algebra
structure, and one can check that the composition of the chain of isomor-
phisms above gives an isomorphism of the convolution algebra, H.(Z), with
a graded algebra tensor product (End H.(Y)) ® H'(N).
Further, for any x E N we have Mx = ir'1(x) Y. Therefore, the
convolution action makes H.(Y) an H.(Z)-module, hence yields an algebra
homomorphism H.(Z) -+ End H.(Y). One can check that this homomor-
phism is equal to the following composition

H. (Z) -Z (End H. (Y)) ®H'(N) ' (End H. (Y)) 0C = End H. (Y)

where the first map is the algebra isomorphism above, and the second map
is induced by the augmentation homomorphism e : H'(N) -+ H°(N) = C.

2.7.45. BASE LOCALITY FOR CONVOLUTION. We now study the behavior

of convolution under restriction to appropriate open subsets.
In the setup of 2.7.40 let U be an open subset of N. Write Mu for
it-1(U) and let

Lemma 2.7.46. (a) The natural restriction map in homology H.(Z) -+

H.(Zu) is an algebra homomorphism.
(b) If X E U then the H.(Zu)-module structure on H.(MM) is the
one coming from the H.(Z)-action by means of the restriction: H.(Z) -
H.(Zu).

Proof. This follows from the excision axiom for relative cohomology (see
[Sp]). A sheaf theoretic "explanation" of the lemma will be given later in
Section 8.6.

2.7.47. THE DIMENSION PROPERTY. [Gi4) Let M1, M2, M3 be smooth va-
rieties of real dimensions m1, m2, m3 respectively. Let Z12 C M1 x M2 and
Z23 C M2 x M3 and let
m1 + m2 m2 + m3 m1 + m3
2 4= 2 r= 2
 2.7 Convolution in Borel-Moore Homology 125

Then it is obvious from (2.7.9) that convolution induces a map (assuming

that p, q and r are integers)
Hp(Z12) X Hq(Z23) -+ Hr(Z12 0 Z23)
We say that this is the property that "the middle dimension part is always
preserved."
We investigate the special case where M1 = M2 = M3 = M, and
dim 1 M = m. Set Z = M x, M and H(Z) = H,,,(Z). We have
Corollary 2.7.48. H(Z) is a subalgebra of H.(Z).
Proof. This is immediate from the dimension property.
The last result is especially concrete in view of the following
Lemma 2.7.49. Let {Zm}WEw be the irreducible components of Z indexed
by a finite index set W. If all the components have the same dimension then
the fundamental classes [Z,,,] form a basis for the convolution algebra H(Z).
Proof. This follows from Proposition 2.6.14.
In a similar way, one derives from formula (2.7.14)

Corollary 2.7.50. The convolution action of the subalgebra H(Z) C

H.(Z) on H.(MM) is degree preserving, that is, for any i > 0 we have
H(Z) * H;(MM) C H;(MM).
The fact that the middle dimensional homology behaves nicely under
convolution is similar in spirit to the following result of symplectic geome-
try. Assume in the above setup that (Mi, wi) , i = 1, 2, 3 are symplectic alge-
braic manifolds. Equip Mi x Mj with the symplectic form wig = pi wi - pj* wj .
Then we have
Proposition 2.7.51. If Z12 C M1 x M2 and Z23 C M2 x M3 are both
isotropic algebraic subvarieties then Z12oZ23 is again an isotropic subvariety
(in M1 x M3).
Proof. We must prove that the tangent space at the generic point of any
irreducible component of the variety Z13 := Z12 o Z23 is an isotropic vector
subspace. To that end set Z12,23 = p12 (Z12) lp23 (Z23) . Then, by definition,
Z13 is the image of Z12,23 under the projection p13. We may assume without
loss of generality that Z13 is irreducible. Hence, there exists U, a non-empty
Zariski open subset of the non-singular locus of Z12,23 such that p13(U)
is a Zariski dense subset in the non-singular locus of Z13. Moreover, we
may choose U so that the restriction map p13 : U --+ Z13 has surjective
differential at any point of U.
126 2. Mosaic

It suffices to show that the 2-form W13 vanishes on p13(U). By surjectivity

of the differential of P13 : U -, Z13 this is equivalent to the vanishing of the
2-form p13w13 on U. To prove the latter we use the trivially verified identity

p13W 13 = p12W 12 - p23 W23

We will show that both terms on the RHS of the identity vanish on U.
To that end, consider U as a smooth locally closed subvariety of
pie (Z12). Since Z12 is isotropic with respect to the form w12i a slight mod-
ification of Proposition 1.3.30 (one needs to replace Z12 by p12 (Z12) and
w12 by p12w12) implies that p12w12 vanishes on U. Similarly, we deduce that
p23W23 vanishes on U. Hence, by identity, the form p13W13 vanishes on U,
and the proposition follows.
Warning. There exists an example of lagrangian subvarieties Z12 C M1 X
M2 and Z23 C M2 x M3 such that Z12 o Z23 is not lagrangian (it has
components of dimension < 1/2 dim (M1 x M3).)
 CHAPTER 3

Complex Semisimple Groups

3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties

We begin this section by reviewing some basic facts about semisimple
groups and Lie algebras which we will need in the rest of this book. For
further information the reader is referred to [Bour], [Bo3], [Hum], [Sel],
and [Di].
Fix G as a complex semisimple connected Lie group with Lie algebra g,
often viewed as a G-module by means of the adjoint action. We introduce
a few standard objects associated with a semisimple group (see [Bo3] for
more details about the structure of algebraic groups). Let B be a Borel
subgroup, i.e., a maximal solvable subgroup of G, see [Bo3], and let T be a
maximal torus contained in B. Let U be the unipotent radical of B so that
B = T T. U, in particular B is connected. Let b, resp. 4, n, denote the Lie
algebra of B, resp. T, U, so that b = 4 ® it. Then n = [b, b]. The subalgebra
h is called a Cartan subalgebra of g and its dimension, dim l = rk g, is
called the rank of g.
NOTATION. For any Lie group G with Lie algebra g we write ZG(x) and
ZZ(x) for the centralizer of an element x E g in G and g, respectively.
We will frequently use without proofs the following well-known results:
Lemma 3.1.1. [Di, Proposition 11.2.4(ii)] Any orbit of a unipotent group
acting on an affine algebraic variety is closed in the Zariski topology.
Lemma 3.1.2. [Bo3] Any Bored subgroup equals its normalizer, that is,
NG(B) = B.
Let g be a semisimple Lie algebra. It is known (see e.g. [gel, Chapter
3], [Di]) that for any element x E g there is the following lower bound
dim Z9(x) > rkg.
Definition 3.1.3. An element x E g is called regular if dim Z.(x) = rk g.

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_4,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
128 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

An element x E g is said to be semisimple (resp. nilpotent) if the

operator ad x : g - g can be diagonalized in an appropriate base (resp.
ad x is nilpotent). Any element x E 9 is known [Bo3] to have a Jordan
decomposition x = s + n where s E g is semisimple, n E g is nilpotent,
and [s, n) = 0. In particular, s and n commute with x and, moreover, for
any representation p : g - End V, the endomorphisms p(s) and p(n) can
be expressed as polynomials in p(x) without constant term. (The Jordan
decomposition holds in the Lie algebra of any complex algebraic group, and
it is known that a semisimple Lie algebra is the Lie algebra of a semisimple
algebraic group.)
Let g8 be the set of regular semisimple elements of g. Warning: The
nilpotent element with a single n x n Jordan block is regular in g =
but it is not semisimple.
We will frequently use the following properties of semisimple elements
which are immediate from the results of [Sel, ch 31.

Lemma 3.1.4. Fix 1j C b, Cartan and Borel subalgebras of g.

(a) Any element of b is semisimple and any semisimple element of g is
G-conjugate to an element of b.
(b) The centralizer of a semisimple regular element is a Cartan subalge-
bra.
(c) If x E b is a semisimple regular element then Z,(x) C b.
(d) The set g is a G-stable dense subset of g.
The last assertion can be strengthened as follows:
Lemma 3.1.5. There exists a 0-invariant polynomial P on g such that
x E g'r t* P(x) # 0. In particular, g \ 98r is a divisor in g and g'f is a
Zariski-open affine subset of S.
Proof. Given X E g and t E C, let det (t I - ad x) be the characteristic
polynomial of the operator ad x. Clearly, it does not change under conjuga-
tion. We know also that dim Ker(ad x) > rk g = r. It follows that
det (t I - ad x) = tr Pr(x) + tr+1 . Pr+1(x) + tr+2 . p,.+2(x) +
where Pi are certain G-invariant polynomials on g.
Write the Jordan decomposition x = s+n where s is semisimple and n is
nilpotent. Since ad s and ad n commute they can be put simultaneously into
upper-triangular form. Since ad n is nilpotent, the corresponding upper-
triangular matrix has all diaganal entries zero. Thus ad(s + n) and ads
have the same characteristic polynomials due to the nilpotency of ad n. If
s is regular then n = 0 by Lemma 3.1.4(b), hence x = s is semisimple. If s
is not regular then the characteristic polynomial of ads (and therefore the
characteristic polynomial of ad x) will have a zero of order > r at t = 0.
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 129

Thus, we have shown that x E gee if and only if the point t = 0 is the zero
of the characteristic polynomial of ad x of order exactly r. But the latter
condition is equivalent to Pr(x) # 0 where Pr.(x) is the coefficient at tr in
the above expansion of the characteristic polynomial of ad x.
Let B be the set of all Borel subalgebras in g. By definition 13 is the
closed subvariety of the Grassmannian of dim b-dimensional subspaces in
g formed by all solvable Lie subalgebras. Hence ti is a projective variety.
Recall that all Borel subalgebras are conjugate under the adjoint action of
G (cf. (Bo3]) and that Gb, the isotropy subgroup of b in G, is equal to B
by Lemma 3.1.2. Thus, the assignment g r-+ g b g-1 gives a bijection
G/B-+13.
Furthermore, the LHS has the natural structure of a smooth algebraic G-
variety (cf.(Bo3]), and the above bijection becomes a G-equivariant isomor-
phism of algebraic varieties. Lemma 3.1.2 also yields the following
Corollary 3.1.6. (a) b E B is a fixed point of the adjoint action of
g E G if and only if g E B.
(b) b E 13 is the zero-point of the vector field on 13 associated to x E g if
and only if x E b.
3.1.7. BRUHAT DECOMPOSITION, see [Bru], [Chev]. Fix a Borel subgroup
B C G with Lie algebra bo. We begin by introducing three maps.
The first map B\G/B -+ {B-orbits on 13} assigns to a double coset
B g B the B-orbit of the right coset g B/B E G/B. The second map
{B-orbits on B} --+ {G-diagonal orbits on 13 x 13) takes the B-orbit of a
point b E 13 to the G-diagonal orbit of the point (b0, b) E 13 x 13. We note
that (as we will see below) {b0} is the only one-point B-orbit in B and that
the assignment above takes this orbit to the diagonal in B x 13, which is the
G-orbit in 13 x 13 of minimal dimension.
To introduce the next map we have to choose a maximal torus T C B.
Write NG(T) for the normalizer of T in G and WT = NG(T)/T for the Weyl
group of G with respect to T. Define the map WT -+ B\G/B by assigning
to w E WT the double coset B - w B where w is a representative of w in
N(T). Clearly, the double coset does not depend on the choice of such a
representative, since T C B.
Thus we have defined the following maps
(3.1.8)
WT -+ B\G/B -+ {B-orbits on 13} -+ {G-diagonal orbits on 13 x 13}.
Theorem 3.1.9. All the above maps are bijections.
Before proceeding to the proof we remark that the rightmost set in
(3.1.8) depends neither on the choice of T nor on the choice of B, while the
130 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

leftmost set obviously does. We will see later on that the set of G-orbits in
B x B is in fact in canonical bijection with an "abstract" Weyl group W,
i.e., the Coxeter group associated to the root system of G (this group W
is not a subgroup G). There is no contradiction with the theorem because
the choice we have made of T and of a Bore] B containing T provides an
identification of W with WT = N(T)/T (this identification depends not
only on T but on the choice of a Borel B containing T as well).
Proof of Theorem 3.1.9. We begin by observing that the bijection
B\G/B *-- {B-orbits on 13} is immediate from definitions. Similarly,
for any group G and its subgroup H, one has a canonical bijection
{H-orbits on G/H} 2 {G-diagonal orbits on G/H x G/H} given by
the map sending a point g H/H to the diagonal G-orbit of the point
(g H/H) x (e H/H) E G/H x G/H, where e stands for the unit
of G. In the special case H = B the map so defined becomes iden-
tical to the one defined before the theorem; this yields the bijection
{B-orbits on B} F- {G-diagonal orbits on B x B1. Thus it remains to show,
and this is the crucial part of the theorem, that the composite of the first
two maps in (3.1.8) gives a bijection WT «- {B-orbits on B}.
There are many ways to prove this, see [Hum], [Bo3] for different proofs.
We shall give a geometric one, proving that each B-orbit in B contains
exactly one point of the form to - BIB, w E WT. Our argument will be
based on the Bialynicki-Birula decomposition.
To apply the Bialynicki-Birula result we need to analyze the T-fixed
points in B first. These are described in part (ii) of the following result.
Lemma 3.1.10. (i) Let t be a Cartan subalgebra, and 6 J t a Borel
subalgebra. Any Borel subalgebra containing h has the form w 6 - w-', to E
N(T)/T.
(ii) The T -fixed points in B are in natural bijective correspondence with
WT = N(T)/T.
By some abuse of notation, the expression w 6 - w-1 in (i) above stands
for n b n'1 where n E N(T) is a representative of to. It is implicit here
that n1 b - ni 1 = n2 b - n2 1 if n1 and n2 give the same class in WT. Note
also, that by 3.1.6(a) the set of T-fixed points in B is the same as the set of
Borel subalgebras containing Lie T = h, hence part (i) yields (ii). Part (i) is
well-known, [Hum].
Next we show that every B-orbit on B contains exactly one T-fixed
point. Choose a one-parameter subgroup which is in a general
position in the sense that the corresponding Lie subalgebra Lie C` C Lie T
is spanned by a regular semisimple element h E 1). We view this copy of
C` as a subgroup in G and let it act on B, g, etc. by means of conjugation.
Since ad h : g -+ g can be diagonalized, we have a weight space direct sum
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 131

decomposition according to the eigenvalues of ad h

g=®gc aEZ.
Note that the eigenvalues ad h are integers because the action comes from
an algebraic C'-action, and algebraic homomorphisms C' -- C' are of the
form z p-' z" for n E Z. Note further that we have go = Ker (ad h) _
Z0(h) = lj, the Lie algebra of T. Therefore we have
g=hED n+Gn-

where n+ (resp. n-) denotes the positive (reap. negative) eigenspaces. Our
choice of h and C' can be made so that the eigenvalues of ad h on Lie B are
greater than or equal to 0; therefore we must have Lie B = j ®n+.
Clearly C'-fix points in B are precisely the zeros of the vector field on 13
given by the infinitesimal h-action. By Corollary 3.1.6, a Borel subalgebra
b is fixed by the C'-action if and only if h E b. The latter holds-because h
is regular semisimple, see Lemma 3.1.4(c)-if and only if Ij C b. Hence,
the set of C'-fixed points in 13 is equal to the set of T-fixed points in
8. Therefore by 3.1.10 these fixed points are of the form w - BIB, w E
N(T)/T.
We now apply the Bialynicki-Birula decomposition (2.4.3) to the above
C'-action on B with the finite fixed point set N W. We obtain a decompo-
sition

B N UwEWB--
To describe the attracting sets S explicitly, we must analyze the spaces
T. +B that play a role in the Bialynicki-Birula decomposition, cf. 2.4.3.
Fix w E W and view it as a fixed-point of the C'-action on 5. Since
B is a homogeneous G-space, the tangent space of B at w, is isomorphic
naturally to the quotient of g by the Lie algebra of the isotropy group
of w. In particular, T,,,13 is a quotient of g/rj because h is contained in
the Lie algebra of the isotropy group of w. We have the decomposition
9/4 = n+ ® n-. This decomposition clearly projects to the decomposition
T,,,B = Tti+, BED T,;3 under the action-map map g -+ T.B. It follows that
Tu+, B = n+ w. Thus we obtain
(3.1.11) dim B,, = dim Ty+,13 = dim (n+ w) = dim (U w)
where U is the unipotent group corresponding to the Lie algebra n+, the
unipotent radical of the Borel subgroup B chosen above.
We claim further that U w C 13,,, where, by definition, 13w is the
attracting set at w. Indeed, for any u E U and t E C' C T, we have
tut-1 - 1 when t -+ 0. Therefore,
tut(w) = tut-1 t(w) = tut-'(W) , -0 1 w = w.
132 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

On the other hand, equation (3.1.11) implies that the differential of the
action-map U -+ 13,x, u - u(x), cf. [Bo3], is surjective at any point x E
U w is an open subset of !3u, by the implicit
function theorem. At the same time, this U-orbit is closed by Lemma 3.1.1.
It follows that 13,,, = U - w. Therefore we have proved that each B. is a
single U-orbit on S. Since the maximal torus T fixes w we have further
U - w = U T - w = B w. Thus, we have proved that B-orbits in 13 are
precisely the cells 8,,,, hence each B-orbit contains a unique point of the
form w B/B.
Corollary 3.1.12. For any choice of Borel subgroup B C G the B-orbits
on 13 form a complex cell decomposition consisting of #W cells, which are
called the Bruhat cells with respect to B.

3.1.13. PLUCKER EMBEDDING OF THE FLAG VARIETY [BGG]. The follow-

ing construction of an embedding of 13 into a projective space is quite useful
in applications. The reader is referred to [BGG] for proofs and more details.
Let V be a finite dimensional irreducible G-module. It is known, see e.g.
[Huml], [Sell, that for any Borel subalgebra b C g = LieG there exists a
unique b-stable 1-dimensional subspace lb C V. We choose V to be "non-
degenerate" in the sense that the subalgebra in g that takes the line 1b
into itself equals b. It is known that any G-module with non-degenerate
highest weight is itself non-degenerate, cf. [Huml], so that there are plenty
of non-degenerate G-modules. Now the assignment b " lb sending each
Borel subalgebra b E 13 to the corresponding b-stable line lb C V gives a
well-defined morphism i 13'-+IP(V), which is clearly injective provided V
:

is non-degenerate. Hence, since 13 is a projective variety, such an injection

is a closed embedding. Thus, one obtains an explicit embedding of the flag
variety into the projective space ]P(V).
Further, fix a Borel subalgebra b, let B be the corresponding Borel
subgroup, T C B a maximal torus, and W = WT. Let 13 = U B,,, be
the Bruhat decomposition into B-orbits so that Be = {b}. Write n for the
nilradical of Lie B and Un the enveloping algebra of n. Then it was shown
in [BGG] that, for any w E WT, the closure of 13,,, behaves nicely under the
Plucker embedding above, that is
wE W.
In other words, if we identify 13 with its image in P(V) then the above
formula says that the closure of 13,,, is cut out from 13 by the projective
subspace 1P(Un w(lb)).

3.1.14. THE SL,-CASE. To facilitate further study of the various objects

we are going to associate with a general semisimple group, we will first
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 133

analyze in detail the case of G = SLn(C), the group of all linear maps
of the vector space C" to itself with determinant 1. Thus, throughout this
subsection we have
g = stn = Lie (SLn(C)) _ {x : C" --+ C' E Mn(C) I tr x = 0}.

Lemma 3.1.15. In the G = SLn case the space 13 is identified naturally

with the variety IF = (0 = Fo C F1 C . C Fn = C") I dim Fi = i} of the
complete flags in C".

Proof. To a flag F, assign the Lie subalgebra bF = {x E g I x(Fi) C

Fi, Vi}. If we let F = (0 C C' C C2 C C C") be the "coordinate flag,"
then

is the standard Borel subalgebra of upper-triangular matrices in sCn. Hence,

bF is a Borel subalgebra in sCn, any flag F is conjugate to F by means of
SLn action. Hence the assignment F -+ bF gives an embedding of the set
of complete flags into B. It is surjective by Lie's theorem, which says that
any Borel subalgebra preserves a flag. Being a bijective morphism between
smooth varieties, our map is an isomorphism (see [Bo3]).

Consider the variety, C"/Sn, of all unordered n-tuples of complex num-

bers viewed naturally as the orbi-space of the symmetric group Sn acting
on C" by permutation of coordinates. We claim that this orbi-space is iso-
morphic to an n-dimensional vector space as a variety. To prove the claim
write for the vector space of complex polynomials in A of degree
less than or equal to n - 1. This is clearly an n-dimensional vector space,
and we define a map
(3.1.16)
(x1, ... , xn) +-+ An - fj(A - xi) .
V' : C"-1 .-..+ C1A)n-1 '" Cn ,

The polynomial on the right does not depend on the order of the xi's, hence
the above map descends to a bijection C"/Sn Z C[Aln_1.
Recall that associated to any linear map x : C" -4 C" is the set
{x1i ... , xn} of its eigenvalues, counted with multiplicities. More formally,
this is an unordered n-tuple of complex numbers which are the roots of the
characteristic polynomial det(.1 1 - x) E C[A]. If x E An then Ex, =
tr x = 0. Write C n-1 for the (n -1)-dimensional hyperplane {(x1, ... , xn) I
E xi = 0} = C"-1 C C". This hyperplane is clearly stable under the action
of the symmetric group Sn on C". Thus, assigning to x E sin the set of its
134 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

eigenvalues yields a well-defined map

(3.1.17) 0: stn- C"-1/S,, ,

It is a rather important matter in representation theory to study the

interplay between the geometry of a semisimple Lie algebra and the flag
manifold associated to it. In the special case g = s1", we are dealing with
at the moment, the relation between the two is captured by the following
incidence variety

(3.1.18) C F1, Vi}

where F = (F0 C F1 C . C F") stands for a complete flag in C".
We construct a map v : g -+ C"-1 which should be thought of as
assigning to a pair (x, F) E g the ordered n-tuple of the eigenvalues of
x. To do this note that x preserves each component F. of the flag F, hence
induces a linear map x : Fi/Fi_1 -' F;/Fi_1. We write xi for the eigenvalue
of x acting on Fi/Fi_1r a one-dimensional vector space. Assembling the
numbers xi, i = 1, ... , n, together we obtain a map
v : (F, x) i.-4 (xi, ... , E C".

Note that v(g) is contained in the hyperplane {(xl,... , x")J E x; = 0}

C" I C C" because E xi = tr x = 0. Thus the presence of a flag F makes
it possible to order the eigenvalues of x.
Next let µ : g - g be the first projection (x, F) '- x. Observe that,
for any x, the fiber p-1(x) gets identified naturally with the subset B,, =
{F E B I x(Fi) C Fi, bi}. We now state an important claim:
Claim 3.1.19. For any x E g the set By consists of n! points, and there
is a canonical free action of the symmetric group S" on B. making it a
principal homogeneous S"-space.
Proof. Observe that g is the set of all linear maps C" _ C"` which have
zero trace and n distinct eigenvalues. Let x E g'r and write
C"=®V, diml=I
where the Y are the n distinct eigenspaces of x. Any x-stable subspace of
C" is a direct sum of the eigenspaces. Hence the set B. of all complete flags
fixed by x is of the form
B, Vi,

so that B. is in canonical bijection with the set of orderings of the integers

{ 1, ... , n}. This allows us to define an action of S" on 13,1 in a canonical
way, as follows. Given F E Bt, choose the ordering of the eigenspaces such
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 135

that foranyi=1,...,n,i.e,wehave
F=(Vi CVi®V2C...CV1®...®VJ.

Then for w E W, define the flag w(F) E Bs to be

w(F) = K_1(1) C ... C V._1(1) ® ... (D Vw-i(n)).

The action thus defined does not depend on any of the choices.

Recall finally the natural Sn-action on Cn that keeps the hyperplane

C'1'1 = (( X1 ,- .. , xn) I E x; = 0} stable. We see easily that

Lemma 3.1.20. The map v : g"' _ jC_1(g"') -- Cn-1 commutes with the
Sn-action.

All the maps constructed above fit into the following commutative dia-
gram:

(3.1.21) cn-1

(3.1.17) N, ,/(3.1.16)

cn-1 /Sn

3.1.22. ABSTRACT WEYL GROUP. Throughout this subsection R stands

for a finite reduced root system in a complex vector space b, as defined
e.g., in [Hum) or in Section 7.1 below. (In [Hum] the underlying vector
space is assumed to be a Euclidean vector space over it We then take S5
to be its complexification; in the notation of 7.1 we take i5 to be C ®y P.)
Recall that this means that R is a finite subset in Sj', the dual of 15, and
for each a E R we are given an element av E S5. The set R" C $5 formed
by the a"s is called the dual root system. The data is assumed to satisfy
the following conditions:
(1) R is a finite set which spans Sj', and 0 % R;
(2) (a, a) = 2 for any a E R;
(3) (a, P') E Z for any a E R, Qv E Rv;
(4) For any a E R the transformation sp : fj -- S5 given by the formula
sa(x) = x - (x, a) - a preserves the subset Rv C $5, resp. the
transformation se, :.ff - If given by sa(y) = y-(a, y) a) preserves
RC$'.
(5) IfaERthencaERifandonlyifc=f1.
136 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Remark 3.1.23. We do not assume .Sf to have a Euclidean inner product.

Humphrey [Hum] is assuming that such a inner product (, ) on S5 is given.
This allows him to work with a root system R and to forget about Rv. In
his setup, for each a E R, one defines a E SJ by the equation

(a, ) = a).
It is known that any root system as above can be decomposed into the
disjoint union R = R+ U R-, where R+ is a set of positive roots and
R- = -R+. Further, there is a uniquely determined subset S C R+, called
the set of simple roots, such that any positive root is a sum of a certain
number of simple roots. The cardinality of the set S is called the rank of R.
Given two distinct positive roots a, /3, there is a unique angle 0 < 0 < 7r
such that 4 cos' 0 = (a, /3") (/3, a") , see [Hum, 9.4]. The [Link] here being
an integer and the LHS being positive and < 4, the angle 0 must be of the
form (see the table in [Hum, 9.4]):

4) = it/m(a, /3) where m(a, Q) = 2, 3, 4 or 6 .

Write W for the group generated by the transformations s,,, a E R,

called the Weyl group of the root system R. This group is clearly finite,
for R is a finite set. The various sets of simple roots are permuted simply
transitively by the Weyl group. We fix one once and for all and denote it
by S. Then the group W is generated, cf. [Bour], by the set {sa, a E S}
of simple reflections. Moreover, it is known that W is isomorphic to the
abstract group with the generators sa, a E S subject to the following
defining relations:

(3.1.24) sa sp So ... = sp sa sp ... , m(a, p) factors;

(3.1.25) sa sa = 1.
The first of the above equations is called the braid relation. We will refer
to the abstract group defined by the above generators and relations as the
abstract Coxeter group (W, S).
Now let G be a semisimple group and T a maximal torus in G. Our goal
is to relate the abstract Weyl group W associated to the root system of
G to WT = N(T)/T, the Weyl group of (G, T). To that end we first need
to relate somehow the vector space 55 above with a Cartan subalgebra in
g = Lie G. We use the following

Lemma 3.1.26. For any Borel subalgebras b, b' E 13 there is a canonical

isomorphism
b/[b, b] = b'/[b', b'].
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 137

Proof. We know that all Borel subalgebras are conjugate and self-
normalizing. Therefore b' = gbg-1, for some g E G. Choose such a g and
define the map b -» b' to be given by x i -+ gxg" 1, for x E b. If we let
g' = gb for some b E B we get a new map b --+ V. This new map is the
same on the quotients b/[b, b] -. b'/[b', b'] as the one induced by g since
the adjoint action of B on b/[b, b] is trivial. Therefore all quotients b/[b, b]
are canonically isomorphic.

We identify all quotient spaces b/[b, b], for all Borel subalgebras b by
means of the canonical isomorphism of Lemma 3.1.26 and call the resulting
vector space the "abstract" Cartan subalgebra, which is not a subalgebra
of g ! We will show now that there is a canonical isomorphism of this
"abstract" Cartan subalgebra with S}, the underlying vector space of the
abstract root system (R, 5) introduced above.
To define this isomorphism, choose a Cartan subalgebra lj C g. The
weights of the adjoint l}-action on g form a set R of roots in lj'. Using
the Killing form (x, y) = Tr(ad x ad y) as the inner product we define,
see Remark 3.1.23, the set of coroots Rv C fl. Thus we obtain a root
system, Rg,y, in lj. The only problem is that this root system does not have
a preferred set of simple roots. To get the latter we choose, in addition, a
Borel subalgebra b D 1, and take the weights of the adjoint 4-action on
b to be positive roots. This specifies the set S = Sb C R0,4 of simple
roots. We now consider the composite of the natural maps 4'-'b -» b/[b, b].
Since b = ll + n = h + [b, b] this composite clearly gives an isomorphism
of the Cartan subalgebra j with the "abstract" Cartan subalgebra b/[b, b].
Transferring the root system R5,h and the set of simple roots to b/[b, b] by
means of the isomorphism above, we see that the space $ := b/[b, b] comes
equipped with the abstract root system (R, S). It is now easy to verify,
using Lemma 3.1.10, that any two choices of Borel subalgebras containing
4 give rise, under the isomorphism of Lemma 3.1.26, to the same abstract
root system (R, S) in .55. To summarize, for any choice of Borel subalgebra
b D lj, the composition
(3.1.27)
htib - b/[b, b] = f gives an isomorphism (tj, R5,4, Sb) ^_- (15, R, S).
Write T for the maximal torus corresponding to the Cartan subalgebra
fj. Using Lemma 3.1.10 it is easy to see that the natural action of the Weyl
group W = N(T)/T on lj gets identified, by means of isomorphism (3.1.27)
with the W-action on $. This gives a group isomorphism W = W. It is
important to keep in mind that the isomorphisms i = $ and W = W we
have constructed depend on the choice of a Borel subalgebra b D 4, and not
only on 4. The choice of b specifies the set of simple reflections in W and
the set of simple roots in 1j'
138 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

We now introduce the notion of the relative position of two Borel subal-
gebras of g. Given two such Borel subalgebras b, 6, find a Cartan subalge-
bra b C 6 n 6', which always exists but is not unique in general. Let W be
the Weyl group of (g, h). By Lemma 3.1.10 there is a well-defined element
w E W such that b' = w(b). Let w(6, b') E W be the element of the abstract
Weyl group corresponding to w under the isomorphism W = W induced by
(3.1.27). We claim that the element in W so defined is independent of the
choice of a Cartan subalgebra in 6 fl b'. To see this, let Ell C b fl b' be
another Cartan subalgebra. Write B and B' for the Borel subgroups corre-
sponding to 6 and b' respectively. Since any two Cartan subalgebras in the
Lie algebra b fl b' are conjugate to each other, see [Bol], there exists an ele-
ment b E Bfl B' such that Ad b(4) = tel. Now, if Wl denotes the Weyl group
of the pair (g, b1) and w1 = Ad b(w) E W1, then it is clear that b' = w1(b).
We have the following commutative diagram
Adb
h

b/[b, b]
Z
Commutativity of the diagram implies that the elements w E W and
wl E W1 correspond to the same element w(b, b') E W.

Definition 3.1.28. Two Borel subalgebras 6, b' are said to be in relative

position w E W if w(b, b') = w.

We are now ready to prove the following reformulation of the Bruhat

decomposition Theorem 3.1.9 in terms that do not involve any choices.

Proposition 3.1.29. Two pairs of Borel subalgebras (bl, bi) and (b2, bz)
are in the same relative position w E W if and only if the points (b1, bl) E
B x B and (b2, bz) E B x 13 belong to the same G-orbit under the diagonal
G-action on 13 x B. In other words, the assignment (b, b') -' w(b, b') gives
a canonical bijection
{G-diagonal orbits on B x B} = W.

Proof. Choose a Borel subalgebra 6 and let T be the maximal torus

corresponding to a Cartan subalgebra l C S. Let w E WT. If we identify
w E WT with an element of W using our Borel subalgebra b, then it is clear
from definitions that Borel subalgebras 6 and w(b) are in relative position
w E W. It is also clear that all elements of any G-orbit in B x B are in the
same relative position. Hence, to prove the bijection of the proposition, we
must show that each G-diagonal orbit on B x B contains a single point of the
form (b, w(b)) , w E WT. To that end, recall that the Bruhat decomposition
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 139

theorem provides a bijection

WT Z {G-diagonal orbits on B x 51.
This bijection was established by showing that each G-diagonal orbit on
B x B contains a single point of the form (6, w(6)) , w E WT. The proposi-
tion follows.
To a simple reflection s E W the bijection of the proposition assigns the
set of all pairs (6, 6') E B x B such that 6 i6 6' and 6 + 6' is a minimal
parabolic subalgebra in g "of type s." This set is a single G-orbit in B x 8
of dimension 1 + dim B. The orbit is not closed and the diagonal of B x B
is the only other G-orbit contained in its closure.
Example 3.1.30. Let G = SL2(C). Then W = {1, s}. Giving a complete
flag in C2 amounts to giving a 1-dimensional subspace in C2. Thus, B = P1
and B x B = 1P1 x 1P1. The two G-orbits are the diagonal in B x B and its
complement.
3.1.31. UNIVERSAL RESOLUTION OF 9. We are now in a position to extend
the constructions we have made in 3.1.14 in the SL,,-case to the case of a
general semisimple Lie algebra. Here is the analogue of the incidence variety
3.1.18.
Definition 3.1.32. Set g={(x,6)Egx51 xEb}.
The first and second projections give rise to the diagram

9 B
We first analyze the map 7r. To that end, note that, for any 6 E B the
fiber ir'1(b) is nothing but the set of all elements of 6. Hence it-1(6) is a
vector space, so that it g - B is a vector bundle whose fibers are the
:

Borel subalgebras of g. It is sometimes convenient to fix a Borel subgroup

B of G and treat 6 = Lie B as a base point in B. Let B act on G x 6 by the
formula b : (g, x) '--+ (g b-1, b x b-1). This action is free (since the action on
the first factor is), and we write G x e 6 for the orbit-space. The projection
G x8 6 G/B, (g, x) i- g- B makes G x Y 6 a G-equivariant vector bundle
over G/B with fiber 6. The following result is clear from definitions.
Corollary 3.1.33. The projection it : g --+ B makes g a G-equivariant
vector bundle over B = G/B with fiber 6. The assignment (g, x) -'
(g - x- g-1, g- B/B) gives a G-equivariant isomorphism G x 8 6 .Z g.
Next we analyze the map ti : -+ g, which is more complicated. We
start with
140 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Proposition 3.1.34. The morphism µ is proper.

Proof. The map µ is the restriction of the first projection g x B -, g
which is proper since B is a compact variety.
Note that for any x E g the fiber it-'(x) becomes identified naturally
with the set, B,, C B, of all Borel subalgebras that contain x. This is the
same as the set of x-fixed points on B, i.e., the zeros of the corresponding
vector field.
Example 3.1.35. In the two extreme cases in which either x = 0 or x is
generic we have
(a) If x = 0, then a-'(0) = B.
(b) If X E g' then #Bx = #W.
Next we introduce an analogue of the map v g --+ C"-' that we
:

have defined when g = st,,. The right replacement for C"-' is the abstract
Cartan subalgebra 55. For general g we define a map v as the
projection

(x, b) --+ x mod (b, 6] E b/[6, b] = Si.

Set Here is a generalization of claim 3.1.19.

Proposition 3.1.36. For each x E 9'r, there is a canonical free W-action
on k-1(x) making the projection g" - 9" a principal W-bundle.
Proof. Let x E g" and b E µ-'(x). By Lemma 3.1.4(b),(c) the centralizer
of x is a Cartan subalgebra ll C b. For w E W, we let b' := w(b) be
the unique Borel subalgebra containing 4 such that the pair (b, b') is in
the relative position w. Explicitly, this means that we first use our Borel
subalgebra 6 to identify W with the Weyl group W of the pair (g, f) via
(3.1.27). Then we put b' = w(b) where w is now viewed as an element of
W.
3.1.37. Chevalley Restriction Theorem. Let C[g] be the algebra of
polynomial functions on g, and let C[g]° be the subalgebra of G-invariant
polynomials with respect to the adjoint action. Given a Cartan subalgebra
lj C g, we consider the restriction map C[g] -+ C[b]. Writing W for the
Weyl group of (g, ll) we obviously have C(g)G - C[b]w. The result below,
called the Chevalley Restriction Theorem, asserts that this map is, in fact,
an isomorphism.
Theorem 3.1.38. For any Cartan subalgebra b C g the restriction map
gives a canonical graded algebra isomorphism
C[g]° " C(4]W.
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 141

Proof. First we show that the restriction map in the theorem is injective.
Recall that (Lemma 3.1.4) we have: (i) g'r is dense in g, and (ii) any x E g"
is G-conjugate to an element of h. Let P E C[g]' be such that Pb, = 0.
Then by (ii) we have P1e.. = 0, and (i) implies P = 0.
We now prove surjectivity, which is more difficult. Fix a W-invariant
polynomial P on h. To show surjectivity we must produce a polynomial
R E C[g]G which restricts to P.
To construct R we choose a Borel subalgebra b containing the fixed
Cartan subalgebra ll. As we know, the composite map 4-b -+ b/[b, b] = f)
gives an isomorphism h =15. Therefore we may canonically identify P with
a W-invariant polynomial Pr5 on 5).
Let P := v'P,, be the pullback of Pr, along v i.e., P(g) _
P,(v(g)) for g E p. We claim that P is a G-invariant regular function
on g. To see this, recall that there is a natural G-equivariant isomorphism
g = G x,, b. Using this isomorphism, we may identify v with the projection
G xB b --+ b/[b, b], (g, x) t-4 x mod [b, b]. It is clear that all points of a
G-orbit in G xs b get mapped under the projection into the same point in
b/[b, b]. Hence, P is G-invariant.
Next, we restrict P to the Zariski open subset g'r := µ"1(g"r) Recall
that there is a canonical W-action on g'. Furthermore the map v com-
mutes with the W-actions. The polynomial P,y being W-invariant, it fol-
lows that P1e., is W-invariant. Hence, writing C(g'r)w for the field of W-
invariant rational functions on B"r, we obtain

(3.1.39) PIa.. E .
C(g"r)w.

Recall that a morphism k -+ X of normal algebraic varieties is said to

be a Galois covering if it is the quotient map by the free action of a finite
group W. In this case W is called the Galois group of the covering. There
is a general property of Galois coverings saying that the field of rational
functions on the covering is a Galois extension of the field of rational
functions on the base (cf. e.g. [Lang]). Now, Proposition 3.1.3£ implies that
µ: a Galois covering of g"r with the Galois group W. It follows
that the natural inclusion µ' : C(g r)-+C(g"') of the fields of rational
functions induces an isomorphism C(g"')=+C{g'r)w. Applying the inverse
isomorphism to the element P E C(g"r)w, see (3.1.39), we find a rational
function R E C(g"r) such that Ple.r = µ`R .
The function R is invariant under the adjoint G-action, since p is a
G-map and P is a G-invariant function. We claim that R is actually a
polynomial on g, i.e., has no singularities. To prove this, observe that,
for every relatively compact set D C g, the function RIDno..- is bounded
because µ'1(D n g"r) is relatively compact (since µ is proper). Since R is
142 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

bounded on all relatively compact sets, it has no poles and therefore is a

polynomial (cf. [Muml]).
We leave it to the reader to verify that R E C[g]G restricts to the original
polynomial P E C[hj'.
Remark 3.1.40. The algebraic argument in the proof, based on Galois
coverings, may be replaced by the following analytic argument. To show
that the function P = v'Ph on g descends to a polynomial on g, observe
first that the restriction Pli., descends to a holomorphic function R on g
This follows from W-invariance, since the covering map µ : g&r _ g8r is a
local isomorphism of complex manifolds. We claim that R can be extended
to an entire function on g. To see this, set D = g \ g" (this is a divisor
by 3.1.5, but we don't need this fact here. If D is not a divisor, go to the
next step). Let x be a smooth point of D and t1, ... , t,, local coordinates
at that point such that the divisor is given by the equation tl = 0. We know
that the function R = R(t1,... , t.. ) is bounded on a small neighborhood
of x. Taking its Laurent power series expansion, one concludes that it has
no singular terms, hence R can be holomorphically extended to the regular
locus Dre9 C D. But the set D \ D''e9 has codimension > 1 in g. Thus, any
holomorphic function on the complement of this set can be extended to the
whole of g by Hartog's theorem on "removable singularities."
To show that the entire function R is a polynomial, observe that the
function P = v'P, is a polynomial on each fiber of the vector bundle
n : g - B. Hence, it grows polynomially fast along the fibers. It follows,
since B is compact and µ is proper, that the function R on g grows
polynomially fast at infinity. Thus it is a polynomial.
Let 15/W be the topological orbi-space under the quotient topology. It
is a simple general fact, see e.g. [Bo3], [Huml], that for any action of a
finite group W, the W-invariant polynomials on $ separate W-orbits. In
other words, given two distinct W-orbits we may always find a W-invariant
polynomial on S5 which is identically zero on one orbit, and identically equal
to 1 on the other. We therefore have
Specm C[,6]w =15/W
as a set, and moreover it is known that $/W is isomorphic as an algebraic
variety to a vector space, since C[15]w is a free polynomial algebra, due to a
theorem of Chevalley, see (Bour].
Given a pair h C 6 of a Cartan and a Borel subalgebra containing it, we
consider the diagram of maps
9

These maps induce algebra homomorphisms C[g]G - C[h]`i' - C[15]w,

which are both isomorphisms. Taking the composition of the left isomor-
 3.1 Semisimple Lie Algebras and Flag Varieties 143

phism with the inverse of the right one we obtain an algebra isomorphism
C[g]6--C[51]w .
Examining the proof of Theorem 3.1.38, one verifies that this isomorphism
is canonical, i.e., does not depend on the choice of (h, 6). We therefore
obtain a canonical C-algebra embedding
C[g]

by inverting the isomorphism. This algebra embedding is induced by a

morphism p : g - S5/W of the corresponding affine algebraic varieties.
The map p completes the following diagram (which is a generalization of
diagram (3.1.21), page 135 in the case g = called Grothendieck's
simultaneous resolution.

(3.1.41)

Sj/W
Call an element h E 55 regular if it does not belong to any root hyper-
plane, equivalently, if the W-orbit of h consists of #W elements. Note that
if l C 6 is a pair of a Cartan and Borel subalgebra, then an element in h
is regular as an element of g if and only if its image under the isomorphism
h - 6/[6, 6] = .S is a regular element of $. We write J5T19 C fj for the set
of regular elements.
Lemma 3.1.42. (i) Diagram (3.1.41) commutes.
(ii) We have IA-1(98r) = ger = -I(hreg)
Proof. As we already mentioned,)) 55/W is an affine variety, and W-
invariant functions on Sj separate points of 55/W. Therefore, it suffices to
show that, for any polynomial f E C[b]w and any point x E g, we have
f o- p o µ(x) = f o 7r o v(x). Proving this equation amounts to showing that
the corresponding diagram of structure rings of functions commutes:
D(8)

C[g] t C[h]

C[[7]w = O(15/W)
144 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

This follows from the construction of the morphism p'. Indeed, let
P E C[5]w'. Then 7r*P is the same function P but viewed as an element
of Q5]. Now we have shown in the course of the proof of the surjectivity
part of Theorem 3.1.38 that there is a polynomial R E C[g]G such that
µ`R = v*(lr`P). Furthermore, the map p* was defined by means of the
homomorphism C[S5]" - C[g], P -+ R, thus makes the diagram commute.
Part (ii) of the lemma is straightforward and is left to the reader.
Corollary 3.1.43. (cf. [Ko3]) Let b be a Borel subalgebra with nilradical n.
Then, for any G-invariant polynomial P on g and any x E b the restriction
P.,,+,, is constant.
Proof. Fixx E b andlet y= x+nforsomenE [Link]=(x,b)E
and y = (y, b) E p. Then in b/[b, b] we have v(:i) = v(y). The claim of the
corollary now follows from the commutativity of diagram (3.1.41)
The above argument was based on a formal diagram chase. We shall now
make explicit the geometric idea that makes this proof work.
Lemma 3.1.44. [Ko3] Let x E b be a semisimple regular element. Then
x + n = B- x is a single B-orbit.
Proof. We first check that the affine linear space x + n is B-stable. Since
B is connected, it suffices to verify, due to Lemma 1.4.12(1), that for any
b E b we have [b, n] C n and [b, x] E n. The first inclusion is clear, since n is
an ideal in b. Further, since b/n is an abelian Lie algebra, for any b, x E b
we have [b, x] = 0 mod n. It follows that [b, x] E x.
Let U be the unipotent radical of B, the subgroup corresponding to
the subalgebra n C b. We have shown that x + n is B-stable, hence U-
stable. Observe now that In, x] = n, since x is regular semisimple (so that
Zg(x) fl n = 0). Thus the U-orbit of x is open in x + n due to Lemma
1.4.12(i). But any orbit of a unipotent group U on a affine space is closed
by3.1.1. Therefore AdB-x=AdU-x=x+n. a
With this lemma we can give a direct proof of Corollary 3.1.43. Let P
be a G-invariant polynomial on g. Then P is constant on any B-orbit; in
particular, it is constant on any affine linear space x + n where x E b is
regular semisimple. By continuity, it is constant on x + n since any x E b,
since regular semisimple elements are dense in b.

3.2 Nilpotent Cone

Recall that an element x E g is called nilpotent if ad x : g - 9 is nilpotent.
This agrees with the usual notion of nilpotency when g = s(,,(C). Moreover,
one can show (e.g., Corollary 3.7.9) that any nilpotent element of g acts
as a nilpotent operator on any finite-dimensional g-module. Let N denote
 3.2 Nilpotent Cone 145

the set of all nilpotent elements of g. Clearly N is a closed Ad G-stable

subvariety of g. The set N is also C'-stable with respect to dilations, i.e.,
N is a cone-variety.
Recall the projection p: g and set
R:= IL-'(N) = {(x, b) E A( x 13 I X E b}.
Fix a Borel subalgebra b E B. The fiber over b of the second projection
it : N - 5 is formed by the nilpotent elements of b. But it is clear
that the operator ad x, x E b is nilpotent if and only if x has no Cartan
component in a decomposition b = it ® n where n :_ [b, b] is the nil-radical
of b. Thus, an element of b is nilpotent if and only if it belongs to n. It
follows that the projection it makes N a vector bundle over 13 with fiber n.
Furthermore, since any nilpotent element of g is G-conjugate into n we get
a G-equivariant vector bundle isomorphism
N=µ-'(N)!-- Gxe n,
where B is the Borel subgroup of G corresponding to b. In particular, N is
a smooth variety, while N itself is always singular at the origin.

Example 3.2.1. Let g = s(2(C). In this case N is isomorphic to a

quadratic cone in C3,

N={x= [c a) Idetx=-a2-be=0}
and .# is a line bundle over 13 = p' as is demonstrated by the following
picture:

A point in B corresponds to a 1-dimensional subspace 1 C V. The

corresponding fiber of it : N -+ B over I consists of the nilpotent operators
C2 - C2 whose image is contained in 1. Such operators form a line in N.
146 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Thus, points in 13 correspond to lines in N; these are the lines depicted on

the picture.
A point of N is represented by a pair (n, b) where b is a line on the
picture and n is a point on the line. Then the map p : N - N is given by
(n, b) '-+ n, and the bundle projection N -+ P' is given by (n, b) F--+ b.

Identify 9 - g" by means of the G-equivariant isomorphism given by an

invariant bilinear form on g, e.g., the Killing form (x, y) = 'k( ad x ad y) ,
cf. [Hum], [Sell.
Lemma 3.2.2. (cf. e.g. [BoB]) There is a natural G-equivariant vector
bundle isomorphism

N-T'L3.
Proof. By Proposition 1.4.11 we have T`,3 = G x B b1. Under the isomor-
phism g = g', the annihilator b1 C g' gets identified with the annihilator
of b in 9 with respect to the invariant form. The latter is equal to n, the
nilradical of b. Thus, T'L3 = G x B n = N. s
Corollary 3.2.3. The projection p : T'13 = N --+ N is the moment map
with respect to the Hamiltonian G-action on T*B arising from the G-action
on B. Furthermore this moment map is surjective.
Proof. First claim is immediate from Proposition 1.4.10. To prove the
second claim, observe that the map u : N -+ N is surjective, since any
nilpotent element of g is known to be contained in the nilradical of a Borel
subalgebra (cf. [Hum1]).
Definition 3.2.4. The map µ : T*B - N is called Springer's resolution.
It will be shown in Section 3.3 that p is a resolution of singularities for N.
Let C[g]+ denote the set of G-invariant polynomials on g without con-
stant term. The statement below is due to Kostant; it generalizes the
classical result saying that an n x n-matrix x is nilpotent if and only if

Proposition 3.2.5. [Ko3] An element x E g is nilpotent if and only if for

every P E C[g]+ we have P(x) = 0.
The significance of the proposition is in giving an intrinsic definition of a
"nilpotent element in g'," as opposed to that in g. More specifically, recall
that the moment map it : T*B -+ g' should be viewed naturally as a map
into the Lie algebra dual. Thus we would like to speak about elements in
its image as nilpotent elements in g'. However, the original definition of
nilpotency of an element x was given in terms of the operator ad x, so that
it makes no sense to say that an element x E g' is nilpotent. We may
 3.2 Nilpotent Cone 147

of course identify g' with g by means of an invariant form, and say that
an element in g' is nilpotent if its image in g is. This is easily seen to be
independent of the choice of an invariant form, and this is what we have
tacitly done so far. Proposition 3.2.5 shows that this approach is equivalent
to the following more intrinsic definition: An element A E g' is nilpotent if
any G-invariant polynomial on g' without constant term vanishes at A. An
alternative intrinsic characterization of nilpotents in g' will be given later
in Proposition 3.2.16.
Proposition 3.2.5 yields the following extension of the commutative dia-
gram (3.1.41) above:

1V` 9

(3.2.6) N .g fj

{0} c % $/W

This will be made evident in the proof below.

3.2.7. Proof of Proposition 3.2.5. Let p : 9 --+ Sj/W and r : 15 -+ fj/W
be the natural maps, as depicted in the diagram. By the isomorphism
C(15Jw
-- C[g]c, proving the proposition amounts to showing that N =
P-'(0). Assume that x E N. Let x = (x, b) E µ'1(x) C A/. We have x E b
and x is nilpotent, hence, x E [b, b) and v(x) = 0. Therefore 7r(v(i)) = 0.
By the commutativity of diagram (3.1.41) we obtain

0 = ir(v(:B)) = P(A)) = P(x)

Thus, p(N) = 0. Conversely, let x E p-1(0). To show that x is nilpotent,
choose i = (x, b) E 14-1(x). We have

7r(v(x)) = P(µ(i)) = P(x) = 0.

Hence, v(x) E 7r-1(0) = {0}. Hence (x, b) E v-1(0) so that x E n. It follows

that x is nilpotent.
Alternative Proof of the Proposition. Let x be nilpotent. Then x E n
for some Borel subalgebra b. By Corollary 3.1.43, the restriction to n
of any G-invariant polynomial P E C[9]+ is constant. It follows that
P(x) = P(0) = 0. Conversely, assume P(x) = 0 for any polynomial
P E C[g[+. Observe that all the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial
det (A Id - ad x) except the first one belong to C[gJ+. Hence, they vanish
so that det (A Id - ad x) = Adim a. It follows that the operator ad x has no
non-zero eigenvalues, hence is nilpotent.
148 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Corollary 3.2.8. [Ko3] Al is an irreducible variety of dimension 2dim n.

Proof. Observe that T'l3 is smooth and connected, hence, irreducible.
Surjectivity of the moment map A: T*B - H, see Corollary 3.2.3, implies
that Al is irreducible and dim H < dim T'8 = 2dim 13 = 2dim n.
On the other hand, diagram of (3.2.6) shows that H is the zero fiber of
the algebraic morphism p o p : g - $5/W. For any fiber of this map we have
dimension of the fiber > dim g - dim ($5/W) .

Since dim ($5/W) = dim $5 = rk 9, we conclude that dimN > dim g - rk g

(equivalently, one can use Proposition 3.2.5 to deduce that the subvariety
Al C g is given by rk g equations. Hence, the codimension of H in g is
> rkg).
Comparing with the opposite estimate obtained at the beginning of the
proof yields the result.

Proposition 3.2.9. The number of nilpotent conjugacy classes of g is

finite.

We postpone the proof of the proposition until the next section. In the
special case g = the result follows from the Jordan form theorem,
which sets up a natural bijection between nilpotent conjugacy classes and
partitions of n. In the general complex semisimple case the proposition
was first proved using the work of Dynkin and Kostant (see [Di], (Koll).
The same result holds for any semisimple linear algebraic group over an
algebraically closed field of arbitrary characteristic. This was first proved
in full generality by Lusztig (see [Lul]); some partial results were obtained
earlier by Richardson (see [Ri]). The corresponding result for Lie algebras
was proved much later by a case-by-case study, see (HoSpa].
Proposition 3.2.10. [Ko3] The regular nilpotent elements form a single
Zariski-open, dense conjugacy class in H.
Proof. Since H is irreducible and is the union of finitely many conjugacy
classes, it contains a unique open dense conjugacy class 0. Then dimes =
dim ® = dim G - dim Z(x), for any x E 0. Hence dim Z(x) = dim G -
dim H = dim g - 2dim n = rk g , which implies x is regular.
Example 3.2.11. Let g = In Jordan normal form there is only one
regular nilpotent element, and it has the form
 3.2 Nilpotent Cone 149

x"-1, so it
and its centralizer is the linear span of the matrices x, x2, ... ,
has the form

0 al a2 a3 ... a.-l
0 al a2 ... afl_2
0 .

0 al a2
0 al
0

The dimension of the centralizer is therefore n - 1 = rkst"(C).

Let b = ® it be a Borel subalgebra of a semisimple Lie algebra g. Let
x -4 denote the projection n -» n/[n, n]. Let e1,.. . , el E n, (l = rk g)
be root vectors corresponding to positive simple roots with respect to b.
The vectors e1, ... , el clearly form a basis of the vector space n/[n, n]. Set
nreg = {x E n [ t _ E A, ei, A, E C*}. Clearly nr'eg is a Zariski open subset
of n. Let B = T U be the Borel subgroup of G corresponding to the Lie
algebra b.
Lemma 3.2.12. [Ko6J nre5 is a single B-orbit consisting of regular nilpo-
tent elements in g.
Proof. The adjoint T-action on n induces a T-action on n/[n, n]. The set
fir°g, the image of n''eg in n/[n, n], is clearly a single open dense T-orbit in
n/[n, n]. Hence it contains the image of a regular nilpotent in n.
Observe next that for any x E n, we have [x, n] C [n, n]. Hence by
Lemma 1.4.12(1), the set x + [n, n] is stable under the adjoint U-action,
where U is the unipotent subgroup of G corresponding to n. If, furthermore,
x is regular then by definition (of regular) dim n-rkg = dim [n, n].
Hence, the U-orbit of x is open in x+ [n, n]. On the other hand, any U-orbit
is closed. Thus, x + [n, n] is a single U-orbit, provided that x is regular. It
follows that n*e9 is a single B-orbit, and the lemma follows.
Corollary 3.2.13. The element n = el + + ei is a regular nilpotent
element in g.
Proof. Clearly, n E nTeg and so the corollary follows from the preceding
lemma.
Proposition 3.2.14. Any regular nilpotent element is contained in a
unique Borel subalgebra.
Proof. Observe first that
dim./ = dimT`B = 2dimG/B = dim9 - rk g = dim M,
150 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

where the last equality is due to Corollary 3.2.8. It follows that t :NN
is a surjective (Corollary 3.2.3) algebraic morphism between irreducible
varieties of the same dimension. It follows that the generic fiber of this
morphism is zero-dimensional. Hence, By is a discrete set for generic x E N.
Now, by Proposition 3.2.10 all regular nilpotents form a single open
dense conjugacy class in N. Hence it suffices to prove the proposition for
the single element n of Corollary 3.2.13. It is easy to write down a regular
semisimple element h E ll such that [h, n] = n. Then, for t E C, we
have et"ne-tn
= et n. It follows that the subvariety B C B is h-stable.
Moreover, it is a discrete set, by the first paragraph of the proof. Hence,
each point of Bn is fixed by h. Now h being regular implies that there are
only #W points in B fixed by h, namely the Bore] subalgebras containing
h. It is clear that there is only one among these #W Borel subalgebras that
also contains n. The proposition follows.
It follows from the proposition that u : N N is an isomorphism over
the Zariski open part of N formed by regular nilpotent elements. Thus,
N --> N is a resolution of singularities of N, since N is a smooth variety.
3.2.15. CHARACTERIZATION OF NILPOTENT ELEMENTS IN g". Identify g'
with g by means of the Killing form (x, y) = Tr(ad x ad y) , that is write
any linear function A E g' in the form (e, e), e E p. We call such a
A nilpotent if the corresponding e E g is also. Also, given A E g`, write ga
for the Lie algebra of the isotropy group of A, cf. proof of Proposition 1.1.5.
Here is yet another intrinsic characterization of nilpotent elements in g'.
Proposition 3.2.16. An element A E g' is nilpotent if and only if
(A,GA)=0.
Proof. Writing A in the form (e, e), e E g, and using the identity

A(fx, )) = (e, [x, ]) = ([e, x), 1) ,

we see that g' = Z, (e), is the centralizer of e in g. Thus, in down to earth
terms we claim that e E g is nilpotent if and only if

(3.2.17) Tr(ad e ad x) = 0 , for any x E Z. (e) .

Assume e is nilpotent and x E Z9(e). Since ad e and ad x commute,
we have for k large enough (ad e ad x)k = ad" e ad kx = 0, due to the
nilpotency of x. Hence, ad e ad x is also nilpotent, and its trace vanishes.
Assume now (3.2.17) holds. We claim first that there exists an element
h E g such that [h, e] = e. This is clearly equivalent to saying that e belongs
to the image of the operator ad e : g -+ g.
To prove the latter, observe that the operator ad e is skew-symmetric
with respect to the Killing form (, ). For such an operator we have
 3.2 Nilpotent Cone 151

Im (ad e) = Ker (ad e)1, where 1 stands for the annihilator with respect
to (, ). Thus, the property e E Im (ad e) is equivalent to (e, Z9 (e)) = 0,
which is our assumption.
We claim next we may even find a semisimple element h E g such
that [h, e] = e. To that end, given any element h with this commutation
relation, write its Jordan decomposition h = s + n where s and n are
commuting semisimple and nilpotent elements respectively. Then, e being
an eigenvector for ad h implies that it is an eigenvector for both ads
and ad n also, cf. e.g. [Hum]. But since ad n is nilpotent the elgenvalue
corresponding to this eigenvector e must be zero. It follows that ad n(e) =
0, hence ad s(e) = ad h(e) = e. Thus, replacing h by s we may achieve h to
be semisimple.
We use h to decompose g into ad h-eigenspaces:

g = @*cc go , ga := {x E g I ad h(x) = a x}.

Clearly h E go and e E g 1. Moreover, the commutation relation ad h o ad e =
ad e o (1 + ad h) implies that ad a takes g, to ga+1. Therefore ad ke takes ga
to 9,,,+k. Since there are only finitely many non-zero spaces ga, for k >> 0
we get ad ke = 0. Thus e is nilpotent.

3.2.18. STRATIFIED SPACES AND TRANSVERSAL SLICES. We refer the

reader to the book [GM1] and references therein for the general theory of
stratified spaces, which nowadays has become a huge subject. To make the
exposition in our book self-contained we will not try to give definitions in
full generality and restrict ourselves to the case where everything can be
proved "from scratch." For the same reason, we will be working partly with
algebraic varieties and partly with complex analytic ones, considered in the
ordinary topology (the reader may consult [Slol] for the approach based on
the etale topology). This very limited approach will suffice however for all
the applications we will encounter in this book.
Thus we assume throughout this subsection that X is an algebraic
variety imbedded into some smooth algebraic variety V (in most examples
V will be a vector space). Let Y C X be a smooth locally closed algebraic
subvariety and y E Y.

Definition 3.2.19. A locally closed (in the ordinary Hausdorff topology)

complex analytic subset S C X containing the point y will be called
a transverse slice to Y at y if there is an open neighborhood of y (in
the ordinary Hausdorff topology), U C X, and an analytic isomorphism
f : (Y fl u) x S Z U such that f restricts to the tautological maps of the
factors:

f:{y}[Link] and (YfU)x{y}-ZYnU.

152 3. Complex Seniisimple Groups

Now let G be an algebraic group, V a smooth algebraic G-variety, and

X a G-stable algebraic subvariety in V. We will show that any G-orbit
0 C X has a transverse slice in X at any point y E 0. More precisely,
call a submanifold Sv C V through y transverse to 0 if the tangent spaces
T.0 and TTSv are transverse, i.e., such that TV = Tv®® TvSv.

Lemma 3.2.20. Let Sv be a locally-closed complex-analytic submanifold

which is transverse to 0 at y E 0. Then the intersection with X of a small
enough open neighborhood of y in Sv is a transverse slice to 0 in X.

Proof. Let g = Lie G and let G(y) be the isotropy group of the point y.
Choose a vector subspace p C g such that p ® Lie G(y) = g. Exponentiating
a small neighborhood of 0 E p, we obtain a locally closed submanifold
P C G containing the unit, such that the action-map g i.-+ g y induces
an isomorphism of P with an open neighborhood of y in 0. We fix such
PCG.
Next view 0 as a smooth subvariety in the smooth ambient space V.
Now let Sv C V be a locally-closed complex-analytic submanifold contain-
ing y, and such that T,,V = Tv® ® TvSv. It follows that the differential at
the origin of the action map f : P x Sv -- V is bijective. Hence, shrinking
P and Sv if necessary and using the implicit function theorem, we can find
an open neighborhood Uv C V of y such that the map f : P x Sv -- Uv is
an isomorphism.
We now let U := Uv n X be an open neighborhood of y in X, and set
S := Sv fl X. We claim that S is a transverse slice to 0; more precisely, we
claim that the action-map restricts to an isomorphism f : P x S .Z U. It is
clear that f (P x S) C (f (P x Sv) f1 X) = Uv f1 X = U. To show that the
above map is an isomorphism we use the inverse isomorphism (which exists
by the preceding paragraph) f -1 : Uv Z P x Sv. By this isomorphism, any
u E Uv can be written uniquely in the form u = p s, p E P, S E Sv. If
u E U = Uv n X then since X is G-stable we get s = p-1. u E Sv n X = S.
This shows that the isomorphism f -1 maps U to P x S, and the lemma
follows.

Remark. The assumption in the lemma that both G and X are algebraic
was made to insure that the orbit 0 is locally closed in X. Otherwise, there
might be pathological examples of an everywhere dense G-orbit 0 C X
such that dim® < dim X. Such an orbit is of course not locally closed in
X.
Keep the assumptions of the lemma, and assume in addition that we are
given a G-equivariant morphism it : X - X. We record the following result
for further use.
 3.2 Nilpotent Cone 153

Corollary 3.2.21. Let S and U be, respectively, the transverse slice to the
orbit 0 at the point y and the open neighborhood of y in X constructed in
the proof of Lemma 3.2.20. Set U := 7r-1(U) and S := 7r-'(S). Then one
has an isomorphism U = (®n u) x S.
Proof. Let P be as in the above proof of the lemma. It is clear from
the proof that 0 n U = P. The action-map on X gives a morphism
f : P x S - U. To prove that this morphism is an isomorphism, we
construct its inverse. Given a point ii E U, we can write (as in the proof of
the lemma) 7r(u) = p s, p E P, s E S. It follows by G-equivariance of a
that
(3.2.22) p-' u E 7r-'(S) C
Now, consider the following composition

a:CJ -A-,UL,.PxS '*=' P.

By definition we have p = a(u). It follows that the assignment u '-+
a(u) x a(u)-' ii gives a well-defined map U --+ P x S. This map is clearly
inverse to f.

Return now to the general case of an arbitrary variety X. Assume we are

given a finite partition X = UtXi, i E I into smooth locally closed pieces
and, for some j E 1, a point y E X;. A transverse slice S to X; at y is
said to be a stratified slice if the map f : (X, n U) x S Z U in Definition
3.2.19 takes the partition (X; n U) x S = Ui ((X; n U) x (S n Xi)) into the
partition U = Ui (Xi n U).
Definition 3.2.23. A finite partition X = U;Xi of an algebraic variety X
is called an algebraic stratification of X if the following holds:
(1) Each piece Xi is a smooth locally closed algebraic subvariety of X;
(2) For any j E I the closure of X5 is a union of the Xi's;
(3) For any j E I and any y E X,, there exists a stratified slice to Xi
at V.
Repeating the argument of the proof of Lemma 3.2.20, we obtain the
following result.
Proposition 3.2.24. Let V be a smooth algebraic G-variety and X C V a
G-stable algebraic subvariety consisting of finitely many G-orbits. Then the
partition of X into G-orbits is an algebraic stratification of X.

Corollary 3.2.25. The partition N = UO of the nilpotent variety in g into

G-conjugacy classes is an algebraic stratification of N.
154 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

3.3 The Steinberg Variety

Let µ : N -+ N be the Springer resolution. The following subvariety in
N x N is called the Steinberg variety:
Z=NxNN={(x,b),(x,b) ENxNIx=x'}
Clearly Z is isomorphic to the variety of triples:
Zc {(x,b,b')ENx5xBIxEbflb'}.
Restricting the cartesian square of diagram (3.1.41) to the Steinberg vari-
ety, we obtain the diagram

Z
(3.3.1)

N BxB
where u stands for the natural projection Z = N xN N --> N, and 7r2
for the composition Z--+R x N B x B. The interplay between the two
maps above will be of primary interest for us. We begin with the projection
toBxB.
We have a chain of isomorphisms

(3.3.2) HxH =T`BXT"B aN" T`(BxB),

where the second one involves the minus sign (cf. the sign convention at
the beginning of Example 2.7.28), so that the standard symplectic form on
T* (B x B) corresponds, under the isomorphism, to Piwl - P2*w2 where wl
and w2 are the standard symplectic forms on the first and second factor of
T*B x T*B, respectively (as in the setup of Proposition 2.7.51). Put another
way: the fiber of the natural projection T'(B x B) - B x B over a point
(b,, b2) E B x B is isomorphic to nl x n2. This yields an identification of
T* (B x B) with N x N. Under this identification the composition in (3.3.2)
becomes an isomorphism N x N = N x N. This isomorphism is given by
the formula involving a minus sign
(3.3.3) (ni, bl, n2, b2) -+ (n1, b1, -n2, b2).
The importance of the Steinberg variety is due to a large extent to the
following result which was implicitly exploited in [St4].
Proposition 3.3.4. Z is the union of the conormal bundles to all G-orbits
inBxB.
Proof. For (bl, b2) E B x B, let a E T(6,,b3)(B x B) be such that a is
annihilated by all tangent vectors to the G-orbit in B x B through (bl, b2).
 3.3 The Steinberg Variety 155

Recall that T'6 c G x, n = G x,, bl where n is the nitradical of b. Then

0 =(x1,bl,x2,b2)Eg' xBxg' xB,
x1 E bi , x2 E b2 . Now the tangent space at (b1, b2) to the G-orbit through
(61, b2) is formed by all vectors

(u . 61i u b2), u E g.

Let (,) denote the pairing g' x g -+ C. Then if a is to be annihilated by

all tangent vectors to the G-orbit through (b1i 62) we should have

(x1, u) + (x2i u) = 0 VU E g.

Equivalently x1 = -x2 so that a = (x1, 61, -x1, b2). This is in Z by the

identification (3.3.3) and the definition of Z.
Recall that G-diagonal orbits on B x B are canonically parametrized
by the elements of the abstract Weyl group W. Write Y. for the orbit
corresponding to w E W. Thus, the proposition above implies
Corollary 3.3.5. (i) We have Z = UWEW T%(B x B).
(ii) Irreducible components of Z are parametrized by elements of W.
Every irreducible component is the closure of TT.(B x B) for a uniquely
determined w E W.

Fix a Borel subalgebra b C g with nilradical n = [b, b]. The following

theorem is one of the key results of this chapter.
Theorem 3.3.6. [Gill Let 0 be a coadjoint orbit in Let I E 0 be such
that xl = 0. Then on (x+bl) is a (possibly singular) lagrangian subvariety
in 0 with respect to the natural symplectic structure on coadjoint orbits.
Here we are viewing bl as a subset of g'. It will be convenient and
instructive to fix a G-invariant bilinear form on g and identify g = g' once
and for all. Thus under this identification the coadjoint orbits in g' become
adjoint orbits in g, although the symplectic structure naturally exists for
coadjoint orbits only. Under the identification g = g we have bl = n C
The theorem then reads
Theorem 3.3.7. For any conjugacy class 0 C g and any x E 0 fl b, the
set ® fl (x + n) is a lagrangian subvariety in 0.
In the course of the proof of the theorem we will exploit the projection
it : Z -+ H, see (3.3.1). Given a nilpotent G-orbit 0 C H, put Z,, =
A-' (0). Thus Z. is the set of all triples (x, 6, 6') E Z with x E 0. Also,
write B for the Borel subgroup with Lie algebra b.
156 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

We will only prove the theorem for the case where x is nilpotent. The
other case in a sense is less difficult and less interesting. In the nilpotent
case we begin the proof with the following estimate.

Lemma 3.3.8. dim (O n n) < 1/2 dim 0.

Proof. Let n = dim n = dim B. Then dim T'B = 2n = dim Z
(= 1/2.2(dimT*8)).
We have a fibration Z. - 0 with the fiber over x E 0 equal to BZ x B.
This implies

(3.3.9) dim O + 2dim Bx 5 dim Z,,,

Therefore since dim O + 2dim B. < dim Zo < dim Z = 2n, we have

(3.3.10) dim Bx + 1/2 dim O < n.

Given xE0andbjn3x,introduce thesetS={gEGI gxg-' Eb}.
The set S is equal to {g E G I g-'bg E 13 ,1. Multiplying g on the left
by b E B has no effect since B normalizes b. Hence S is stable under
the multiplication by B on the left and the map Bg F- g-lbg yields an
isomorphism B\S -Z B.. Hence

Note that O n n is equal to the set of all gxg'1 such that g E S. Thus

(3.3.11) S/ZG(x)-4 Onn via gxg-1,

and (since dim B = n)
(3.3.12) dim S + 1/2 dim O < n + dim B = dim G.
Subtracting dim ZG(x) from both sides of (3.3.12) and noting that (3.3.11)
implies dim S - dim ZG(x) = dim (0 n n) we see
dim (O n n) + 1/2 dim O < dim G - dim Za(x) = dim O.
This yields the desired estimate dim On n < 1/2 dim O.
3.3.13. Proof of Theorem. 3.3.6. Since we restrict ourselves to the case
x E b is nilpotent, we have x E n which implies (x + n) = n. Therefore
(x + n) n 0 = n n 0. Due to the dimension estimate of the lemma, proving
the theorem amounts to showing that 0 n n is a coisotropic subvariety
in O. To that end, view 0 as a symplectic manifold (=coadjoint orbit in
g') with a Hamiltonian B-action. In particular there is a moment map
pB : 0 - V. On the other hand, dualizing the Lie algebra embedding
b `- 9 one gets a projection p : g' -+ V. The moment map .µe is nothing
 3.3 The Steinberg Variety 157

but the restriction of this projection to 0. That is, we have the following
commutative diagram:

We have p-i(0) = 61 = n and (pea)-'(0) _ ® fl n. Note that {0} is a

legitimate coadjoint B-orbit in b` and B is solvable. Therefore by Theorem
1.5.7, ® n n = p;O) is coisotropic. On the other hand, we have already
shown that dimo on n < 1/2. dim 0. Hence on n is lagrangian.

Remark 3.3.14. The subgroup B C G is the smallest subgroup of G for

which the double coset space B\G/B is finite and the largest subgroup
which is solvable. Therefore B is the only possible subgroup for which the
argument above can work.

Example 3.3.15. Let G = SL"(C), and let 0 C s[" be the variety of rank
1 nilpotent matrices. These may be described as follows. Given v E V and
v E V' define a rank 1 linear map x : C' -+ C" by

ui- (v®v)(u) =v(u) - V.

Conversely, if x is a rank 1 linear map, and v E V a non-zero vector in the

1-dimensional space Im x, then clearly there exists v E V' such that x is
given by the above formula. The nilpotency condition on x = v®v amounts
to v(v) = trace x = 0. Thus, the assignment v ® v '-4 x gives a surjection
from the set {v ®v, V E V, v E V*, v(v) = 0} to the set 0 of trace free
rank 1 linear maps. This surjection is not bijective since v 0 v may arise
from Av ® (1/A)v for any A :A 0. Hence we find

dimO=dim {v®v, v E V, vE V', v(v) =0}-1 = (2n-1)-1 =2n-2.

In coordinates we have

0 = {x = (aij) I ail = ai31, oipi = 01,

The variety o n n for n = Lie algebra of upper triangular nilpotent matrices

looks as follows. It has n - 1 irreducible components. Each irreducible
158 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

component consists of all matrices of the following form:

al,k+l al,k+2
a2,k+l a2,k+2 ...
0
0 ak,k+1 ak,k+2 ...
0

The only non-zero entries of such a matrix are concentrated inside a fixed
(n - k) x k-rectangle above the diagonal, and these entries are of the form
ai,(>+k) = c.j3 where E ai,3, = 0. Thus, the irreducible components of
0 fl it are labeled by places of rectangles. Note that the dimension of any
component is equal to n - 1 = 1/2 - (2n - 2).
Now consider the opposite case. Assume that 0 is the adjoint G-orbit of
a semisimple regular element x E g. Let 6 3 x be a Borel subalgebra with
nilradical it, and B the corresponding Borel subgroup. Theorem 3.3.6 says
that (x + n) fl 0 is a lagrangian subvariety of 0. Indeed, by Lemma 3.1.43
we have

Moreover, dim (x + n) = dim n = 1/2 dim G/T = 1/2 dim 0. Thus we have
proved the following
Lemma 3.3.16. For a regular semisimple x E b, the affine linear space
x + it is a B-stable lagrangian subvariety of 0.
Note that for a given x E 0, the affine space x + n is determined by a
choice of Borel subalgebra b containing x, i.e., by the choice of an element
x = (x, b) in the fiber p-1 (x), Thus there are #W different lagrangian
affine linear spaces going through each point x E 0. Each of these #W
choices can be made compatible as x varies within the orbit 0 so that the
orbit can be presented in #W different ways as a fibration with lagrangian
fibers. This can be seen as follows. Set ® = µ-1(®). Then p : ® -. 0
is an unramified covering with #W leaves. But the fundamental group
irl (®) = 7r1(G/T) vanishes. To prove this we may assume G to be simply
connected, since replacing G by its simply-connected cover does not affect
conjugacy classes in Lie G. Then the long exact sequence (see [Sp])
... -+ ir1(G) - ir1(G/T) - iro(T) -' xo(G) -+7ro(G/T) - 1
associated with the fibration T --+ G G/T shows that irl(G/T)
7ro(T) = 0. It follows that the covering p : ® - 0 is trivial. Thus, 0 is
 3.3 The Steinberg Variety 159

a disjoint union of #W connected components, each isomorphic to C by

means of A. Now, the projection it : g - 13 restricted to ® makes each
connected component into a G-equivariant fibration over 8 with fiber x+n.
Thus such a connected component of ® is isomorphic to G x B (x + n) by
means of the isomorphism 3.1.33, and the fibration takes the form

(3.3.17) 1r:®^--Gx8(x+n)-+G/B= B.
The fibrations can be transferred to 0 by means of the isomorphism A.
Different choices of components of ® correspond to different choices of
lagrangian fiberings on 0.
The lagrangian fibering of 0 arising from a choice of a pair (x, b) can
also be described in concrete terms as follows. Let B be the Borel subgroup
of G with Lie algebra b. The choice of x determines an isomorphism
f : G/T -Z 0, gT H gxg-1. Inverting this isomorphism defines a projection
® - B as the composition C L G/T -+ G/B = B, where G/T -+ G/B is
the natural projection. The resulting fibration 0 -* 13 is the one described
in the preceding paragraph.

Remark 3.3.18. The affine fibration G x. (x + n) --* G/B c 13 (cf.

Proposition 1.4.14 and remarks following it) has no holomorphic cross-
section and is therefore not isomorphic to the cotangent bundle G x. n =
T'B --+ G/Bs- B. An argument based on a partition of unity shows,
however, that any affine fibration has a COO-section. In this way one can
construct a (non-holomorphic) C°°-diffeomorphism G xB (x + n) = T'13.
Furthermore such a diffeomorphism can be made equivariant with respect
to the action of a given maximal compact subgroup of G.

Example 3.3.19. Let us look at the most simple example. Consider

si2(C) = {x =

Semisimple adjoint orbits are the quadrics determined by the equations

det x = -a2 - be = constant.
These quadrics have two families of linear generators. So each x E b \ {0}
is contained in two lines: x + n and x + n°P where n°P is a nilradical of the
unique Borel subalgebra b°' # b of st2(C) such that b fl b°P 3 x.
We will now deduce some corollaries of Theorem 3.3.6. Write m =
2 dim n = 2 dim B. We first study Z from the point of view of the map
p : N - N. Recall that ZO is the subset of Z over 0 for any coadjoint
orbit 0 C N.
160 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Corollary 3.3.20. For any coadioint orbit 0, each irreducible component

of Z. has the same dimension, dim Z0, and

(3.3.21) dim Z. = dim Z = m.

Proof. Write ® for u-'(0) C N. Then we have Z. = ® X. ®. The

projection ir :.t = G x a n --+ G/B restricted to ® gives an isomorphism
®= G X. (® fl n). This is a fibration over Gill with fiber on n of
pure dimension 1/2dim®, due to Theorem 3.3.6. Hence, each irreducible
component of ® has dimension equal to dim (G/B) + 1/2 dim 0 . It follows
that each irreducible component of ® xo ® has the dimension

2dim ®-dim ® = 2 (dim (G/B) + 1/2 dim 0) - dim 0 = 2 dim (G/B) = m.

Thus the corollary is proved.

Remark 3.3.22. The corollary shows that the decomposition Z = U0 Zo

gives a partition of Z into equidimensional locally closed subsets of the
full dimension. Hence, the closure of an irreducible component of Zo is an
irreducible component of Z, that is the closure of T* (B x B) for some
w E W, by Corollary 3.3.5. Conversely, for any w E W, the closure of
TY. (B x B) equals the closure of an irreducible component of Z. for a
uniquely determined nilpotent orbit 0. Thus, the irreducible components of
the Steinberg variety can be parametrized in two ways: either by elements
of W, or by pairs (nilpotent orbit 0, irreducible component of Z0). If G =
SL,,(C) the relation between the two parametrizations has a combinatorial
description in terms of the Robinson-Schensted correspondence.

Given X E 0 write G(x) for the isotropy group of x in G so that

® = G/G(x). The group G(x) acts on B,x and we have a G-equivariant
isomorphism 0 = G x0(,) Bz. Here B,, = u'I (x) and the projection u : ® -+
® gets identified by means of the isomorphism with the first projection
G x0(.) By - G/G(x). We deduce

(3.3.23) Za = ® xo ® = G x0(,) (Bx x By).

Therefore each irreducible component of Z. is of the form G x,,,(s) (Bl X B2)
where Bl and B2 are irreducible components of Bx. Hence for any such Bl
and B2 we have the equality (by Corollary 3.3.20)
dim0+dimB, +dimB2 = 2dim B.
Now taking in particular B, = B2 and using that dimN = 2dimn, see
Corollary 3.2.8, we obtain the following result.
 3.4 Lagrangian Construction of the Weyl Group 161

Corollary 3.3.24. [Spal] All irreducible components of Bx have the same

dimension, dim Bx, and

(3.3.25) 1/2 dim 0 + dim B,, = dim B

Remark 3.3.26. We remark in addition that, for any x E N, the vari-
ety By was shown in [Spal] to be connected. The argument in [Spal] is
somewhat technical however. Connectivity can be proved in a more concep-
tual way by means of Zariski's Main Theorem (see [Mum3]). The theorem
states that if f : X' -+ X is a proper, birational morphism with X normal,
then for each x E X, the fiber f-1(x) is connected in the Zariski topol-
ogy. The nilpotent variety A( is normal, due to a theorem of Kostant [Ko4]
to be proved later in Chapter 6. It follows that all the Springer fibers By
are connected. Though this fact itself is well-known (see [Spal]), the above
indicated proof seems to be much less well known.
We now study the irreducible components of Z0. Let C(x) = G(x)/G°(x).
Here G°(x) is the connected component of the identity in G(x), and C(x) is
the group of components of G(x), which is finite since G(x) is an algebraic
group. The group G(x) acts on B. by conjugation and induces a C(x)-
action on the set {Bx } of irreducible components of B..
Corollary 3.3.27. The irreducible components of Zo are of the form
Zo'p = G x,,c=> (13 x By) so that the components of Zo are in one-to-one
correspondence with the C(x)-orbits on pairs of components of BZ.
Corollary 3.3.28. The number of nilpotent conjugacy classes in g is
finite.
Proof. We have Z = UZo where the union is over all nilpotent conjugacy
classes. Since each Z. is locally closed of pure dimension equal to dim Z,
the union must be finite.

3.4 Lagrangian Construction of the Weyl Group

We would like to define a W-action on H.(B.), B. = µ-1(x) for each x E g.
Recall that for any x E g°f, the set µ-1(x) is discrete and has a transitive
W-action. To get an action on all fibers one tries to pass from the regular
fibers to the singular fibers by a limit argument that we now indicate.
For to E W consider the set Graph(w)=Graph(w-action) C ger x iar. We
have Graph(w) C g°r xe j". since the w-action is defined fiber by fiber.
Let Aw be the closure of Graph(w) in g xo g. We apply the convolution
algebra construction (2.7.50) to M = g , N = g and r = µ : g -+ g.
For each x E g we have A. o B. = B.,. Therefore, convolution with the
fundamental class [A,,,] gives, for any x E g, an operator w.: H.(Br) --
H.(B=) . via convolution, an action of w on H.(l3 ). The problem is that it
162 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

is difficult (but possible) to prove that the operators w. E EndH.(B.) so

defined are compatible with the group structure on W, i.e., that y. o w. =
(yw). , for any y, w E W. For that reason we adopt a slightly different
approach.
In the general setup of section 2.7, set M = N and N = N. Let 7r = it:
N -+ N be the Springer resolution. Then the definition Z = N x,,, N of
the Steinberg variety fits into the formalism of 2.7. In particular, we have
Z o Z = Z so that H.(Z) has a natural associative algebra structure. By
Corollary 3.3.5

Z = UWEW T;.,.(13 X B),

where Y,,, is the G-orbit in 13 x 13 associated with w E W. So all irre-

ducible components of Z are of the same dimension m = dim N. We write
H(Z) = Hm(Z,Q). This is a #W-dimensional Q-vector space and, more-
over, Corollary 2.7.48 shows that it is a subalgebra of H. (Z, Q).
Let Q[W] be the group algebra over Q of the abstract Weyl group W,
viewed as a Coxeter group. Here is the main result of this section.

Theorem 3.4.1. There is a canonical algebra isomorphism

H(Z) = Q[W].
Before starting the proof we make some important constructions. We fix
Cartan and Borel subalgebras h C b C g. We will be frequently identifying
elements of 11 and Sj by means of the isomorphism 4--+b -+ 6/[b, b] = fj.
Recall the diagram:
gar C
b 9

g'r L--- g ( S7

Observe that the map v : g --+ fj is a locally trivial fibration. For any subset
S C 3 put gs = v-'(S). Writing n for the nilradical of b and regarding S
as a subset of Cj one can write, cf. Proposition 1.4.14:
BS=GxB (S+n) as subset of GxB b=g,
cf. Proposition 1.4.14. For any h E h viewed as an element of 15 we have in
particular
v'1(h)=g^= GxB (h+n).
In the special case h = 0 we find

(3.4.2) g°=GxBn=N=T*B.
 3.4 Lagrangian Construction of the Weyl Group 163

Let h 1-+ w(h), w E W, denote the standard W-action on J5. Fix w E W

and a regular semisimple element h E b, viewed as an element of Sj, as
above. Then the sets gh and g" (h) are G-invariant and project to the same
adjoint orbit

by Lemma 3.1.44. Moreover, we have seen that the orbit Oh is simply-

connected. Thus, the sets gh and gw (h) are in fact two connected compo-
nents of µ-1(Oh)
Furthermore, we have defined (see Proposition 3.1.36 and formula above
it) a W-action on gar and a map v : -+ .fj. Since v commutes with
g
W-actions the element w sends the component g" isomorphically onto the
component gw("). Let A,, C gw(h) X gh denote the graph of that action,
and recall the notation Yw = G-orbit in B x ti corresponding to w E W .
We have by definition

(3.4.3)
Aw= {(x,b,x',b')EgxpI x=x'Ebnbl,v(x,b')=h, (b, b')EYw}.
Observe further that the cartesian square of the map it : g -4 B induces
the composite map:

ire : Au", _- 9 x g "' Ci x B.

The image of 7r2 is clearly G-stable with respect to the diagonal action.
Moreover (3.4.3) shows that
(3.4.4) Yw = (G-orbit in 5 x B corresponding to w).
Let B and T be the Lie groups of b and 4, and W = WT the Weyl
group of T. The choice of pair b) gives an isomorphism W = W and also
determines a point (b, w(b)) E Yw. The isotropy group of that point with
respect to the diagonal G-action is the subgroup B n w(B). Hence we have
Yw ^ G/(B n w(B)).
Further, if we write b = h ® n, then w(b) = w(4) + w(n) = l + nw ,
where we use the notation nw := w(n). Formula (3.4.3) yields the following
description of the mapping 7r2 in quite explicit terms.

Lemma 3.4.5. Identify G/B x G/w(B) with 13 x 13 by means of the assign-

ment

G/B x Gl w(B) a (91B, 92wB) +-+ (91691-1, 92w(b)92-1).

Then the map ire : Au", --+ B x B has Y. as its image and gets identified with
164 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

the fibration
GX (h + n fl nw) G/(B n w(B)) = Y.
Recall next that in general given two maps w : M1 -i M2 and y : M2 -+
M3 of smooth varieties, one has Graph(y)oGraph(w) = Graph(yow), where
the o on the left is convolution of sets and the o on the right is composition
of maps. Furthermore, the intersection of the corresponding fundamental
classes (involved in the definition of convolution in homology, see 2.7) is
transverse so that the equation [Graph(y)] * [Graph(w)] = [Graph(y o w)]
holds for the corresponding fundamental classes. This applies in particular
to the maps
8h w gw(h) 24 gyw(h)

for any two elements y, to E W and regular h E h, whence we obtain

(3.4.6) Ayw = Ay (h) o Aw, and (Abw) = (Av (h)) * [Aw)
We are now in a position to prove Theorem 3.4.1.
Proof of Theorem 3.4.1. The idea of the argument is to analyze the be-
havior of the construction above as h -+ 0. Formally, it is convenient to
assemble all values of the parameter h together and to apply the specializa-
tion map in homology in the following setup.
Let us fix w E W and consider the action map to : fj -+ fj. Let
Graph(. -w-+ f) C fj x S5 denote the graph of this map. We regard 1jw :_
Graph(Sj -'-'+ fj) as the base space of our specialization, and we now define a
family of varieties over this base. We have a locally trivial fibration
v0v:gxg-+Sjxh.
Write g x,,W g for the inverse image of Graph(S5 w fj) under v ® v.
Explicitly, we have
(3.4.7) pxfi,.g={(y,x)EgxgI v(y)=w(v(x))}.
Thus, g x fW g is a smooth variety, and the cartesian square of the map
v restricts to a locally trivial fibration vw g x 4. p -+ fjw, (y, x) -4
:

(v(y), v(x)). We take xs5,, g as the smooth ambient space. Note that over
the special point 0 E 1) we have
u -'(0) = v-' (O) x v-1(0) = JV X A1 .
Next we define a closed subvariety Aw C g x,),. g to be the inverse imag
of the diagonal go C g x g under the projection µ S u: x15w g -+ g x 9.
By construction we have
A. C g xa g,
 3.4 Lagrangian Construction of the Weyl Group 165

in particular, over the special point 0 E f) we get

(3.4.8) Awnv;l(0) c (gxBg) n (Nx)V) =.,Vxv = Z.
At the opposite extreme, set
bwg := Graph(fjreg Creg) and Aw9 := Aw n vwl(ff, 9) .
,Jon

The graph of the w-action jar is a well-defined locally closed sub-

variety of g xf, g, since the map v commutes with w-action. Moreover, the
w-action on g'r keeps each fiber of the projection p : g'r - g'r stable, so
that Graph(g'r . g'r) C g xB g. We leave it to the reader to convince
himself that one has
(3.4.9) Aw9 = (98T xs ger) n (g xr,W g) = Graph(ger g'r) .

We would like to make the specialization at the "special point" 0 E 15

of the fundamental class [Ar 9] E H.(Aw). There is however one obstacle
preventing us to apply the construction of Section 2.6.30. The problem is
that the projection v,,, : Aw -+ Sjw is not locally trivial off the special point
0 E 1j ,, since S5w\{0} contains not only regular points. Moreover, since the
graph of the w-action is only defined over SjTeg it does not make much sense
to take points of 15w\Sj peg into account.
To overcome this difficulty, we replace h by a smaller set 1 C 15. Observe
that the set 15\SjTeg consists of all root hyperplanes in 15, hence has real
codimension 2. Therefore, there are lots of real vector subspaces 1 C 55 of
real dimension < 2 that do not intersect any root hyperplane. We fix one.
Then, setting 1' := 1\{0} we obtain 1" = lnfTeg. One may take, for example,
1 to be the complex line spanned by a vector h E ireg . Although very
attractive, this special choice of 1 will not be sufficient for the argument in
the proof of Lemma 3.4.11 below, so we keep the choice of 1 open for the
moment.
We make base change with respect to the embedding ltifj in all the
constructions above, that is replace each set over Si by its part over 1. Recall
the notation is := v -'(S). Thus we have a natural projection g, -+ 1.
This way, we relace all objects in the left cartesian square below by the
corresponding objects of the right cartesian square.
9"'(I) ` gw(l) x
X J5. 9 9x9 x iW BI 9l
Iuxv ILLW vxv
Graph(55 w 55)1 -- 9J x yj Graph(I - w(1)) x w(1)

Writing lw := Graph(1 w w(1)) , we replace Aw by

(3.4.10) Aw = (g"w(1) xI. Bl) n (9 x9 9)
166 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Thus, we have achieved that the projection v : Av, - 1 restricted to

Aw = v'1(1`) 1' is a locally trivial fibration. Therefore, there is a well-
defined specialization map (see 2.6.30):

him : Hm+2(A'w) -+ Hm(Z) = H(Z), m = dims,

where h stands for a varying point in 1*. Taking the fundamental class of
A'* we see using formula (3.4.8) that there is a well-defined homology class

[Awh] = him[Aw] E H(Z).

Lemma 3.4.11. The class A°;h E Hm(Z, Q) does not depend on h.

Proof. The lemma says that the specialization construction above does
not depend on the choice of a vector subspace 1 C 55 where dim Ri < 2. To
prove this, we observe first that if 1 has real dimension 2 , and h E 1, then by
the transitivity of the specialization, see Lemma 2.6.38, the specialization
with respect to 1 equals the specialization with respect to the real line
R h C 1. Hence, the lemma will follow provided we show that, for any
two vectors h, h' E 55"9, the specializations with respect to the real lines
R h and IR h' coincide. But any points h, h' E 55re9 can be connected in
cr9 by a piecewise linear path, i.e., there exists a finite collection of points
h = h1, h2i ... , hm_1, hm = h' such that, for each i, the segment [h;, h;+1]
is contained in b''`9. Therefore, taking 1 to be the R-linear span of vectors
hi, hti+1, we see that the specialization with respect to h; equals that with
respect to h;+1. Taking i = 1, 2, ... , m - 1, we prove eventually that the
specialization with respect to h equals the specialization with respect to h'.

Now let w, y E W be two elements. We would like to perform convolution

in the homology of suitable A-type varieties corresponding to the natural
composition of the following varieties in the base of our deformation
Graph(l - w(1)) o Graph(w(l) 4 yw(l)) = Graph(1 yw(l)).
Write lw, w(1), , and l,,w respectively for the three Graphs in the above
composition. We introduce three ambient spaces

M1=9' , M2=9w(') , M3=g"w(l)

Now, following the general pattern of section 2.7.5, consider correspon-
dences

Z12 =A' C M i x 1. M2, Z23=A'(') C M2 x1, M3,

Z13=Avw C MIX1,.M3,
 3.4 Lagrangian Construction of the Weyl Group 167

where the first one, A;,,, has been already defined, and the other two are
defined similarly. We have clearly Z12 o Z23 = Z13. Thus, there is a well-
defined convolution in homology
* : H(A ,) x H(A, (')) - H(Ayw)
that reduces to (3.4.6) for h E 1*, the regular part. Applying limh.o and
using that the specialization commutes with convolution (see 2.7.23), we
deduce from (3.4.6)
[Ay,h] _ [Ayw(h)] * [Awh].

Because of Lemma 3.4.11 we may (and will) write Au, for all Awh so that
the equation above reads
(3.4.12) [Ayw] = [Ay] * [At].

Completing the proof of Theorem 3.4.1 amounts, in view of (3.4.12), to

proving the following result

Claim 3.4.13. The elements {[A°,], w E W} form a basis of the rational

homology group H(Z) = H,,,(Z,Q).

To prove the claim, observe that by Corollaries 3.3.5 and 2.7.49 the space
H(Z) has a natural base formed by the fundamental classes of the closures
of conormal bundles:
Tw := [T%(B x 8)], w E W.

Hence each of the cycles Ay can be expressed as a linear combination of

the TW's. Observe further that for any regular h E we have ir2(Av) C Yj,
(Lemma 3.4.5), so that 7r2(Ar) C Yy. It follows, by continuity, that the
specialization Aoy projects at most to Yv, the closure of Y,, in B x B. Write
w < y if Yw C Yy (this puts a partial order on W known as the Bruhat
order). The above argument yields
AoV ny w Tw, ny w E
w<y

There is a refinement of the specialization construction involving algebraic

cycles instead of rational homology, to be explained in 5.9.18 below. This
refined construction shows that both [Alland [T,*] are integral algebraic
cycles so that the coefficients ny,w are positive integers (we will never use
this). These integers form an upper triangular matrix [Link] with respect
to the Bruhat order.

Lemma 3.4.14. We have nw,w = 1 for any w E W.

168 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Proof. We have to show that the component T,y occurs in the cycle
A°, with multiplicity 1. For this, we will use Lemma 3.4.5. Restrict our
attention to the behavior of each cycle Aw , h E 1*, over the orbit Yw. Note
that Yw is the open part of the closure of a2(Aw). By Lemma 3.4.5, the
family A', h E 1* is isomorphic to the flat family of affine bundles
G x Bx,,(B) (h + n fl nw) -+ Yw.
Choose an open subset U C B x 13 such that Yw is closed in U and let
U C g x g be its inverse image under 7r2. The inclusion Yw C U yields
G x Bx,.,(B) (h + n fl nw) C U. Restricting our considerations to U, we see
that the family of the fundamental classes

[G x Bx,n(B) (h + n fl nw)] Iu
specializes, as h - 0, to the fundamental class of the total space of the
vector bundle G x B..(B) (n fl nw) --+ Y,,. This vector bundle is nothing but
the conormal bundle to Y,,,, and the lemma follows.
Corollary 3.4.15. The matrix jjn.y,,,, is invertible.
Therefore, since the {[T,*], w E W} form a basis of H(Z), so do the
cycles {[A°r]}, y E W}. Thus, Theorem 3.4.1 follows.
Remark 3.4.16. It was expected for quite some time, cf., e.g.[KL3, sect.
8], that for G = SL (C) the integers n,,,w are the Kazhdan-Lusztig multi-
plicities, i.e., ny,w = Ps w(1) where Py,w are the Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomi-
als introduced in [KL2]. Quite unexpectedly, Kashiwara and Saito [KaSai]
produced a counterexample to this, using a computer computation. At the
same time, however, Kashiwara proved that the two bases {[Ty ] , y E W}
and {[A°'] , y E W} have identical combinatorial properties (of a so-called
"crystal," see [KaSai] and references therein). Thus, they are in a sense
combinatorially indistinguishable (but different!).

3.5 Geometric Analysis of H(Z)-action

Theorem 3.4.1 reduces representation theory of the Weyl group to that of
the algebra H(Z). In this section we construct all irreducible representa-
tions of the algebra H(Z) in a purely geometric way, cf. Corollary 2.7.49.
It should be emphasized that all the arguments involved in the construc-
tion depend exclusively on geometric properties of the variety Z (specifi-
cally, on the dimension identity 3.3.25 which plays a crucial role, cf. also
Corollary 3.3.24). On two occasions we will appeal to some algebraic facts
concerning the algebra H(Z) which are deduced from Theorem 3.4.1. This
is done, however, to simplify the exposition only. The algebraic facts have
purely geometric proofs based on sheaf theoretic techniques. These sheaf
 3.5 Geometric Analysis of H(Z)-action 169

theoretic arguments will be postponed until section 8.9. Once the necessary
facts are in place the results of this section can be applied not just to Weyl
group representations, but to representations of any convolution algebra of
the form H(Z). As time goes by, more and more examples of convolution
algebras of great importance in representation theory are being discovered,
see [Nal], [Na2] and Chapter 4 below.
THE SETUP: Although we will be mainly concerned here with the case
of the Springer resolution N -- N all the results of this section hold in the
following general setup:
N is a smooth G-variety where G is an algebraic group;
N is a (possibly singular) G-variety consisting of finitely many G-
orbits;
µ : N .- N is a G-equivariant proper morphism such that dimension
property of Corollary 3.3.24 holds (see 8.9 for a better explanation).
We call Z = NxgN the Steinberg variety and freely use other notations
of the previous section. For any subset Y C N put f= µ-1(Y) C N, and
ZY = Y x,, Y (=the subset of Z over Y). In this section we will be working
with Borel-Moore homology with rational coefficients, because at one point
we will be exploiting a certain positive definite quadratic form on homology.
Choose x E N viewed as a one-point subset in N. Then Zx = lax x fix.
Moreover

Z o Zx = Z. = Zx o Z.

Therefore if d = dimRB1 then we have, applying the results of 2.7.40,

H(Zx) = H2d(Zx) is an H(Z)-bi-module. To understand the structure of
this bi-module we use the Kunneth formula

Hd(13 ) ® Hd(B.) = H2d(Z.)

Note that the space Hd(Bx) has, by means of Corollary 2.7.48, a left
H(Z)-module structure arising from the equality Z o 13x = B. and a right
H(Z)-module structure arising from the equality B. o Z = B. We write
H(13.), and H(13,,),, for the corresponding left and right H(Z)-modules
respectively.
The following result is immediate from the definition of convolution in
homology stands for the top rational Borel-Moore homology).

Lemma 3.5.1. The Kunneth isomorphism above yields an isomorphism of

H(Z) -bi-modules

H(ZZ) = H(Bx)L H(B.)R.

Next, the natural action of any g E G gives by means of conjugation a

170 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

map i3x L3y(y), hence induces a mo/ryphism of homology

g:H.(B.)" H.(B9(=))7
c H g c.
Lemma 3.5.2. The left (resp. right) H(Z)-action on the homology of 13 is
compatible with the natural G- action, i.e., for z E H(Z), g E G, c E H.(!3 ),
we have z - g(c) = g(z - c).

Proof. G acts by automorphisms on Z and maps B,, to B9(.). Therefore

g(z) * g(c) = g(z * c).

Thus it suffices to check that g(z) = z for z E H(Z). But G is connected,
hence the G-action on homology is trivial. Hence g(z) = z for all elements
z E H(Z).
Recall that G(x), the centralizer of x E Al in G, acts on the variety Bt
by conjugation. This induces an action on the homology of Cry. The iden-
tity component, G°(x), acts trivially on homology so that the action fac-
tors through the (finite) component group C(x) = G(x)/G°(x). Applying
Lemma 3.5.2 to g E G(x) we obtain the following result.
Lemma 3.5.3. There is a natural C(x)-action on H(B.,) which commutes
with the left (resp. right) H(Z)-action.
It follows from 3.5.3 that there is a decomposition into C(x)-isotypical
components
(3.5.4) C ®Q H(8.),, = ® X ® H(8=)x,
XEC(x)^

where C(x)" denotes the set of (equivalence classes of) irreducible complex
representations of the group C(x) that occur in C 0 HH(B) with non-zero
multiplicity, and the X-isotypical components H(B.)x are certain H(Z)-
modules. In this instance we were forced to use complex coefficients, since
simple C(x)-modules are not necessarily defined over Q (tables of the group
C(x) for the nilpotent conjugacy classes in g show that in fact most of them
are defined over Q, e.g., all simple C(x)-modules are defined over Q if g is
a classical simple Lie algebra; this fails however if g is of type Es). Thus,
C(x)-isotypic components H(13x)X may not be defined over Q in general.
Given a Q-algebra A and a finite dimensional left A-module V, define a
right A-module V" as follows. Let V" = Homo(V, Q) as a vector space and
put an A-action on V" by the formula
aEA,i'EV',vEV.
With this understood we have the following two "algebraic" statements.
 3.5 Geometric Analysis of H(Z)-action 171

Claim 3.5.5. There is an isomorphism of right H(Z)-modules

H(t3x)R = (H(8x)L)v,
which is compatible with the respective C(x)-actions; (H(Bz)L)" is made
into a C(x)-module by the formula

(9 - v) = v(9-1 . v), 9 E C(x), v E H(8x)L, ID E (H('3.),)".

Claim 3.5.6. H(Z) is a semisimple algebra.

An algebraic proof of claim 3.5.5 will be given in the next section. Claim
3.5.6 is immediate from Theorem 3.4.1. "Geometric" proofs of both claims
will be given in Section 8.9.
We are now in a position to state the main result of the present section.

Theorem 3.5.7. Assume that claims 3.5.5 and 3.5.6 hold. Then:
(a) For any x E N and X E C(x)^, Hd(t3x)x is a simple H(Z)-module,
where we recall d = dim Rt3x
(b) The modules Hd(13x)x and Hd(t3v),l, are isomorphic if and only if the
pairs (x, 1;) and (y, ii) are G-conjugate;
(c) The set {Hd(B )x I x E N,X E C(x)^} is a complete collection of
isomorphism classes of simple complex H(Z)-modules.
The rest of this section is devoted to the proof of the above theorem.
Let 0 be the G-conjugacy class of x in N and let U 3 x be a small open
neighborhood of x E N so that U n ® = U ft 0. We have µ-1(x) = B. C
U C N and U = µ'1(U) is a tubular neighborhood of B..
Lemma 3.5.8. U is smooth (though U is certainly not).

Proof. This follows immediately because U is an open subset of N. Since

N is smooth so is U.
Fix a local transversal slice S C N to N at x through the orbit 0, see
3.2.19. Write S = µ'1(S). By Corollary 3.2.21 we have a decomposition
U= S x 0,,, where ® =®flU.
Corollary 3.5.9. The variety S is smooth; tax is a homotopy retract of S.
Proof. Since U and ® are both smooth, the first claim is immediate
from the decomposition U ^_- S x ®,,. The second follows from the following
general fact: for any proper morphism S - S the inverse image of a small
enough neighborhood of x E S is a homotopy retract of the fiber µ-1(x).
Shrinking S if necessary, we may achieve that µ-1(S) contracts to µ-1(x).
In our special case a direct proof will be given later in Corollary 3.7.19.
172 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

We now compute the dimension of S. We have

dimA( = dim. = dim U = dim S + dim 0.
From Corollaries 3.2.8 and 3.3.24 we deduce
dimM=dim0+2dimBx,
so that we have

(3.5.10) dim S = 2 dim Sx.

Thus since S is smooth and 8y is compact there is a well-defined inter-

section pairing (with S as the ambient space),

(3.5.11) fl : H(!3,,) x H(B) --+ Q.

Theorem 3.5.12. The pairing (3.5.11) is non-degenerate.
The proof of this theorem involves intersection homology methods and
will be given in section 8.9 of Chapter 8.
We now show that Theorem 3.5.12 yields claim 3.5.5. First, for any
c, c' E H(B.) and a E H(Z) we have
(c*a)flc'=cfl(a*c').
Hence the bilinear pairing gives an isomorphism of H(Z)-modules:
Hd(t'3x)R = (Hd(8x)L)" provided the pairing is non-degenerate.
To check the compatibility with the C(x)-action one argues as follows.
Choose a maximal compact subgroup K(x) in the group G(x) and choose
a K(x)-invariant hermitian inner product on g, a complex vector space.
Clearly, Tx®, the tangent space to the conjugacy class of x is a K(x)-
stable subspace of the Lie algebra g. Let s be the orthogonal complement
to the subspace T.,® in g relative to the hermitian form, so g = T"0 a.
Clearly s is a K(x)-stable complex vector subspace. We choose the affine
linear subspace x + s C g as a submanifold transverse to 0 in g. Although
this subspace is not G(x)-stable, in general, it is clearly K(x)-stable. By
Lemma 3.2.20, there exists a small enough open neighborhood U 3 x such
that the set S = (x + s) fl U is a transverse slice to 0 in g. Taking U
to be the disk of a small radius with respect to the metric, centered at
x, we achieve that U is K(x)-stable. Then S, hence, S is also K(x)-stable.
Observe further that replacing G(x) by K(x) does not affect the component
group C(x) = G(x)/G°(x) = K(x)/K°(x) because a maximal compact
subgroup of a complex algebraic group always is a homotopy retract of the
group. Hence, there is a well-defined C(x)-action on the homology of S and
the intersection pairing is clearly C(x)-invariant. That completes the proof
of claim 3.5.5 (modulo, of course, the proof of Theorem 3.5.12).
 3.5 Geometric Analysis of H(Z)-action 173

To proceed further, we introduce a partial order on the set of nilpotent

orbits 0 C N:
0' < O a O' C ® , 0 '<00 'C0 \ 0 -
For any nilpotent orbit 0 C N put
Z<o=Uo,<oZo,=Zo and Zoo=Uo.<oZ0..
These are closed subvarieties of Z such that Zoo C Zoo, and we have
ZoZ<o=Z<o=Z<ooZ , ZoZ<o=Z<o=Z<ooZ
Write where m = dimJZ. The following is clear
Corollary 3.5.13. H(Z<o) and H(Z<o) are 2-sided ideals in H(Z).
Observe that H(Z<o) C H(Z<o). Put Ho = H(Z<o)/H(Z<o). By
construction, Ho is an H(Z)-bi-module. Equation (3.3.23) shows that the
space Ho has a basis formed by the fundamental classes of irreducible
components of Zo and the latter are in bijection with the set of C(x)-orbits
on pairs of components of B,, (Corollary 3.3.27). Now the restriction from
Al to the open neighborhood U induces, by the base locality property (see
2.7.45), compatible algebra homomorphisms

(3.5.14) H(Z) - H(Zu), H(Z<o) -- H(Zonu),

where U is a small neighborhood of x E O. Observe that the second
homomorphism sends H(Z<o) to zero, since (®\O) n U = 0, hence induces
a homomorphism

(3.5.15) Ho -- H(Zo,, ), where Ou = O fl U.

Recall that = p-1(S) and we have U = S x Ou. Applying the Kunneth

formula for convolution (Lemma 2.7.17) to the decomposition
ZU=ZSXOdiag C .x. X(DXG=UXU
we obtain compatible algebra (an H(Z)-bi-module) homomorphisms
(3.5.16) H(Zu) -- H(Zs), and H(Zo0) -- H(Zx).
Composing the first of the homomorphisms in (3.5.14) with the one in
(3.5.16) we get a homomorphism
(3.5.17) H(Z) - H(ZS).
Composing the second homomorphism in (3.5.16) with the one in (3.5.15)
and taking into account the parametrization of irreducible components of
174 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Zo and the equation Zx = Bx x Bx, we get an algebra isomorphism

(3.5.18) Ho Z H(Zx)C(x) = (H(13 ),, 0 H(Bx)R)C(xl.
Remark 3.5.19. We have
dim Zs = dim Z - dim ® = 1/2 dim (S x S),
where the first equality holds because Z intersects S x S transversally.
Furthermore ZS = S xs S so that Zs o ZS = Zs. Thus the pair (S, ZS) may
be viewed as a local analogue of the pair (N, Z) and the homomorphism
(3.5.17) as a reduction to a local problem.
Proof of Theorem 3.5.7. The closure relation < on the set of orbits 0
gives a filtration of the algebra H(Z) by the two sided ideals H(Z:5o). Let
grH(Z) denote the associated graded space with respect to this filtration.
Therefore, gr H(Z) inherits an H(Z)-bi-module structure. Furthermore, we
have an isomorphism of H(Z)-bi-modules: H(Z) gr H(Z), since any
H(Z)-bi-module is semisimple due to claim 3.5.6. Thus we obtain:

H(Z) = gr H(Z) = ® Ho (by (3.5.18))

0CN
® (H(Bx),, (9 H(Bx)R)C(x) (by claim 3.5.5)
®CN

- ® (H(Bx),. ®
(H(B=)L)v)C(x)

0CN
_® Homc(x)(H(Bx) H(B1)L)
0CN
Tensoring with C over Q and using the decomposition (3.5.4) we obtain

(3.5.20)
C ®Q H(Z) _ ® Horn c(x) (X, V,) 0 Hom c (H(13.)X , H(Bx),i),
(x,XEC(x)^)

where the sum runs over all G-conjugacy classes (x, X). We observe that
Horn C(.) (X, C if X = 0 and vanish otherwise, whence

(3.5.21) C ®H(Z) = ® End,, H(Bx)x.

(x,XEC(x)^)

Now let {EE} be a complete collection of simple complex left H(Z)-

inodules. Since C ® H(Z) is a complex semisimple algebra, by claim 3.5.6
there is an algebra isomorphism
(3.5.22) C ®Q H(Z) = ® End,: E0.
a
 3.6 Irreducible Representations of Weyl Groups 175

On the other hand, decompose each H(Z)-module H(Bx)X into simple

components with multiplicities

H(BB)X = n=,X - E«, nx,, = 0, 1, 2,... .

Thus, we get
(3.5.23)

(x,XEC(s)^)
End, H(Bx)X = ® (®n" Xn"
(x,XEC(x)^) u,3 T'
X'X
Homc(Ea,EQ)) .

The decompositions (3.5.22) and (3.5.23) must coincide, by (3.5.21). Hence

the coefficients at each of the spaces Hom,(En,EE,) must coincide. We find
that, for each pair (x, X), we must have E(x,X) nz - na X = ba,p(=Kronecker
delta). This forces each nz X to be equal to 1 for
x a certain unique a =
a(x, X). This completes the proof of the theorem.
Remark 3.5.24. Theorem 3.5.12 yields an alternative proof of part (a)
of Theorem 3.5.7 as follows. From 3.5.12 we deduce that H(Bx) is an
irreducible H(ZZ)-module and moreover H(Zx) is a simple algebra. To see
this observe that for
c ®c E H(t3x) ® H(!3,) = H(ZZ),
and for c" E H(Bx) we have (c (& c') * c" _ (c' n c") - c, where * is the
convolution operation. This implies that the set H(Zx) * {c"} must span
H(Bx).
Since H(Zx) is a subalgebra of H(ZS), it follows that H(Bx) is a simple
H(Zs)-module. Now, a standard algebraic argument shows that each C(x)-
isotypic component of H(Bx) must be a simple H(ZS)C(x)-module. On the
other hand arguing as in the proof of (3.5.18), one proves that H(Zs)C(x) is
precisely the image of the algebra homomorphism (3.5.17). Thus we deduce
that each C(x)-isotypic component of H(Bx) is a simple H(Z)-module.

3.6 Irreducible Representations of Weyl Groups

Most of the results of this section were first discovered by Springer in his
seminal paper [Sprl]. They were reproved later in various different ways
(see [BM], [DP], [KL3], [Slo]).
Let S be the symmetric group on n letters, i.e., the Weyl group of the
Lie algebra By general theory, the number of isomorphism classes
of irreducible representations of a finite group is equal to the number of
conjugacy classes in the group. The conjugacy classes in the group S
are parametrized by partitions n = nl + + nk; to such a partition
one associates the conjugacy class of permutations formed by products of
cycles of lengths nl,... , nk acting on disjoint subsets of {1, ... , n}. Thus,
176 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

the number of irreducible Sn-modules equals the number of partitions of

n. Furthermore, there is a bijection between the set S,,, of irreducible
representations of S,,, and the set P of partitions of n. The bijection is
defined by means of the assignment to a representation of a Young diagram,
whose shape determines a partition of n. We would like to understand the
bijection S «-+ P in a geometric way.
To that end, observe that there is also a bijection between the set
and the set of conjugacy classes of nilpotent (n x n) matrices. The bijection
assigns to a partition n1 + - + nk = n the conjugacy class whose Jordan
form consists of standard Jordan blocks
1

Io 0
(3.6.1)

0)

of sizes n1, n2, ... , nk. Thus there is a bijection between the set S and the
set of in the nilpotent cone N C The latter bijection
is explained geometrically by the theorem below.
Recall that S = W and that, for any Weyl group, we have constructed
an algebra isomorphism H(Z) ^_- Q[W], where H(Z) stands for the top
homology of the Steinberg variety Z. The following theorem which is a
special case of the main theorem on representations of Weyl groups. We
present this special case separately because it is technically more simple,
and we therefore get a clearer picture of the main ideas.

Theorem 3.6.2. (Irreducible Representations of the Symmetric Group.)

Let G = SL (M). For any x E N let d(x) = dimRBB. Then
(a) The Hm(Z)-module Hd(x)(B3) is simple;
(b) The modules Hd(x)(13x) and Hd(y)(13y) are isomorphic if and only if
x is conjugate by G to y;
(c) The collection {Hd(S)(8y) I x E 0 C N} is a complete collection of
isomorphism classes of simple Hm(Z)-modules.
This theorem is the SL (C)-case of the general classification Theorem
3.6.9 below. The special feature of the that makes it much
simpler than the general one is that no component groups C(x) arise in
this case. This is not directly obvious from Theorem 3.6.9, and to see this
we will exploit the following trick.
Observe first that although a semisimple group G is present throughout
our discussion, all the geometric data that we are using in the construction
of Weyl group representations, e.g., the varieties B and N and Z, are
 3.6 Irreducible Representations of Weyl Groups 177

completely determined by the corresponding Lie algebra g. Further, it is

clear that all our constructions make sense if the semisimple Lie algebra
g is replaced by a reductive one. Moreover, since the varieties B and N
and Z remain unchanged when a reductive Lie algebra g is replaced by
its derived (semisimple) subalgebra g' = [g, g], both g and g' lead to
identical constructions. Thus, to study the SLn(C)-case we may replace
without affecting the construction the Lie algebra sln(C) by the reductive
Lie algebra g[n(C) of all n x n matrices which has as its derived Lie
algebra. Thus we may now assume that our Lie group is G = GLn(C).
We repeat that the Lie algebras of GLn(C) and SLn(C) have identical
nilpotent conjugacy classes and identical Springer fibers 13x. The advantage
of considering the group GLn(C) becomes clear from the following result.

Lemma 3.6.3. Let G = GLn(C). Then for any x E g the group G(x) is
connected so that C(x) = G(x)/G°(x) = 1.

Proof. We have G(x) = {y E Mn(C) I xy = yx, det y # 0}. The linear

(in y) equations xy = yx define a vector space V C Mn(C). The condition
det y # 0 gives the complement of a complex hypersurface in V, which is of
real codimension 2, hence connected.

Note that the statement of Lemma 3.6.3 is not necessarily true for
SLn(C). For example, the component group of the centralizer in SLn(C) of
a regular nilpotent is the center of SLn(C) which is a finite group consisting
of n scalar matrices.

Remark 3.6.4. For any finite group, hence for Sn, one has a classical
numerical identity (cf. e.g. [Lang]):

(3.6.5) #Sn = (dim V)2.

V E.§,.

We can give a concrete version of this identity by means of Theorem 3.6.2

as follows. Recall the decomposition of the Steinberg variety into irreducible
components on the one hand and into the conormal bundles to G-orbits on
B x B on the other hand:

(3.6.6) UWEW TY.(B x 13) = Z = UocAZo = UoCNZ®'p,

(see equations (3.3.5) and (3.3.23)). In the special case W = Sn, which
we are interested in at the moment, there is no component group C(x),
due to Lemma 3.6.3. Hence the components Z®'9 are parametrized by all
pairs (a,,3) of irreducible components of 13x, x E 0. We therefore deduce
178 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

from (3.6.6):

(3.6.7) #S = # {Components of Z} =
2
# {components of Bx for some x E ®}z = > (dim Hd(x) (B.))
0 0
and this is nothing but equation (3.6.5) in view of theorem 3.6.2.

Corollary 3.6.8. We have

E dim V = #{involution in
VES
Proof. Let to E S. and T% (B x B) be the conormal bundle to the
corresponding G-orbit in B x B. Clearly w is an involution if and only if
the orbit Y,, remains unchanged under the involution of B x B switching
the factors. Hence, the irreducible components of the Steinberg variety that
are fixed under switching the factors correspond to involutions in S,,.
On the other hand, using the description of irreducible components
of Z given by Corollary 3.3.27, (for GL,,(C) we know that C(x) = 1),
clearly the component Z.01,11 is fixed by the involution if and only if a =
3. Hence these irreducible components of Z are parametrized by pairs
(0, component of 13x), for some x E 0. Now, by Theorem 3.6.2, for fixed
0, the components of l33 form a basis of a simple Thus the
overall number of the components of Z stable under switching the factors
is

# components of B. = E dim V.
0 V E 9,.

This completes the proof.

Theorem 3.6.2 is a special case of the following result which is valid for
any semisimple group G. Recall that for any x E .M, the group C(x) is
finite and acts on Hd(x)(Bx,C) where d(x) = dimRBx. Write C(x)^ for the
set of irreducible representations of C(x) that occur in Hd(x)(Ba,C). Then
we have

Hd(x) (B., (C) "C" Hd(.) (B., 4P,

,EC(x)^

where Hd(x) (13x, C),, is the 0-isotypic component of Hd(x) (Bx, C). Now by
Lemma 3.5.3 each isotypic component has a natural H(Z)-module struc-
ture, and we have
Theorem 3.6.9. (Springer classification of simple W-modules) The set
{Hd(x)(B.,C),, I G-conjugacy classes of pairs (x E Al;,o E C(x)^))}
 3.6 Irreducible Representations of Weyl Groups 179

is the complete collection of isomorphism classes of simple W-modules.

Proof. Everything follows from Theorems 3.4.1 and Theorem 3.5.7, pro-
vided we prove claim 3.5.5 (claim 3.5.6 has already been proved in section
3.4).
The proof of claim 3.5.5 consists of a few steps. There is an involution
on Z obtained by switching factors on N x R. This induces the map c }-- ct,
on H(Z). For the convolution product on H(Z) we clearly have

(Cl * c2)t = 42 * ci,

where * is convolution, so that c - ct is an algebra anti-involution.
Given a right H(Z)-module V, define a left H(Z)-module structure on
V by

c-v:=v-ct, vEVC E H(Z).

Let Vt denote the left H(Z)-module thus defined. Obviously, we have

(H(!x)R)t = H(13x)L.
Apply "t" to each side of the isomorphism of claim 3.5.5. We see that
proving the claim amounts to constructing an isomorphism of left H(Z)-
modules:

(3.6.10) H(3x)L = ((H(13x)L)v)t.

Set V = H(Bx)L and view it as a W-module by means of Theorem 3.4.1.

We have to show an isomorphism of W-modules
V= (V')t.

To that end we describe the operation "t" in algebraic terms.

Lemma 3.6.11. Under the isomorphism H(Z) = Q[W] of Theorem 3.4.1
the anti-involution c -- ct corresponds to the anti-involution w '-+ w-i on
Q[W], for all w E W.
Proof. One may see easily from definitions that, for a regular h E $
one has (Au",)t = Awh,. We have proved (claim 3.4.11) that the limit as h
tends to 0 does not depend on h which immediately implies (AO )t = Aw_,.

It follows from the lemma that for any W-module V, the module (Vl)t
is the contragredient W-module V*. Hence, proving (3.6.10) amounts to
showing that the W-module H(Bx)L is isomorphic to its contragredient
module.
But any W-module in a finite dimensional Q-vector space is isomorphic
to its contragredient module, since it admits a W-invariant positive-definite
180 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

(hence, non-degenerate) bilinear form. That completes the proof of claim

3.5.5.
Remark 3.6.12. We deduce from the proof the following W-module iso-
morphism:

H;(13=, Q) = H (13z, Q)` = Ht(13=, Q) , i = 0,1, ... , d(x).

3.6.13. THE WEYL GROUP ACTION ON H*(13,Q). We emphasize first
that there is no natural action of the abstract Weyl group W on the flag
variety of G. Let us choose, however, a maximal torus T and a Borel
subgroup B = T T. U. Then the abstract Weyl group W gets identified with
W = N(T)/T and the flag variety gets identified with 13 = G/B. The
natural projection
(3.6.14)

is a locally trivial fibration with contractible fibers isomorphic to U. Since

U is unipotent, hence contractible, the map p is a homotopy equivalence so
that we have

(3.6.15) p' : H*(13)ZH"(G/T), and p.: H,rd(G/T)=H.(B),

where H, 'd stands for ordinary (not Borel-Moore) homology.
Further, the group N(T) normalizes T, hence acts on G/T on the
right and this action factors through W. This induces a W-action on the
homology H;'d(G/T), and on the cohomology H"(G/T). We transport
these W-actions by means of isomorphisms (3.6.15). Thus both H. (13) and
H"(B) acquire a W-module structure.
Recall next that the Bruhat decomposition gives a cell decomposition of
B by #W cells of even real dimension. It follows that the differentials in
the CW-complex corresponding to this cell decomposition vanish. Thus we
obtain
(3.6.16) dim H.(13) = number of cells = #W.
Moreover, we will see later in Chapter 6 that the representation of the Weyl
group in H.(B) is isomorphic to the regular representation (see 6.4.15).
Observe further that the top homology Ht,,p(13) is 1-dimensional since 13
is a smooth connected variety. It turns out that the W-action on Ht0p(8)
gives the "sign"-representation of W (it is not difficult to check that any
simple reflection changes orientation on G/B, hence acts as multiplication
by -1).
Identify W with W by means of the choice of (T, B). Then the W-
action on H.(B) thus defined does not depend on the choice of B and T.
Furthermore, this W-action is a special case of the general abstract Weyl
 3.6 Irreducible Representations of Weyl Groups 181

group action on the homology of the Springer fiber constructed earlier. To

see this, put x = 0 in 3.4. The fiber of the map µ : T`13 ^_, JV -> N
over the origin consists of all Borel subalgebras of g, i.e., is the zero-section
13cT`B.

Claim 3.6.17. The W-action on H.(B) arising from the convolution con-
struction via Theorem 3.4.1 is the same as the one described above (i.e.,
induced from the natural W-action on H.(G/T) by means of isomorphism
(3.6.15)).

Proof of Claim. We choose and fix a regular element h E b and apply

the deformation argument used in the proof of Theorem 3.4.1. Observe first
that the choice of B and T we have made gives an isomorphism of 4 = Lie T
with the abstract Cartan subalgebra given by bJ = 5j. Hence we
can (and will) regard h as an element of 1j, and identify W with W.
In the notation of the proof of Theorem 3.4.1 we have the following
commutative diagram
h
= G X. (h + n)
(3.6.18)

a
C3.

The projections ir and p are affine bundles over 13 and the map µ is an iso-
morphism. Hence, homotopy invariance yields the following isomorphisms
of the ordinary homology
Hord (9h )
l
(3.6.19)

[Link](G/T) Y.A.

w : ih .
Recall further that the W-action 3.1.36 gives, for any w E W, a map
gw(h). It is clear that the following diagram commutes.

w-action 3.1.36 gw(h)

Bh 11

(3.6.20) µ µ
r,- ht
o ---ti
GIT 0n% G/T
G/T on IT

From diagram (3.6.19) and (3.6.20) we obtain the following diagram of

ordinary homology groups involving the convolution from 2.7.15 in the
182 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

middle row:
(3.6.21)
H,(Ci)---------------------
convolution with [A .

P. H:rd(gh) cony- H*rd(8w(h)) P.

With IA ,.I

[Link](G/T) right w-action [Link](G/T)

.

where the dashed arrow is defined so as to make the perimeter commute.

We now fix a 2-dimensional R-vector subspace I C S7 , and let the
element h E 1* go to zero. Diagram (3.6.21) specializes at the limit to a
diagram
(3.6.22)

H. (B)

P.
H*rd(T*B) (°-10o l HFrd(T*B) P.
with A,,,

II
Hord(G/T) right w-action
H,rd(G/T)

where the isomorphism y is the specialization of the family of isomorphisms

p* (which depend on h E 1*). In down to earth terms, y is induced by
a (non-holomorphic) diffeomorphism G/T - T*8 mentioned in remark
3.3.18. Note that the commutativity of the rectangle
(convolution with [A')) o y = y o (right w-action)
in (3.6.22) follows from the commutativity of the corresponding rectangle
in (3.6.21), due to the fact that convolution commutes with specialization.
Observe finally that the projection ir being a homotopy equivalence, the
map i, commutes with convolution. Therefore, the horizontal arrow on the
top of (3.6.22), which is obtained from the corresponding map in diagram
(3.6.21) by specialization, is in fact equal to convolution with [A']. This
completes the proof.
Observe next that for any x E N, the fiber I3 is embedded naturally into
S. The embedding gives rise to a homology morphism H,(8) - H.(1i).
This morphism clearly commutes with the action of G(x), the centralizer of
x. The latter may give rise to a non-trivial C(x)-action on H.(i3z), while it
 3.7 Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 183

necessarily gives rise to the trivial action on H.(B), since it extends to an

action of G, a connected group. We see that the morphism H. (13x) - H. (5)
is not necessarily injective. It will be shown in Chapter 6 however that the
following partial result still holds.
Claim 3.6.23. The morphism H.(Bx) --+ H.(!3) commutes with the W-
action. Furthermore, for d(x) = dim s13x, the map

Hd(x)(Bx)C(x) -> Hd(x)(B)

is injective.
Remark 3.6.24. The claim implies that the image of the morphism
H. (B.,,) - H, (B) is a W-stable subspace in the homology of B. In spite of
the fact that the W-action on B can be defined in an elementary way (see
3.6.13), there is no elementary way to check that the image of the above
morphism is W-stable. This requires all of the sophisticated machinery that
we have developed above (cf. also [KL3]).
Example 3.6.25. Let x E N be a regular nilpotent. Then by Lemma
3.2.14, there is a unique Borel subalgebra b containing x so that 8x =
{b} is a single point. In this case H. (13x, Q) = Ho(B,,, Q) = Q and the
corresponding W-module is the trivial representation.

3.7 Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem

Theorem 3.7.1. (Jacobson-Morozov, see [Kol]) Let g be a semisimple Lie
algebra over C (or any field k of characteristic 0). For any nilpotent element
e E g, there exist h, f E g such that
(3.7.2) [h,e]=2.e, [h,f]=-2.f, [e,f]=h.
Thus there exists a Lie algebra homomorphism y : s12(C) --+ g such that

F-* e, F-- f, H h.
C0 U) (0 1
0)
(1 f is a nilpotent element of g.
Moreover, h is a semisimple and
TERMINOLOGY: In this book we will refer to the triple (e, f, h) as an
s12-triple, or an s12-triple associated with e. Note that we do not say the
s(2-triple because the pair (f, h) is in general not unique.
The following result of Kostant [Kol, sec. 3.6] (whose proof will be given
later in this section), specifies exactly to what extent a triple is unique.
Proposition 3.7.3. Let ZG(e) denote the centralizer in G of e. Then
the above homomorphism y : s(2(C) -+ g is determined uniquely up to
conjugation by an element in the unipotent radical of the group ZG(e).
184 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

Proof of the Jacobson-Morozov theorem will be given at the end of this

section. Here we illustrate it in the special case g = sl,(C). By the Jordan
normal form theorem, any nilpotent element is conjugate to a direct sum of
Jordan blocks. Hence, it suffices to verify Theorem 3.7.1 assuming that e is
a single m x m block. In that case the triple (e, f, h) can be taken to be
1

I m0 1 mo 3 0 I 1 0 0 1 0
h= e=

0 ... 0 -M+1)

0 0
m-1 0 0
0 2(m - 2) 0
f=
-2(m - 2) 0 0
-(m -1) 0
Let G be an arbitrary complex connected semisimple group with Lie
algebra g.
Corollary 3.7.4. Given a nilpotent e E 9, there exists a rational homomor-
phism y : SL 2 (C) --> G such that its diferential s1 2 (C) - g sends 0 1
0 0
to e.

Proof. The group SL2(C) is simply connected. Hence, any Lie algebra
homomorphism 912(C) - g can be extended to a (unique) Lie group
homomorphism.

Restricting the group homomorphism of Corollary 3.7.4 to the diagonal

subgroup

{ C0
)itc}
we obtain a homomorphism y : C` -- G such that
(3.7.5) y(t)ey(t)-1 = t2 e , Vt E C*.
Formula (3.7.5) follows by exponentiating the commutation relation [h, e] _

Let Eu be the Euler vector field on g generating dilatations.

 3.7 Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 185

Proposition 3.7.6. Any nilpotent orbit 0 C g* is a C*-stable subvariety;

furthermore it is a symplectic cone-variety (see 1.6.1) with respect to the
canonical symplectic structure on a coadjoint orbit and the vector field
=Eu.
Proof. It follows from (3.7.5) that 0 is C*-stable, whence the vector field
Eu is tangent to the subvariety 0 C g*. To prove the second claim,
recall the standard symplectic 2-form on 0 at a point A E 0 is given by
wa((ad x) A, (ad y)A) = (A, [x, y]) where x, y E g and "ad" stands for the
coadjoint action. Now, multiplication by a complex number c E C* induces
the transformation \ " c - A of g* which keeps the orbit stable. Denote by
c. the induced map of tangent spaces. Then we have
w (c.((adx)A), c.((ady)A)) = w,.,y (c (adx)A, c - (ady)A)
= w((adx)(c A), (ad y) (c A)) = (c A, [x, y]) = c - wk ((ad x) A, (ad y) A)
Differentiating at c = 1 yields LE,, w = w, and the claim follows.
Recall that any simple finite dimensional s12(C)-module V looks like:

highest
I 1.
I i I
lowest
weight e e ''' e weight

where the dots in the diagram correspond to h-eigenspaces, each of dimen-

sion 1, e-action moves the diagram one step to the left and f -action. moves
the diagram one step to the right (each step changes the h-eigenvalue by 2,
not by 1). It follows from the diagram that we have an h-stable direct sum
decomposition V = Ker f ® Im e where Ker f is represented by the right-
most vertex . Hence, a similar decomposition holds for any, not necessarily
simple, s12-module. It looks like:
Im e Ker f

Each row of diagram (3.7.7) represents an irreducible constituent in a

decomposition of V into a direct sum of simple 512-modules. Each vertical
186 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

line corresponds to a fixed eigenvalue of the adjoint h-action. The elements

e and f act horizontally on the diagram: e moves the diagram 2 steps to
the left, and f moves the diagram two steps to the right.
Furthermore, the diagram is symmetric relative to the vertical axis
h = 0. This yields the following

Corollary 3.7.8. Let the s(2-triple (e, h, f) act on a finite dimensional

vector space V. Assume that v E V is such that f v = 0 and h v = -m v.
Then m is a non-negative integer and we have em+i . v = 0.

Corollary 3.7.9. Any nilpotent element of a semisimple Lie algebra g is

acting as a nilpotent operator on any finite dimensional g-module.

Proof. Follows from the diagram above and the fact that any nilpotent
element is a member of an sC2-triple.

We now fix a nilpotent element e E g, and a corresponding s(2-triple

(e, f, h) that provides the embedding of Theorem 3.7.1. The
adjoint action on g of the image of the embedding makes g an 512(C)-
module. We apply diagram (3.7.7) to this s(2-module. We see in particular
that all the eigenvalues of the operator ad h : g -+ g are integers, and the
weight space decomposition into ad h-eigenspaces yields a Z -grading on the
Lie algebra g.

(3.7.10) g = i® 9i, [9i> 9.1) C 9i+A a Vi, j E Z.

Observe further that in this case we have Ker(e) = Z9(e). This yields the
following result.

Corollary 3.7.11. (i) All the eigenvalues of the operator ad h : Za (e)

Z0(e) are non-negative integers;
(ii) If all the eigenvalues of the operator ad h : g -+ g are even, then
dimZB(e) = dimZ9(h).

Now choose a triangular decomposition:

(3.7.12) g=4 ®n®n ,

Using Corollary 3.7.11 we can give an alternative short proof of Corollary
3.2.13.

Theorem 3.7.13. (see [Kol]) Let el,... , e be a set of root vectors in

n, one for each simple root determined by b. Then x = E ei is a regular
nilpotent element in g.
 3.7 Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 187

Proof. Let a,,. - ., a,, be the set of simple roots determined by b, and
write n,, ... na for the corresponding root spaces in n (so that, in partic-
ular, e, E na; ). Let n_,,, ... n_a,,, (resp. e_ I I .... for the corresponding
negative root spaces (resp. negative root vectors).
From the general structure theory of semisimple Lie algebras (see, e.g.
[Sel],[Di]) there is, for each 1 < i < n, a unique multiple hi of lei, e_;] such
that ai(hi) = 2, and further the hi's form a basis for h. Fix h E h so that
ai(h) = 2 for all i. Define complex numbers µl, ... , µn by the equation
h = > pihi. Let y = E µi e_i. Observe that for any simple roots a 36,3 the
difference a - j3 is not a root. It follows that [ei,e_j] = 0 whenever i # j.
Now, we calculate

[h, x] = ai(h)ei = 2x,

[h,y] = E/.ti(-ai)(h)e_i = -2y,

i
[x, y] = E pj[ei, e-j] _ pi[ei, e-i] _ pihi = h.
i,j
Thus (x, y, h) is an s[2-triple and all the eigenvalues of h on g are even since
ai(h) = 2. By Corollary 3.7.11 we obtain dim Z.(x) = dim Z.(h) = dim C)
and therefore x is regular.
3.7.14. STANDARD SLICES. We now study some convenient transversal
slices, cf. 3.2.19, to nilpotent orbits in Al that were introduced by Kostant,
Peterson and Slodowy.
Fix a nilpotent element e E g, and a corresponding s12-triple (e, f, h).
Let 0 be the G-conjugacy class of e and let s = Za (f) be the centralizer of
fin g.
Proposition 3.7.15. (see [Kol],[Slol]) The affine space e+s is transverse
to the orbit 0 in g. Moreover, we have 0 fl (e + s) = e.
The affine space e + s, or its intersection with N, will be often referred
to (by some abuse of terminology) as the standard slice to the orbit 0 at
the point e. The reason for this is that, due to Lemma 3.2.20, there exists a
small enough neighborhood, U i) e, such that Nn (e + s) nU is a transverse
slice to 0 in N.
Proof. Observe that by definition we have Im (ad e) = [g, e] and
Ker (ad f) = s. Thus, we have (see 3.7.7) an ad h-stable direct sum de-
composition

(3.7.16) g = [g, e] ®s.

But [g, e] = TeO is the tangent space at e to the conjugacy class
0 = Ad G Q. e. It follows that s is a complement in g to the tangent space
188 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

to 0. Hence, e + s is a transversal slice to 0 in g, and Lemma 3.2.20 shows

that N fl (e + s) is a transverse slice to 0 in N.
To prove the last claim, we define a C'-action on e + s by the formula
(3.7.17) (t, e + s) H e + t2 (Ady(t-') - s) = t2 Ad y(t-')(e + s),
where t E C' and the last equation follows from (3.7.5). It follows from
(3.7.7) that all the eigenvalues of the ad h-action on Ker f are non-positive
integers. Hence, all the weights of the C'-action on s of the one-parameter
group t i- t2 Ady(t-') are strictly positive integers. Thus, the action
(3.7.17) is a contraction to the unique C`-fixed point e, i.e.,

(3.7.18) e+ t2 . (Ad y(t-') s) = e, ds E s.

Corollary 3.7.4 implies that the variety ®fl (e+s) is stable under the C'-
action of the one-parameter group t t2 Ad 7(t-'). It then follows from
(3.7.18) that if (o n (e + s)) \ {e} is non-empty, then there are elements in
0 fl (e + s) that are contained in arbitrarily small neighborhoods of e. But
this contradicts the first part of Proposition 3.7.15 saying that, in a small
enough neighborhood of e, the space e + s meets 0 in the single point e.

Corollary 3.7.19. The fiber µ-'(e) C N is a homotopy retract of the

variety S = p ' (e + s) C N.
Proof. We have just seen that the C'-action of the one-parameter group
t H t2 Ad y(t-') contracts the slice e + s to the point e. Note that since A(
is an Ad G-stable cone this C'-action keeps the subvariety S = N fl (e + s)
stable. Further, the subvariety S = a-' (e + s) is also stable under this
action, due to G-equivariance of the map µ : N -+ N. Although the C'-
action contracts e + s to the point e, the corresponding action on S is not
a contraction to ju-' (e) because this action does not restrict to the identity
action on µ-'(e) (it restricts to the conjugation by y(t-')).
We may however correct this as follows. Let v be the real vector field
on the smooth variety S that generates the action t " t2 - Ad 7(t-1) of the
real subgroup R'0 C C'. Let r denote the function on e + s given by the
distance from e with respect to a Euclidean metric. Let r" be the pullback of
r to S. Then r' is a non-negative C°°-function on S which vanishes exactly
on µ''(e). It is then clear that the flow of the vector field v = -r v gives
the necessary contraction of S to p-'(e). This flow is defined on S for any
positive time r since p : S -+ S is proper, hence solutions of the differential
equation dT = v(s(r)) can be extended to all values r > 0.

Either this, or a similar argument may be applied every time we will use
tubular neighborhoods of the fibers of p.
 3.7 Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 189

We shall now study in more detail the structure of the subgroup Zc:(e),
the centralizer in G of the nilpotent element e. Clearly Lie Zg (e) = Ze (e) is
the centralizer of e in g. Recall the gradation g = ®gt in (3.7.10) and put
Zt := gt fl Ze(e). The formulas after (3.7.10) yield

(3.7.20) Ze(e) = t® Zt, [Zt, Z,] C Zt+i, Vi, j.

Observe that the summation in the decomposition above ranges over non-
negative integers because of Corollary 3.7.11(i). Therefore, the subspace
u = ®t>0Zt is a nilpotent ideal in the Lie algebra Ze(e). Let U C Zc(e) be
the unipotent normal subgroup corresponding to the Lie algebra u.
Lemma 3.7.21. (i) We have u = Ker (e) fl Im (e).
(ii) The affine space h+u is stable under the ajdoint U-action; moreover,
h + u = U- h is a single U-orbit.
Proof. Part (i) is immediate by means of the structure theory of s12-
modules (see diagram (3.7.7)). To prove (ii) we apply Lemma 1.4.12(i) and
see that
[u, u] C u, and [u, h] C u.
Both inclusions are clear from the decomposition (3.7.20), moreover; the
second one [u, h] = u is in fact an equality. Hence, Lemma 1.4.12(ii) implies
that the U-orbit of h is open dense in h + u. But this orbit must be closed
in h + u because U is unipotent (Lemma 3.1.1), whence the result.
Proof of Proposition 3.7.3. Let (e, f, h) and (e, f', h') be two 512-triples.
We first show that
(3.7.22) h' = h f' = f.
Indeed we have

[f',el =h'=h=[f,e]
Hence [f' - f,e] = 0 and f' - f E Ze(e). On the other hand, clearly
f, f' E g-2 in the grading (3.7.10). Thus f - f' E Z_2 = 0 by (3.7.20),
and (3.7.22) follows.
In general, for any s[2-triples (e, f, h) and (e, f', h') we write similarly,
[h', e] = [h, e] = 2e,
whence h' - h E Ze(e) = Ker (e). Furthermore,
h'-h=[e,f'-f]EIm(e)
shows that h'-h E Ker (e)flim (e). Hence, Lemma 3.7.21(i) yields h' E h+u.
Therefore, by Lemma 3.7.21(ii) there exists u E U such that h' = uhu-'.
190 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

We claim that the triple (e, f', h') is obtained from (e, f, h) by means of
conjugation by u. To see this, write

e = u-leu, h = u-'h'u, and f" = u-' f'u.

Therefore (e, h, f") is an s12-triple for e. Hence (3.7.22) implies f = f , and
the proposition follows.
Let (e, f, h) be an sC2-triple in g. Write GI, for the (simultaneous)
centralizer of (e, f, h) in G.

Proposition 3.7.23. G,I, is a maximal reductive subgroup of the group

ZG(e) and the group U (introduced before Lemma 3.7.21) is the unipotent
radical of ZG(e).

Proof. Recall the general fact that the centralizer in G of a reductive

subgroup is itself reductive, since the restriction of the Killing form on g to
the Lie algebra of the centralizer is easily seen to remain non-degenerate.
Hence, the group G,f, is reductive. To prove that G1, is maximal, we use
another general fact, cf. e.g. [OV], that any affine action of a reductive
group on an affine linear space has a fixed point (transcendental proof:
choose a maximal compact subgroup K with a bi-invariant Haar measure
dk. Then, for any v in the affine space, the point fK g v dk, the center of
mass of the orbit K v, is fixed by K, hence by the reductive group.)
Let R be a maximal reductive subgroup of Ze(e). The action of R on
the affine linear space h + u (cf. Lemma 3.7.21) has a fixed point, due to
the above mentioned fact. Since Zo(e) acts transitively on h + u by part (ii)
of Lemma 3.7.21, we may assume replacing R by its conjugate if necessary,
that the fixed point is the point h. This means that the Ad R-action on
9 keeps both h and e fixed. The proposition 3.7.3 implies then that R
centralizes the whole triple (e, h, f ). This means that R = G,r,.
Here is another proof of the maximality of G,i, based on a more ground
to earth argument.
We know that U is a normal unipotent subgroup of ZG(e) and G.I. is
reductive. Thus we have only to show that
ZG(e) = G,,, U.

(observe that G,,, fl u = { 1}, because it is a normal, unipotent subgroup of

G,,, a reductive group).
Now fix g E Zo(e) and write y : 912 - g for the embedding of
the s12-triple. To show that g E G,(, U define a new homomorphism
y' = (Adg)-1 ory. Then

-t'(o i) = (Adg)-'-f(' i) _ (Adg)-1(e) = e,

 3.7 Applications of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 191

since g E ZG(e). By Proposition 3.7.3, there is a u E U such that

(Ad u)o -y =ry'=(Adg)-'ory
so that (Ad gu) o-y = ry. Thus gu E G,,, . Setting s = gu we get g = s u-1 E
G,1, U. This yields the decomposition ZG(e) = G,l, U and completes the
proof.

Recall the grading g = ®gi of (3.7.10) and note that e E 92. Later on we
shall use the following result, where ZG(h) denotes the centralizer of h in
G.

Lemma 3.7.24. [Kol] The subspace 92 C g is stable under the adjoint

ZG(h)-action and the ZG(h)-orbit of e is Zariski-open in g2.
Proof. Observe that in the notation of (3.7.10), we have Lie ZG(h) = go.
Observe further that we have

[go, 92] C g2, and [go, e] = 92,

where the last equality follows from the structure of ale-modules, see dia-
gram (3.7.7). The claim now follows from Lemma 1.4.12, applied to V = g,
E = g2i P = ZG(h) and v = e.
3.7.25. Proof of the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem. The standard proof of the
theorem, see e.g. [Bour}, is quite elemetary but involves several tricky lem-
mas. In conjunction with the spirit of this book we prefer to give another
argument, based on less elementary results, but involving no "tricks."
Fix a nilpotent e E g, and let ge = ZB(e) denote its centralizer in g. Our
proof consists of three steps.
STEP 1. Arguing by induction on dim g, we first reduce to the case
where the subalgebra ge consists of nilpotent elements only. This is done
as follows. Let x E ge be a non-nilpotent element, and x = s + n its
Jordan decomposition with s semisimple and n nilpotent. Since x is not
nilpotent we have s 0 0. Furthermore, the equation (x, e] = 0 implies that
Is, e] = 0, cf. e.g. [Hum]. Thus ge contains s, a non-zero semisimple element.
The centralizer of such an element is a proper reductive Lie subalgebra
r C g. Since e commutes with the semisimple element, we have e E r.
Being nilpotent, e belongs in effect to the semisimple component of the
reductive Lie algebra t. Hence, this semisimple component is a Lie algebra
of dimension < dim g containing e, and we are done by induction.
STEP 2. We claim there exists a semisimple element h E 9 such that
[h, e] = 2e. This has been already proved in the course of the proof of
Proposition 3.2.16. Indeed, it was shown in the proof of the "if" part of
the proposition, that for any nilpotent element e E 9 we have (e, ge) = 0 .
Furthermore, it was shown in the proof of the "only if' part of the same
192 3. Complex Semisimple Groups

proposition that the latter condition guarantees the existence of h, as

above.
STEP 3. By step 2 we can choose (and fix) a semisimple element h E g
such that [h, ej = 2e. We use the argument of the proof of Proposition
3.2.16. Introduce the weight space decomposition
g = ®9 g« :_ {x E g ( ad h(x) = cr x} .
aEC

Clearly h E go and e E 02. Moreover, the commutation relation ad h o ad e =

ad e o (2 + ad h) implies that ad e takes g,, to ga+2
The theorem will be proved provided we find f E 9-2 such that
ad e(f) = h. Since ad e shifts weight gradation by two, finding such an
f amounts to showing that h E Im (ad e). Applying the same argument
as in the proof of Proposition 3.2.16, we see that this holds if and only if
(h, ge) = 0. Now, by the definition of the Killing form, for any x E 9, we
have (h, x) = Tr(ad h ad x) . Thus we must prove
(3.7.26) Tr(ad h ad x) = 0, for any x E ge .

To prove this, note first that the Jacobi identity and the commutation
relation [h, e] = 2e imply readily [h, ge] C ge. Hence, C h + ge is a
Lie subalgebra. Using step 1 and Engel's theorem we may assume that ge
is a nilpotent and C h + ge a solvable Lie algebra, respectively. Hence,
by Lie's theorem, we may put all operators ad x, x E C h + ge in the
upper triangular form so that for x E ge the operators are strictly upper
triangular. It is then clear that, for any x E ge, the operator ad h ad x
is strictly upper triangular again. Thus, Tr(ad h ad x) = 0, and (3.7.26)
follows.
 CHAPTER 4

Springer Theory for U(5r )

4.1 Geometric Construction of the Enveloping

Algebra
One might ask whether the work of producing representations of Weyl
groups by geometric means, carried out in the previous chapter, was worth-
while. Our point is that absolutely the same machinery can be applied to
construct representations of and perhaps other semisimple Lie alge-
bras, cf. [Na2]. Many of the objects we use for studying the are
analogous to the objects in the Weyl group case.
There are three classes of objects that are classically known to be related
in a combinatorial way:
(1) Conjugacy classes of nilpotent (n x n) matrices,
(2) Irreducible representations of S and,
(3) Irreducible representations of
We have already seen the link between (1) and (2) (cf. also [DP] for a
different but closely related approach). We will now study the relationship
between (1) and (3).
We fix an integer n > 1 corresponding to whose representations
we wish to study. We also fix an integer d > 1 bearing no relation to n.
An n-step partial flag F in the vector space Cd is a sequence of sub-
spaces 0 = F0 C Fl C C F = Cd, where the inclusions are not nec-
essarily proper. Write F for the set of all n-step partial flags in Cd. In the
current situation F will play the role that the flag variety B played in the
representations of Weyl groups. The space F is a smooth compact manifold
with connected components parametrized by all partitions
diEZ>o.
We emphasize that each di can be any value 0 < di < d, zero in particular.
To the partition d = (dl + + we associate the connected component

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_5,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
194 4. Springer Theory for U(sC")

of .F consisting of flags

(4.1.1) .Fd={F=(0=F0C CF"=Gd)I dimFi/Fti_1=di}.

Next we introduce an analogue of the nilpotent variety in the current
situation to be the set N = {x : Cd -+ Cd I x is linear, x' = 0}.
We are going to define an analogue of the Springer resolution. Write
M for the set of pairs M = {(x,F) E N x F I x(Fi) C Fi_1idi =
1, 2, ... , n}. Note that the requirement x E N in this formula is superfluous
because x(Fi) C Fi_1 necessarily implies that x" = 0. The first and second
projections give rise to a natural diagram

N .F

The natural action of GLd(C) on Cd gives rise to GLd(C)-actions on .F, N

and M by conjugation. The projections clearly commute with the GLd(C)-
action.
We have the following description of the cotangent bundle on F; its
proof is entirely analogous to the proof in the case of the flag variety (see
3.2.2).

Proposition 4.1.2. There is a natural GLd(C)-equivariant vector bundle

isomorphism
M = T*.F
making the map it above into the canonical projection T 'Y -+ F.

The decomposition of F into connected components 1d gives rise to a

decomposition of M according to n-step partitions of d:

M = Ud Md, Md = T*Fd.
Lemma 4.1.3. [Spa2] For any x E N, and any n-step partition d, the set
.Fx n Md is a connected variety of pure dimension (that is, each irreducible
component has the same dimension) and
dim ®x + 2 dim (.F. fl .Fd) = 2 [Link].
This result was proved by Spaltenstein [Spa2] with an explicit computa-
tion. The connectivity part of the corollary can be proved in a more con-
ceptual way using the argument indicated in Remark 3.3.26. This argument
works because N (and, more generally, the closure of any nilpotent conju-
gacy class in gld(C)) is known to be a normal variety.
 4.1 Geometric Construction of the EnvelopingAlgebra 195

The second claim of Lemma 4.1.3 concerning dimension is an analogue of

the identity (3.3.25) in the case of complete flags. The proof of that identity
cannot be adapted to our present setup because the isotropy groups for par-
tial flag varieties are not solvable in general (they are in general parabolic
subgroups), so that the key Theorem 1.5.7 does not apply. Furthermore,
the equidimensionality assertion fails for simple groups of types other than
SL,,. Indeed, the proof given in [Spa2] exploits some specific features of SL,,
in an essential way and will not be reproduced here.

Lemma 4.1.4. The number of GLd(C)-diagonal orbits on F x .F is finite.

Proof. Write B for the flag variety of GLd(C). We claim that the number
of GLd(C)-orbits on fdl x Yd, is less than or equal to the number of
GLd(C)-orbits on B x B, which is finite.
To see this observe that, for any n-step partition d, there is a surjective
GLd(C)-equivariant map B -* Fd from the set of complete flags in Cd to
.Fd. Hence, there is a GLd(C)-equivariant surjection B x B -+ Fd, x .Fd,,
and the lemma follows.
Remark 4.1.5. Later (see 4.3.15) we will give an explicit parametrization
of these orbits analogous to the parametrization of G-orbits on B x B by
the Weyl group of G.
Given X E N, set F. = µ'1(x), which we will view as a subvariety of F.
Following the strategy of section 2.7.40 we set
8=
Z = MxNM C MxM = T'.FxT'.F T'(.Fx.F).
The following is completely analogous to Proposition 3.3.4.

Proposition 4.1.6. The variety Z is the union of the conormal bundles to

all GLd(C)-orbits in .F x F.
The next corollary follows from the general machinery of convolution
algebras discussed previously (see in particular Corollary 2.7.42).

Corollary 4.1.7. We have Z o Z = Z; in particular

(a) H.(Z) is an associative algebra with unit;
(b) H.(.FF) is an H.(Z) -module, for any x E N.
Note that in the current situation the varieties we study differ from those
in the study of Weyl groups in two ways. For one, the basic object F is not
connected. For example F always has an irreducible component consisting
of the single point (a flag)

F=(0=Fo=F1=...=Fn_1 C Fn =Cd).
196 4. Springer Theory for U(sf.)

Also the dimensions of the irreducible components of both F and Z may

vary considerably from component to component. This contrasts with the
case of the Steinberg variety where it was shown that each irreducible
component has the same dimension. Still we have the following "middle
dimension property" component-wise, which is immediate from 4.1.6.

Corollary 4.1.8. Let Z' be an irreducible component of Z contained in

Md, x Md2 for the n-step partitions dl and dz of d. Then we have
dim Z' = 1/2 dim (Md1 X Md,).
4.1.9. Recall that convolution behaves nicely with respect to the middle
dimension (see 2.7.47). Of course here there is no middle dimension for all
of Z. So we introduce the vector space H(Z) which is defined as the vector
subspace of H.(Z) spanned by the fundamental classes of the irreducible
components of Z. Similarly we define H(F) C H.(Fe) to be the span of
the fundamental classes of the irreducible components of F .

Corollary 4.1.10. The homology group H(Z) is a subalgebra of H.(Z).

Proof. This follows from Corollary 4.1.8 and the middle dimension prop-
erty 2.7.47.

Proposition 4.1.11. H(.F.,) is an H(Z)-stable subspace of

Proof. We proved the analogous statement for Weyl groups by using the
dimension equality
dim ®+ 2 dim 8x = 2dim B,
and then applying the dimension property (2.7.47). With this said the
above proposition follows from Lemma 4.1.3.

Here is the main result of this section, establishing a connection between

the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra sl,,(C) and the geometry
of the above introduced variety Z.
Theorem 4.1.12. There is a natural surjective algebra homomorphism
U(sln(C)) -s H(Z).
Remark 4.1.13. This is the closest possible analogue to the isomorphism
Q[W] = H(Z). An isomorphism is impossible in the enveloping algebra case
because U(sl,,(C)) is infinite dimensional while H(Z) is finite dimensional.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE MAP U(s(,a(C)) -- H(Z). Let

S = f ea, fa, ha l a = 1, ... , n - 1}

 4.1 Geometric Construction of the EnvelopingAlgebra U(sL(C)) 197

be the set of Chevalley generators, cf. [Sel], for the Lie algebra s<n(C) in
other words put

(4.1.14)
0
0 /0
1 0
0 1 0 0
fa = 1 0 ..J, ha = 0 -1
ea = 0 0
0

where the 1 in e is in the ath row, the 1 in f is in the a + 1st row, and
the 1 in h is in the ath row. The only thing the reader has to know about
Chevalley generators at the moment is that the matrices (4.1.14) generate
st,ti(C) as a Lie algebra, which is not difficult anyway. We are going to
construct a map

(4.1.15) 0 : S -+ H(Z).

First, for each partition d we have the diagonal subvariety 0 c .Fd [Link],
and we define

(4.1.16) 0 : ha i-+ > (da - da+1)[To(.Fd x Jld)]

d

It should be stressed at this point that here and throughout we are using
the sign convention of (3.3.2), that is, given two manifolds X1 and X2,
eN
we use the identification T*X1 x T-X2 T-(X1 x X2), involving the
minus-sign twist on the second factor, so that the standard symplectic form
on T*(Xi x X2) corresponds, under the isomorphism, to w1 - w2 where wl
and w2 are the standard symplectic forms on the first and second factor
of T"X1 x T*X2, respectively. We note that under this identification, the
conormal bundle TT(.Fd [Link]) in (4.1.16) becomes nothing but the diagonal
in T`.Fd x T'.Fd.
Next, write P for the set of all n-step partitions of d. It will be instruc-
tive to think about partition d = d1 + . + da + + d as being an actual
partition of the segment [1, d] into n segments [1, d1] , [d1 + 1, d1 + d2] , ... ,
[d1 + ... + d,a_ 1 + 1, d] . We define two maps

where V is a formal symbol, the "ghost" partition.

Given an n-step partition d and an integer a between 1 and n - 1,
representing a simple root of the Lie algebra assign to d two new
198 4. Springer Theory for U(sin)

n-step partitions d+ and d; as follows. If d = dl + + da + + d then

d+ = d, + + d,,,-, + (d,, + 1) + (d,,+, - 1) + d,,,+2 dn,
(4.1.17) =d,+...+da_,+(da-1)+(da+,+l)+da}2...+dn.
da
Geometrically, the operation d F-+ da moves the border point between
a-th and a + 1-th segments in the partition d one step to the right, while
the operation d E-+ dq moves the border point between a-th and a - 1-th
segments in the partition d one step to the left. Clearly these operations
will not always lead to a partition, e.g., if da+, = 0, then da = V. In all
such cases we define d+ and d; to be the ghost partition V.
Given a = 1, ... , n - 1 and a partition d = (d, + + dn) such that
d+ # V, resp. d- 54 V we introduce a subset of Fda+ x Fd, resp. Fd- x Fd
as follows.
(4.1.18)
j F') E Fdo X Fd
F = F' Vi E {1 n} \ {a}
Yda.d =
(F' Fa c F, & dim (F/F' 1 }
(4.1.19)

Yda,d={(F,F')EFd;x.17d
F;=F biE{1,...',n}\{a}}
Fa C Fa & dim (Fa/Fa) = 1

where F = (0 = Fo C ... C Fn = Cd) as usual.

Observe that the set Yd- ',d is a single G-orbit in Fda x Fd. Moreover
these are the orbits of minimal dimension in Fd; x Fd, hence are smooth
closed subvarieties.
Observe further that if we fix a and write c := da, then we have ca = d.
So replacing the pair (dx , d) by (ca , c) amounts to switching the order of
the factors, that is, the subvariety Y,,,o = Y,,,,d C .F, x Fd is obtained
from the subvariety Yd,d+ = Yd,1 C .Fd x 2 by means of the isomorphism
Fd X .F, = Y X Fd given by switching factors. We say that Yc,d, viewed as
a correspondence between .F and Fd, is transposed to the correspondence
Yd,c between Fd and X, and write Yr d = (Yd ,-)t. Similarly the subvariety
TYa . (.Fc x Fd) viewed as a correspondence between T".FC and T'.Fd is
transposed to the correspondence TYa e (Fd x .FF) C T'.Fd x T".F,,.
To complete the definition of the map O : S -p H(Z), we put

ea'-' 6 (ea) _ E [T*aa,a (.Fd++ x .Fd)

+
d
(4.1.20)
fa H O(fa) = 1:[TT
d ao ,a
(.Fd_
X
.Fd)J

Thus, O(fa) is the cycle transposed to O(ea).

This finishes the construction of the map ®: S - U(sLn.(C)). We will
 4.2 Finite-Dimensional Simple 199

show in the next section that the map 9 thus defined can be (uniquely)
extended to a surjective algebra homomorphism H(Z).
The following result is analogous to Proposition 3.5.6 and Theorem
3.5.7.

Proposition 4.1.21. (a) H(Z) is a finite dimensional, semisimple associa-

tive algebra with unit.
(b) The representations H(FF) and H(FF) are isomorphic as H(Z)-
modules if and only if x and y are conjugate by GLd(C).
Proof. (a) This follows from Theorem 4.1.12 and the general fact that
any finite dimensional quotient of the universal enveloping algebra of a
semisimple Lie algebra is a semisimple (associative) algebra. This is so
because any representation of such an algebra is semisimple.
(b) If x and y are conjugate the result is clear. The "only if" part follows
from Theorem 4.1.23 below.
Remark 4.1.22. The statement that H(Z) is semisimple is really a purely
geometric fact, as has been the case with a similar fact in the previous
chapter. We will give an independent geometric proof of it in part 8, section
8.9.

Theorem 4.1.23. The collection {H(.:F )} as x runs over representatives

of the GLd(C)-conjugacy classes in N is a complete collection of the iso-
morphism classes of simple H(Z)-modules.

Proof. By Proposition 4.1.21(a) the analogue of Claim 3.5.6 holds for

H(Z) in the present case. To prove an analogue of Claim 3.5.5, consider
the Cartan anti-involution on ll(sr,,(C)) given by
ea +4 fa., ha +4 ha.
We claim that the anti-involution on the algebra H(Z) given by switching
factors on the variety of triples Z (that is, the map on homology induced by
the map (x, F1, F2) '-+ (x, F2, F1) with (x, F1, F2) E Z) is compatible with
the Cartan anti-involution by means of the map 9 : H(Z).
This is obvious from formulas (4.1.18)-(4.1.20) for the ha, ea and fa. The
theorem now follows from the general result 3.5.7.

4.2 Finite-Dimensional Simple srn(C)-Modules

It will be convenient for us in this section to regard the Lie algebra
as being embedded naturally into the algebra Write a =
(al, a2i ... a,,) E 91,,(C) for the diagonal matrix with entries al, ... , a,,
,

and h for the (Cartan subalgebra) of all diagonal n x n-matrices. Given

200 4. Springer Theory for

an n-tuple of integers m = (ml)m2i .... Mn), we associate to it an inte-

gral weight, the linear function h - C given by a = (al, a2,... , an) -
a1 - m1 + - - + an mn . A weight m is said to be dominant if m1 > m2 >
. > m,,. Clearly, the restriction of a weight m to the set of trace free
matrices is determined by the class, (ml, m2,. - -, Mn) mod Z, (modulo si-
multaneous translations). Observe that the notion of a dominant weight is
invariant under such translations.
Recall next that the set of finite dimensional irreducible representations
of 51n(C) is in bijective correspondence with the set of all dominant weights
modulo the Z-action by simultaneous translation. On the other hand, by
Theorem 4.1.12, any simple H(Z)-module gives rise to an irreducible rep-
resentation of the Lie algebra s[n(C). We wish to establish a relationship
between GLd(C)-conjugacy classes in N parametrizing irreducible represen-
tations of H(Z), and dominant weights parametrizing corresponding irre-
ducible representations of sln(C).
Let x E N be a linear operator in Cd such that xn = 0. Put formally
x° = Id. Then there are two distinguished flags attached to x
F"' (x) _ (0 = Ker (x°) c Ker (x) C Ker (x2) C ... C Ker (xn) = Cd),
Fmin(x) _ (0 = Im (xn) C Im (xn-1) C ... C Im (x) C Im (x°) = Cd) .
Observe that Finax(x), Fm,n(x) E F. We assign to each x E N the n-tuple
d(x) = (d1 + + do = d), where d, = dim Ker (x') - dim Ker (x'-').
This is the partition associated to the flag Finax(x)
Lemma 4.2.1. The n-tuple d(x) is a dominant weight.
Proof. For any i > 1 we have x (Ker (x')) C Ker (x''1). Hence, the
operator x induces, for each i > 1, a linear map
Ker xi+1 cx Ker x'
Ker(x') Ker(x''1)

Observe that this map is injective, whence d; > di+1. The lemma follows.

Remark 4.2.2. For any flag F E FF we have Fmsn < F 5 F111, in the
sense that Fr'" (x) c Fi C Finax(x), for each i = 1, 2, ... , n. To see that
F < Finax note that, for any F = (0 = F ° C . . . C F n = Cd) E Fx and
any i = 1, 2, ... , n, one has x'(F;) C xS-1(F;_1) C ... C x(F1) = 0. Hence,
F; C Ker (x'). The other inclusion is proved similarly.
Here is the main result of this section. It provides a geometric construc-
tion of all irreducible finite dimensional representations of the Lie algebra
s(n(C).
 4.2 Finite-Dimensional Simple s(n(C)-Modules 201

Theorem 4.2.3. We have

(a) For any x E N, the simple sln(C)-module H(FF) has the highest
weight

d(x) = (dl > d2 > > d,) , di = dim Ker (x') - dim Ker (x-')

(b) The flag Fm (x) (resp. Fn"(x)) is an isolated point of the fiber
Fx and the corresponding fundamental class [Finax(x)] E H(.FF) is
a highest weight (resp. [Fmin(x)] E H(.FF) is a lowest weight) vector
in H(.FF).
The fundamental classes of the irreducible components of the fiber Fx
form a distinguished basis in H(1F ). This basis is a weight basis with
respect to the Cartan subalgebra of diagonal matrices in sln(C), as is
immediate from the assignment (4.1.16), cf. the beginning of the proof of
Theorem 4.2.3.

Remark 4.2.4. It was expected that the basis formed by the fundamental
classes of irreducible components of F coincides with Lusztig's canonical
basis constructed in [LulO]. This expectation was to a large extent based
on a conjecture mentioned in Remark 3.4.16. Since Kashiwara and Saito
produced a counterexample to the latter, it is likely that the basis formed
by the irreducible components differs from the canonical basis.

Proof of Theorem 4.2.3. For any partition d the fundamental class of the
diagonal, [TT(.Fd x Fd)], acts as the identity map on any cycle c E H(.FF)
such that supp c C Fd and annihilates any cycle supported on other
components .Fd,, d' # d. The explicit expression assigned to ha (see 4.1.16)
now shows that all possible weights that occur in H(.FF) are n-tuples of the
form

(mi = dim (F1/F0),... , mn = dim (Fn/Fn-i)), F = (Fi C ... C Fn) E .Fx.

Remark 4.2.2 implies the following chain of inequalities

ml <di , M I + M 2 : 5 MI M3 :5 ,...
where (d = dl + . + dn) = d(x) is the partition attached to the flag
F". The inequalities mean that the weight (d, - ml, ... , do - mn) can
be expressed as a linear combination of positive roots of sln(C) with non-
negative integral coefficients. Thus, the weight d(x) is the maximal among
the weights that occur in H(.FF). The irreducibility of the representations
H(.,,) follows from Theorems 4.1.12 and 4.1.23.
202 4. Springer Theory for U(sl")

Recall that from the very beginning we have fixed an integer d > 1 so
that the variety Z = Zd, hence the algebra H(Z), depends on the integer
d. Clearly, simple sl"(C)-module may arise from a representation of the
algebra H(Z) if and only if its highest weight m = (ml > m2 > . > m")
is a partition of d, i.e., d = ml + - - + m,,. It is known (see [Macd])
that the representations with highest weight subject to this condition are
precisely the simple s("(C)-modules that occur with non-zero multiplicity
in the decomposition of (C")®'`, the d-th tensor power of the fundamental
sf"(C)-module C". Let
(C")®"

Id = Ann C U(sC")

be the annihilator of (C")®", a two-sided ideal of finite codimension in the

enveloping algebra U(sf"). The remark above combined with semisimplicity
of the algebra H(Z) (claim 3.5.6) yield the following result.

Proposition 4.2.5. The homomorphism of Theorem 4.1.12 gives an alge-

bra isomorphism

U(5(")/Id = H(Z).

4.2.6. EXAMPLE: THE 512(C)-CASE. We illustrate some of the above con-

cepts for n = 2, i.e., for the Lie algebra 512(C).
In the n = 2 case a 2-step flag looks like F = (0 = Fo C F1 CF2=Cd).
Therefore the variety F is the union of the various Grassmannian varieties
for Cd, that is,

F = UO<k<d Grk,

where Grk is the Grassmannian of k-planes in Cd. Accordingly, two step

partitions of d are parametrized by integers 1 < i < d - 1; to such an i one
associates the partition i= (i + (d - i)). Then given such an i, we have in
the previous notation

Fj={(O=FoCFiCF2) I dimFi/Fo=i, dim F2/Fi=d-i}=Gr;.

Since 512(C) has rank 1, the highest weight is determined by a single

positive integer k = 0, 1, .... The simple sl2(C)-module, Vk, with highest
weight k has dimension dim Vk = k + 1.
Further, we have in our case N = {x: Cd -- Cd I x2 = 0}, so that x E N
has only 2 x 2 and 1 x 1 Jordan blocks, i.e.,
 4.2 Finite-Dimensional Simple sLL(C)-Modules 203

/0
0

0 1
x= 0 0

0 1I
0 0

Let x E N have k one-by-one blocks and 1 two-by-two blocks so that

k + 21 = d. We have dim (Ker (x)) = k + 1. Hence, the partition associated
to x equals d(x) = (d1 + d2)/Z, where d1 = (k + 1) and d2 = 1, cf.
Theorem 4.2.3. Therefore, the highest weight of the simple st2(C)-module
H(.FF) must be equal to di - d2 = k + l - l = k. We see that adding (2 x 2)
Jordan blocks does not affect the highest weight (this is an illustration of a
general phenomenon called stabilization, to be discussed in detail in section
4.4). Thus we will assume from now on that 1 = 0, that is k = d and
x = 0. In this case Fi = .F = UO<k<d Grk. The fundamental classes [Grk)
of components Grd form a weight basis of our simple s12(C)-module H(.)'y).
There are d + 1 irreducible components corresponding to k = 0, 1, ... , d.
Hence dim H(.F,,) = d + 1 in accordance with the formula dim Vk = k + 1
mentioned above.
Let e, f, h be the standard basis for 512 (C), i.e.,

e=(0 0)' h=(0 ), f=l1 0I.

-
We would like to write down explicitly the action of the elements e and
f on the basis {[Grk] I k = 0,... , d}. In our case formulas (4.1.17) give
i+ = i + 1, and similarly is = i - 1. Therefore, definition (4.1.18) yields
Ya,i = {(F,F') E G :+1 x Grd I F1 D F1',dimFi/F1 = 1},
and

Yia,i = {(F,F')EGrd 1xGrdIF1CFj',dimF1/Fi=1}.

We will write 1 instead of Y±,i, for short. Then, by (4.1.18)-(4.1.19) we
find

e = E[Ty+(G :+1 x Grf)], f = E[Tyi (Grd i x Grd)].

We first compute e [Grk]. The action of e is given by convolution in

204 4. Springer Theory for U(sL)

homology. The setup is as follows (notation as in 2.7).

(4.2.7) M1 = T" Grk+1, M2 = T* Cr, kM3 = pt.

The subvariety Z12 C Ml x M2 is given by the corresponding summand of
the expression for e above, i.e.,

(4.2.8) Z12 = TYk (Grk+l x Grk).

We have further

Z23 - Grk xpt = zero section of T*(Grk xpt).

To compute [Z12] * [Z23] we first analyze the corresponding geometric sit-
uation in the base of the cotangent bundles in question. Put X1 = Grk+1,
X2 = Grk and X3 = pt. We want to find the set-theoretic composition of
the sets Y+ C X1 x X2, and Grk = X2 x X3. By definition, this composi-
tion is the image of the natural map P13 : pjz (Y+) n pz3 (Grk) -+ X1 x X3.
It is clear that in our case we have p12 (Y+) n p23 (Grk) = Y+ , viewed as a
subvariety in Grk+1 x Grk xpt. Thus Y+ o Grk = Grk+1
To compute the convolution in homology of the fundamental classes of
the corresponding conormal bundles, we are going to apply Theorem 2.7.26.
To that end, fix a point o E Grk+1 which is a (k + 1) dimensional subspace
W C Cd. The fiber of the first projection

P13 : Y+ --- Grk+1 x Grk --+ Grk+1

over o can be identified with the projective space 1Pk = P(W*) C Grk of
all k-dimensional vector subspaces of W. Therefore, the map p is a smooth,
locally trivial fibration with fiber isomorphic to P1. Theorem 2.7.26 now
yields

[T; (Grk+1 x Grk)] * [Grk] = X(pk) [Grk+1]

Since X(P) = k + 1, we obtain

(4.2.9) e - [Grk] = (k + 1) [Grk+1].

The computation of the f-action is carried out in a similar fashion. We

sketch it shortly. Put
M1 = T* Grk_1, M2 = T* Grk, M3 = pt, Z12 = TYk (Grk_1 x Grk),

and Z23 being the same zero section in T* Grk as in the previous case. We
first study the fiber of the first projection
Yk '-+ Grk_1 x Grk -+ Grk_1.
 4.2 Finite-Dimensional Simple s[1, (C)-Modules 205

Choose a point o E Grk_1, i.e., a (k - 1)-subspace W C Cd. The fiber of

the above projection over o can be identified with the projective space
pd-k = 1?(Cd/W) C Grk,
formed by all k-subspaces in Cd that contain W. Now, a similar computa-
tion, based on Theorem 2.7.26 yields
(4.2.10) f [Grk] = X(lPi_!c) [Grk_1] = (d - k + 1)[Grk
Formulas (4.2.9) and (4.2.10) coincide with the well known formulas for the
s[2(C)-action in the standard basis of the irreducible s12(C)-module Vd, see,
e.g. [Sel].

4.2.11. REPRESENTATIONS ASSOCIATED TO x = 0. It will be useful for

us in the next section to generalize the computation we have just made to
g= Thus we study the H(Z)-action on H(F) for x = 0. Recall
that for x = 0 we have .7= F.
Proposition 4.2.12. The sin-action on H(F) gives an irreducible 51,'-
module isomorphic to the natural representation of the Lie algebra s[n in
the space Cd[t1i... , tn] of degree d homogeneous polynomials in n variables.
To prove the proposition we will write explicit formulas for the action of
ea, fa, and ha , a = 1,... , n - 1 in the representation H(F). Recall the
notation of 4.1.17. The proof of the following formulas is exactly the same
as formulas (4.2.9) - (4.2.10).
Lemma 4.2.13. For any partition d = (d1 + + d = d) we have
d] * [Fd] = X(pd°)[.F

do]
[TYaa
d] * X(1do+,) [Fda ]
[T;
where [.Fd] stands for the fundamental class of the component of F.
4.2.14. Proof of Proposition 4.2.12. For any a E { 1, ... , n}, we find using
Lemma 4.2.13 that
ea * [.Fd] _ (da + 1)[Fd+]
(4.2.15) fa * [Fd] = (da+1 + 1)[fda]
ha * [Fd] = (da - da+1)[Fd].
Now let Cd[t1i... , tn] be the vector space of degree d homogeneous
polynomials in the variables t1, ... , tn. The standard $In(C)-action on this
space is given by the operators
a a a a
ea - to+1 , fa F.+ to ,
ha ,-..r to+1 - to .
ata ata+1 ata+1 ata
206 4. Springer Theory for U(s(n)

We define a C-linear map 4) : H(F) -- Cd[tl, ... , t, ] by the assignment

4) : dlr. d=(d,+...+dn).
This map is clearly a vector space isomorphism. Moreover, it is straight-
forward to verify that the map 4) intertwines the action given by formulas
(4.2.15) with the above defined standard sln(C)-action on Cd[tl, ... , tn].

4.3 Proof of the Main Theorem

Let g be a complex semisimple Lie algebra. Fix, A, the set of simple roots
of the root system of g relative to a Cartan subalgebra i C g and a choice
of positive roots. Write S = {ea, ha, fa, a E Al for the set of Chevalley
generators for g and llcapll for the Cartan matrix of g (see [Sell). Then
the Lie algebra g is known to have the following presentation in terms of
generators and relations:

Theorem 4.3.1. (Serre) The Lie algebra g is isomorphic to the quotient

of the free Lie algebra with generators {ea, fa, ha, a E A) modulo the ideal
generated by the following relations:
(1) [ha, hp] = 0
(2) [ha, ep] = ca,A - ep
(3) [ha, fp] _ -Carp . f,
(4) [ea, fp] = ba,pha, (Sa,p = Kronecker 5)
(5) (adea)-ca,n+lep = 0 if a 96/3,
(6) (ad fa)-°a,v+lfp = 0 if a 0 0.
The above relations are called Serre relations. These may be divided
into two groups. The "easy part" consisting of relations (1)-(4) and the
remaining relations (5) and (6) which are sometimes themselves referred to
as "Serre relations." The fact that the "easy relations" hold in a semisimple
Lie algebra g follows from the structure theory of semisimple Lie algebras
(see [Sel]). To verify relation (5), fix distinct a,# E A. The relations (1)-
(4) imply that the elements (ea, fa, ha) form an 42-triple. View g as a finite
dimensional 512-module by means of the adjoint action of this triple. By (2)
and (4), the element eo E g has the following properties:

[ha, eo] = Ca,p , ep, ffa, ep] = 0.

Therefore Lemma 3.7.8 yields (adea)-`°,p+iep = 0, and (5) follows. Re-

lation (6) is proved in a similar way. Thus, the "hard" part of Theorem
4.3.1, proved by Serre, was in showing that (1)-(6) provide a complete list
of relations.
 4.3 Proof of the Main Theorem 207

Corollary 4.3.2. Assume that a finite dimensional (associative) algebra A

contains elements {ea, fa, ha, a E A} such that relations 4.3.1(1)-(4) hold.
Then the relations 4.3.1(5)-(6) hold in A.
Proof. Apply Lemma 3.7.8 to the adjoint action of the s[2-triple (ea, fa,
ha) on A as was done above.
We now turn to the proof of Theorem 4.1.12. In the g = sln(C)-case the
Cartan matrix is given by

2 ifa=a,
(4.3.3) ca,p = -1 if ja - /31 = 1
0 -'al

and relations (5)-(6) read

[ea, epJ = 0, [fa, fpJ = 0 if la - 01 > 1,
[ea, [ea, e,J] = 0, [fa, [fa, fp]J = 0 if Ja - 01 = 1.
Recall now the map © : S - H(Z) introduced after Theorem 4.1.12
and, for sES,put s=O(s).
Proposition 4.3.4. The elements {s E H.(Z) s E S} satisfy relations
4.3.1(1)-(6) above.
Proof. Observe that H(Z) is a finite dimensional algebra. Hence, by
Corollary 4.3.2, we have only to check the "easy" relations (1) - (4).
Relation (1) is clear, e.g., from Example 4.2.6. Now, given a partition
d = (dl + + d = d), define partitions dl and d2 so that (dl)+ = d and,
(d2)a = d (notation as in 4.1.17). Then we have

[To(Fd x Yd)] * Z. = ea * [To(Fd, x ..Td,)]

[To(.7d x .rd)J * fa = fa * [To(.Pd2 X fdJJ-
Hence, we have equations in H(Z)
(4.3.5) ha * ep = 0 and fp * ha = 0 unless ,0 = a - 1
(4.3.6) ep*ha=0 and ha*fp=0 unless f3=a+1,
The equations yield

[ha, ep] = ca,p ' ep and [ha, fpJ = -'ca,$ - e0,

where ca,p is given by (4.3.3). The relations (2) and (3) follow.
It is also clear from the definition that [ea, fpJ = 0 if a # ,0. Thus, the
rest of the proof is devoted to verifying the relations
(4.3.7) ea*fa-fa*ea=ha
208 4. Springer Theory for U(sin)

for each a = 1, 2, ... , n - 1. This relation involves only one root, hence, is
essentially a computation for the Lie algebra (ea, ha, fa) ^_- sl2(C).
From now on we fix a as above and given a partition d = (d1+ +d _
d), write c = d+ (notation 4.1.17). By the discussion preceding formulas
(4.1.20) we have c; = d and
Ty d ( x Fd) = transpose to T .d . (.Fd x F.)
Using the expressions of the cycles ea, h,,, fa in terms of the fundamental
classes, given by formulas (4.1.16) and (4.1.20), we see that equation (4.3.7)
holds if and only if the following equation holds for each partition d E P.
(4.3.8) [Ty ] * [TTda a] = (da - da+i) - [TT(.Fd X Fd)],
da ] * [TYd+,d] - [T' _

where we have used obvious shorthand notation, e.g.,

Ty := Ty (.Fd x Fda ).
d,do d,da

We first prove a weaker result.

Lemma 4.3.9. The LHS of (4.3.8) equals m [TT(.Fd x Fd)] for some
mEQ.
Proof of Lemma. We begin by studying the composition of sets
Yd do C Fd X Fda , and Yda ,d C .Fda X F.
To that end we introduce the variety Fd x Fd: x Fd and let pij denote
the projections on the three possible pairs of factors (i, j), i, j = 1, 2, 3,
i < j. We have
P12'(Yd,do) n P 31(Yda,d) _ {(F', F, F") E .Fd x Fdo X Fd} such that:

F; = F = F', Vi E {1, ... , n}\{a} and

(4.3.10)
Fa C Fa D Fa", dim (Fa/F) = dim (Fa/F') = 1.
To simplify notation write Yd,do ,d for p121(Yd,da) n p23 1(Ya; ,d) . Then by
definition the composition Yd,da ° Ydo,d is the image of the projection
P13 : Yd,d; ,d -+ fd X Fd to the first and third factors.
Let (F', F") E Fd x Fd be a pair of flags in the image of Yd,da,d
.Fd x Fd. We see that, for any i # a, we have F,! = F'. We see further that
there are two alternatives:
(a) F = F,,,'; in this case the fiber over (F', F") of the projection
Yd,di,d - .Fd X Fd consists of all triples of flags (F', F, F") such
that
F. D Fa(= F."), dim (F./F.) = 1, and Fi = F,' = F', Vi 0 a.
 4.3 Proof of the Main Theorem 209

(b) F # F,'; in this case, dim (Fa + F') = 1 + dim F, and the fiber
over (F', F") of the projection Yd,do,d -' .Fd X Fd consists of the
single triple (F', F, F") such that Fa = F + F' and F; = F,' = F',
Vi # a.
In case (a) the flags F' and F" are equal, hence all pairs (F', F") sat-
isfying (a) form the diagonal A C Td x .Fd. Similarly, it is straightfor-
ward to see that the pairs (F', F") that satisfy (b) form a single GLd-orbit
X C Xd [Link]. The orbit X contains the diagonal, A, in its closure X, and
this is the only orbit contained in the closure of X. Thus we have

(4.3.11) Yd,do o Yda,d = 0 U X.

The next step is to compute the set-theoretic composition

Ty* a+ (Fd x Fd+) o Tydo d (F, + X .Fd )

a

in the cotangent bundles. This composition must be a subset of the variety

Z, the union of the conormal bundles to GLd-orbits. Furthermore, the
natural projection T*(.F x F) -+ F x F commutes with compositions.
Therefore, the only piece of Z that can occur in the composition above
is the one that projects to Yd,dt 0Yd+ d. Hence, by equation (4.3.11), we get

Tyd d+ o TYd+.d C T°(.Fd X Yd) U TX(.Fd x Fd).

This yields information about convolution in the homology of the corre-

sponding fundamental classes. Namely, there exist certain rational numbers
ml, r E Q such that in H(Z) we have

(4.3.12) [T;",: ] d] = m1 [TT(.Fd X .Fd)] + r [TT(fd X Fd)].

-
* (TYda

The coefficients m1 and r are unknown so far; they are determined by the
geometry of the projection

(4.3.13) Pr13 pr1'(T;.,,,) n prza'(Ty*da d) -, T*.Fd X T*Fd,

where pr;, denote the projections of T*.Fd x T*.Fd+ x T*.Fd on the three
possible pairs of factors (i, j), i, j = 1, 2, 3, i < j.
We already know that the image of the map (4.3.13) is contained in
TT(Fd x Xd) U TX(.Fd x .Fd). Write T,'e9 C T*(.Fd x Xd) for the cotan-
gent bundle on (.Fd x Fd) \ A. We first restrict ourselves to an open set U,
the inverse image of the open set T,'e9 under the map pr13. Once restricted
to U we fall into the case (b) of the alternative below equation (4.3.10).
210 4. Springer Theory for

1
bIn
The intersection (4.3.10) is transverse in this case and, moreover, by Re-
mark 2.7.27(iii) the map (4.3.13) becomes an isomorphism with its image.
Therefore, we find

(Pr13)-(Pr12[TYdd+) n Pr23(TYd. d))J lu = X Id)].

other words, this means that over the subset (Id x Fd)\A in the base of
the cotangent bundle we have

[[Link]) * [TYd+} d) = [TT] .

Comparing with (4.3.12) yields r = 1.

One can now perform the convolution computation [Td da) * [Tyd_ d), see
(4.3.8), in a similar way. The analogue of (4.3.10) in this case is

P12'(Yd,d;) np2s'(Yda,d) _ {(F', F, F") E Yd X Fda x .Fd} such that

F' = F, = F,", Vi E {1, ... , n}\{a} and
F., J F. C F,' dim (F,,'/F.) = dim (F;,'/Fa) = 1}.
This leads to the following alternative, which is a counterpart of the alter-
native below equation (4.3.10).

(a) F = F,'; in this case p131(F', F") consists of all triples of flags
(F', F, F") such that
F. C F.(= F."), dim(F,/Fa)=1 and F'=F;=F', Vi #
(b) Fh 0 F'; in this case dim (F, + F,) = 1 + dim F, and the fiber of
P13 consists of a single triple (F', F, F") such that
Fa=FnF. and F,=F, =F,', `di0a.
The alternative implies the set-theoretic equation Yd,da o YdQ ,d = 0 U X,
where X C Fd x Fd is the same orbit as in (4.3.11), due to the following
equivalence:
dim (F+F.")=dim Fa+1 e==* dim (F.1 F,,)= dim F,,, - 1.
Proceeding similarly to the above computation, we find
[T} * (TTda
d] = m2 ' [TT) + [TT), m2 E Q.

Combining this equation with equation (4.3.12) (with r = 1, as shown

above), we see that( the LHS of (4.3.8) equals
(m1 - m2)[Tn(Xd X Id)] = m [Ta*(.Id X Id)], m = m1 - m2.
This completes the proof of Lemma 4.3.9.
 4.3 Proof of the Main Theorem 211

Completion of Proof of Equation (4.3.8). We must find the exact value

of the constant factor m in Lemma 4.3.9. Instead of a direct computation,
we will use an indirect argument exploiting the action of the algebra H(Z)
on H(lx) for x = 0 (see 4.2.11).
Recall that for x = 0 and each partition d, the intersection Y. n Fd
is nothing but the zero section of T*.Fd. Hence, using Lemma 4.2.13 we
calculate

[T; ]*[Ty, ]*[.Fd]=(T* ]*((da+1)[.Fda])=da+1-(da+1)[.Fd]

and

[TTd,a) * [Trdo d] * [Id] = [TYd ] * ((da+1 + 1)[Fd-]) =dada+1 + 1)[Fd] .

Therefore the action of the LHS of equation (4.3.8) on the cycle [.Fd] is
given by scalar multiplication by the number

dada+1 + 1) - da+1(da + 1) = da - da+i.

On the other hand, the RHS of (4.3.8) acts on [.Fd] by means of multiplica-
tion by m, the coefficient in Lemma 4.3.9, whence we have m = da - da+l.

To complete the proof of Theorem 4.1.12 it suffices to prove the following

result.
Proposition 4.3.14. The algebra morphism 0: U(sC,,(C)) --' H(Z) is sur-
jective.
We begin by describing the GLd(C)-orbits on F x F. Associate to each
pair of flags (F, F') an n x n-matrix I1at, (F, F) 11 by the formula

ai3(F,F')=dim ( Fi_1 n F,1`nF'

E) F, n
1<i,j<n.
The matrix a(F, F) has the following properties.
(a) aid (F, F) E Z>o, Vi, j,
(b) Ei., aii (F, F) = d.
Property (a) is clear. To prove (b), fix a natural number i. Then
r,f aii (F, F) = dim (Fi/Fi_1); similarly, for fixed j, we have Ei ai; (F, F') =
dim (F? /Fj_1), and (b) follows, since clearly Ei dim (Fi/Fi_1) = d. Observe
also that if F C F (resp. F D F) then the matrix aij (F, F) is upper
(resp. lower) triangular.
Let M be the set of n x n-matrices satisfying properties (a) and (b)
above. The following result provides a simple parametrization of GLd(C)-
orbits in .F x F.
212 4. Springer Theory for

Proposition 4.3.15. The assignment (F, F') i--p a(F, F') sets up a bijec-
tion between the set of GLd(C)-orbits in F x F and the set M.
The proposition will follow from three lemmas below. Each of the lem-
mas is proved in a straightforward way. The proofs are left to the reader.
We first introduce some combinatorial objects. Given a partition d =
(d1 + - + E P, decompose the segment [1, d] into a disjoint union of
subsegments
[1, d] = [d]1 U [d]2 U ... U [d],,,

where [d]1 = [1, d1], and for i > 1, [d]i = [d1 + + di_1 + 1, di + .. + di].
Thus, the segment [d]i has length di. Further, write Sd = Sd, x . . . X Sd., C
Sd for the Young subgroup of Sd corresponding to d, the direct product of
symmetric groups, each acting on the corresponding subsegment. The next
result is a simple generalization of the Bruhat decomposition (3.1.8).
Lemma 4.3.16. For any partions d', d" E P, there is a natural bijection
between the set of GLd(C) -diagonal orbits [Link], [Link],, and the double coset
Sd' \Sd/Sd" .
Analogous to the partition of the variety .F x F into connected com-
ponents Fd' x Id,,, d', d" E P, we partition the set M into subsets
M = Ud,,d M(d', d") where
M(d', d") = {a E M 11: aij = di & aij = dj'}.
.1

To any permutation o E Sd associate a matrix 11a(a)II E M with the

following entries:

aij(o) = #{k E [d']i such that a(k) E [d"]j}.

Lemma 4.3.17. The map a a(a) sets up a bijection
Sd,\Sd/Sd Z M(d',d").
Next, fix two partitions d', d" E P and define a partial order on the set
M(d', d") as follows. Given a, b E M(d', d") write alb if the following two
conditions hold:
0) Er<i & a>j ara < Er<i & a>_j bra, for any 1 < i < j <_ n.
(L1) L.r>i&s<j are <_ Er>i&a<j bra, for any 15 j < i < n.
Recall further that one has a partial order "<" on Sd, the Bruhat order.
Lemma 4.3.18. The assignment a f- a(a) of Lemma 4.3.17 is monotone,
that is, a1 < a2 implies a(a1)4a(a2).
Next, let Y(a) denote the GLd(C)-orbit in Fd, x .Fd, corresponding to a
matrix a E M(d', d") by means of Proposition 4.3.15. Using Lemma 4.3.18
 4.3 Proof of the Main Theorem 213

and the fact, see [BGG], that the standard Bruhat order on Sd corresponds
to the closure relation among the Bruhat cells in the variety of complete
flags, one proves the following result.
Lemma 4.3.19. Let a, b E M(d', d"). Then the orbit Y(a) is contained in
the closure of Y(b) if and only if a4b.
We extend the partial order 4 to the whole of M setting a4b if and
only if there are partitions d', d" such that a, b E M(dl,d") and a,-<b in
M(d', d"). Thus, elements that do not belong to the same subset M(d', d")
are not comparable. One checks that the diagonal matrices in M are the
minimal elements of M relative to the partial order 4. Write a -< b if a4b
and a#b.
Next let Z(a) = TT(a) (F X F) denote the closure of the conormal bundle
to the orbit Y(a) associated to a matrix a E M. Abusing notation we will
also write Z(a) for the fundamental class of this closure, an element of the
group H(Z), see 4.1.9. Thus, the elements {Z(a), a E M} form a basis of
H(Z), see 4.1.6 and Proposition 2.6.14.
Sketch of Proof of Proposition 4.3.14. We will show by induction on the
partial order _,< that, for any a E M, the element Z(a) belongs to the image
of the map O.
The minimal elements of M are diagonal matrices. For a diagonal matrix
a E M, the result is clear. Assume from now on that a is not diagonal. The
matrix a cannot be simultaneously both upper triangular and lower trian-
gular, since it would then be diagonal. Hence, transposing a if necessary,
we may (and will) assume, in addition, that a is not lower triangular.
We introduce a total linear order (lexicographic order) on the set of
couples {(i, j)}1<i<2<n. Specifically, put
(i, j) > (a, 0) whenever {(j > 3) or else (i = 13 & i > a)}.
Let (a,#) be the maximal (relative to the lexicographic order) element in
the set {(i, j) I ail # 0}. We define a matrix b E M by
Ilbll = hall + a.O(Ea+l,o -- Ee,o),
where Esj stand for matrix units. Note that, by construction, one has
)3 = max{i I b.+l,i 0}. Moreover, one checks that b -< a.
Observe that, for any j, we have Ei aid = Fi bi3. Hence, there are well-
defined partitions d, d', d" E P such that
a E M(d', d"), b E M(d, d").
Clearly there exists a unique diagonal n x n-matrix diag such that the
matrix
lIclI diag + a,,o . (E.,.+1 - E.,.)
214 4. Springer Theory for

belongs to M(d', d). Then, one proves by an argument similar to a compu-

tation in [BLM] that we have an equation in H(Z)
(4.3.20) Z(c) * Z(b) = Z(a) + E r9 Z(g), rg E Q.
(9EMI"a}

Since b a, the induction hypothesis implies that Z(b) E Image(O).

-{
The induction hypothesis also implies that the second sum on the RHS
of equation (4.3.20) belongs to the image of 0. Finally, the matrix c looks
like
/* 1
*
1 *

with a 1 at the (a, a + 1)-th place. Such a matrix corresponds to the orbit
Yd.-,d C F x F. Hence Z(c) E Image(O). Thus, the equation yields
Z(a) E Image(O), and the surjectivity of 0 follows by induction.

4.4 Stabilization
The aim of this section is to study the dependence of the constructions of
sections 4.1 and 4.2 on the integer d and to understand the limit behavior
asd -+oo.
We define a partial order ">" on the set of (unordered) partitions of
the integer d, not to be confused with the Bruhat order on Sd, used in the
previous section, as follows, cf. [Macd]. Let d = (d, + d2 + ... = d) and
d' = (d,' + d2' + ... = d) be two partitions of d written in non-increasing
order, i.e., such that d, > d2 > ... and d, > d' > .... Write d > d' if the
following inequalities hold:
d, > di, d, + d2 > d; + d2, d, + d2 + d3 > di + d'2 + d3 ,...
This definition can be reformulated in a different way as follows. Given two
partitions d and d', write d' - d if there is a pair of integers k < l such
that
d = (... < dk < ... < dl < ...)
d'=(. di-15 ...)
and all the entries in d and d' indicated by dots coincide, i.e., d; = d, for all
i 0 k, 1. One can verify, see [Macd], that d >- d' if and only if there exists a
sequence of partitions d' - dal) - ... - d(-) - d . (We are grateful to G.
Lusztig for correcting our original definition of the partial order).
 4.4 Stabilization 215

Given a nilpotent GLd-conjugacy class 0, let d(®) = (d, > d2 > )

denote the partition given by the corresponding sizes of Jordan blocks.
That is, an element of 0 is a d x d matrix with Jordan blocks of sizes
d, x d,, d2 x d2i .... We write 0 > 0' whenever d(O) > d(®'). This way
the partial order on partitions gives rise to a partial order on the set of
nilpotent conjugacy classes in g[d(C). Its geometric meaning is explained
by the following result.

Lemma 4.4.1. (see [Macd],[SS]) The above defined partial order >' on
partitions coincides with the one induced by the closure relation between the
corresponding orbits, i.e.
0>0' ®D®'.
We will also use a numerical formula proved by a straightforward calcu-
lation, see [SS].

Lemma 4.4.2. Let x be a nilpotent d x d matrix with Jordan blocks of sizes

d1 > d2 > .... Then the dimension of the centralizer of x in grd(C), equals
d1+3d2+
Recall now the notation of section 4.1. To emphasize the dependence on
d, we will write Nd, Md and Zd. In particular Nd = {x : Cd -+ Cd ( x" = 0}.
Note that the Jordan form of any x E Nd has all of its Jordan blocks of size
< n.
Corollary 4.4.3. Nd is an irreducible variety.
Proof. Write d = k n + r where n is the integer associated to the Lie
algebra s["(C), fixed once and for all, and r is the remainder, 0 < r < n. Let
0 C Nd be the nilpotent conjugacy class associated to the Jordan form
with k Jordan blocks of size n x n and one block of size r x r. It follows
from Lemma 4.4.1 that any other conjugacy class 0' C Nd is contained in
the closure of 0. Hence Nd = ® and the corollary follows.

Let C" be the n-dimensional vector space with the standard coordinates.
We identify Cd+n with Cd ® C". Let e E s["(C) be the regular nilpotent
element whose matrix (in the fixed basis) is the single Jordan block of
maximal size:

e= I 0 1

0 l
216 4. Springer Theory for U(sln)

Define an embedding

i : 91d(C) +9rd+n(C), x - i(x) = x ®e (p 0) E

Thus, the Jordan form of i(x) is obtained from that of x by adding a single
n x n block.
Given a GLd-conjugacy class 0 = ®x where x indicates a point in 0, let
®t :_ ®i(i) C Nd+n denote the GLd+n(C)-conjugacy class obtained by this
procedure.
Lemma 4.4.4. For any conjugacy classes 0 C Nd and 0' C Nd+n we
have

(1) ®t n i(Nd) = i(®);

(2) ®t < ®' b 0' = (®1)t for some ®1 c Nd such that 0 < ®1.
Proof. Part (1) is clear, since all elements of ®t fl i(Nd) have the same
Jordan form as the elements of i(®). Part (2) follows from Lemma 4.4.1
and the remark that the size of any Jordan block of a conjugacy class in Nd
is < n, by definition of Nd.
The following result plays a crucial role in subsequent development.
Lemma 4.4.5. For any conjugacy classes 01 ®2 in Nd we have
i

dim01 - dim 02 = dim01t - dim®2t.

Proof. The proof amounts to showing that the integer dim ®t - dim 0
does not depend on the choice of a conjugacy class 0 C Nd. To prove this,
choose x E 0 and let pl > P2 > ... be the sizes of the Jordan blocks of x.
Then i(x) E Ot has Jordan blocks of sizes n > pl > P2 > .... Write 9d for
g(d(C), and 9d(y) for the centralizer of an y E 9d. We now calculate, using
Lemma 4.4.2,

dim ®t - dim ® = dim (9d+n/9d+n(i(x))) - dim (gd/gd(x))

= ((d + n)2 - (n + 3p1 + 5P2 + ...)) - (d2 - (PI + 3p2 + 5p3 + ...))

(4.4.6)
_ (d + n)2 - d2 - n - (2p1 + 2p2 + ...)

_ (d + n)2 - d2 - n - 2d = (2d + n)(n - 1).

The last expression is independent of 0 and the claim follows.
Remark 4.4.7. The only two properties which we used in the proof are
pi < n, Vi, and E pi = n.
 4.4 Stabilization 217

We now fix a conjugacy class 0 C Nd, a point x E 0, and an embedding

0
S
y((0 0)) = x
provided by the Jacobson-Morozov theorem 3.7.1. Let x+s be the standard
transversal slice at x to the orbit 0 (see 3.7.15) determined by the homo-
morphism y. Set S := Nd n (x + s), the transverse slice to 0 in the variety
Nd.

Lemma 4.4.8. The variety S is irreducible.

Proof. Recall the proper projection u : Md --+ Nd. Since Nd is irreducible
(Corollary 4.4.3), there exists the connected component Md of Md, asso-
ciated to a partition d, such that p(Md) = Nd. (The partition d can be
easily described explicitly as follows: if we write d = k n + r, 0 < r < n,
then d = (k + 1, k + 1, ... , k + 1, k, ... , k) where d contains r entries k + 1).
Let Fd,x and S be the inverse images in Md of the point x and the variety
S, respectively. The latter contracts to .Fd,,. Hence, the varieties Fd,x and
S have the same number of connected components. But Fd,x is connected,
by Lemma 4.1.3. Thus, S is a smooth connected variety. It follows that S,
hence S = µ(S), is irreducible.

Let i(x) = x ®e be the image of x in g[ d+,,. We may (and will) choose an

s12-triple associated with i(x) as the direct sum of the s[2-triples associated
with x and with e. Let i(x) + st denote the standard transversal slice to
the GLd+,,-orbit ®t corresponding to such a choice of the s12-triple. We set
St = Nd+n n (i(x) + st), a slice to Ot in Nd+,,.

Proposition 4.4.9. Given a conjugacy class 0 C Nd and the correspond-

ing variety S as above, we have i(S) = St. Furthermore, for any other
conjugacy class 01 C Nd we have
i(s n ®1) = st n ®,t.
Proof. First let 01 be the unique open dense conjugacy class in Nd
(Corollary 4.4.3). Then the same reasoning as in the proof of Corollary
4.4.3 shows that Olt is the open dense conjugacy class in Nd+,,. It follows
immediately that
(4.4.10) S = S n ®1, and St =Stn ®lt.
Next, it is immediate from the construction of standard slices, (section 3.7)
that one has an inclusion
(4.4.11) i(S) C St.
218 4. Springer Theory for

Observe further that

(4.4.12)
dim i (S) = dim S = dim S fl Ol = dim (S n O1) = dim O1 - dim O,
where the second equality is due to (4.4.10). Similarly,
(4.4.13)
dim St = dim St nOlt = dim (St nO1t) = dimOlt - dimOt.
Now, the rightmost terms of (4.4.12) and (4.4.13) are equal, by Lemma
4.4.14. Hence, dim i(S) = dim St. Thus, i(S) must be the union of some
irreducible components of St, since i is proper and both have the same
dimension. But Lemma 4.4.8 applied to Ot says that St is itself irreducible.
Therefore i(S) = St, and the first claim of the proposition follows.
Next, let {Oa} be the (finite) set of all orbits in Nd that contain the
orbit 0 in their closure. Then we have a decomposition
S = Ua (S n Oa).
By Lemma 4.4.1, the set {Oat} is precisely the set of all orbits in Nd+n that
contain the orbit Ot in their closure. Hence,
St = Ua (St n Oat).
The first part of the proposition now yields
(4.4.14) Ua i(SnOa) = Ua (St nOat).
The obvious inclusions i(S n Oa) C St n Oat, V a, imply that each term
on the LHS of (4.4.14) is equal to the corresponding term on the RHS of
(4.4.15). This proves the proposition.
Let O1 be the open orbit in Nd and 02 = {0}. We have Nd = ®1 and
Nd+n = Olt. Then one obtains
(4.4.15) dim Nd+n - dim Nd = dim 02t - dim 02 = dim Oi(o).
The following theorem, which is the first main result of this section, is in
a sense a concrete realization of the numerical identity (4.4.10). It says
that the local singularity structure of Nd in the directions transverse to
the GLd(C)-action remains unchanged when d is replaced by d + n.
Theorem 4.4.16. There exists an open neighborhood U C Nd+n of the
subvariety i(Nd) such that there is a strata preserving isomorphism
U Am n U) x i(Nd).
Here the stratification of the RHS is given by the products of the smooth
variety Oi(o) n U with the images of the GLd-conjugacy classes in Nd; the
 4.4 Stabilization 219

stratification of the LHS is given by intersecting the conjugacy classes in

Nd+n with U.

Proof. Let St be the standard transverse slice at i(O) to the orbit Oi(o) C
Nd+n. Then, by Definition 3.2.23 of an algebraic stratification and Propo-
sition 3.2.24, there is an open neighborhood, U, of the point i(O) E Nd+n
such that there exists a strata-preserving isomorphism

U pi(o) n u) x (St n u).

By Proposition 4.4.9, we have St = i(S) where S is the slice to the zero-

point orbit in Nd, hence S = Nd, and we may rewrite the isomorphism
above as

(4.4.17) U = (O;(o) n u) x (i(Nd) n u).

Observe further that Nd is a cone with vertex {0}, with respect to the
natural C`-action by dilations. Hence, the local structure of Nd at the origin
is isomorphic, by means of dilations, to the global structure of Nd. It follows
that an open "local" neighborhood U of the point i(O) may be replaced,
without destroying the isomorphism, by a "global" open neighborhood of
the cone i(Nd). But then i(Nd) C U so that i(Nd) n u = i(Nd), and the
theorem follows from (4.4.17).

The theorem enables us to form a "limit" of the varieties Nd as d -

oo. The limit variety depends on d (mod n) E Z/nZ. So, we begin the
limit construction by fixing r = 0, 1, ... , n - 1 and introducing an infinite
dimensional vector space
00
Cr+ao := Cr X T1 Cn
j1=10

F o r each k = 0, 1, 2, ... , the projection to the first k + 1 factors of the

infinite product above gives a short exact sequence

(4.4.18)
0-, rk -(Cr+00 -4 (Cr+kn-p0,

where rk = rl Cn is the kernel of the projection, a subspace of finite

k
codimension, and Cr+k.n is identified naturally with Cr x fjj_o Cn. The
spaces rk form a decreasing sequence r, D I'1 D F2 D ... such that
nk>ork = 0. Furthermore, the short exact sequences above fit into a natural
commutative diagram
220 4. Springer Theory for U(s(n)

0 Gn

o -> rk+1 cr+oo -> 0

(4.4.19)
1 II 1
0 rk -- Cr+oo r0

Cn 0

It is in effect diagrams (4.4.18) and (4.4.19) rather than the concrete

definitions of the vector spaces involved that will be essential for our "limit
construction."
We next introduce the "infinite linear group"
GLr+oo := {g E GL(Cr+O°) I girl = Idrk for some k = k(g) >> 0}.
The projection Gr+°° -+, cf., (4.4.18), provides a natural identifica-
tion of the group GLr+k.n with the subgroup of GL(Gr+OO) consisting of the
automorphisms that act as the identity on the subspace rk. This yields a
direct system of group embeddings
GLr' GLr+n - GLr+2.n `- ... ,
so that we get an equality GLr+,,. =
k

We next construct in a similar manner an infinite counterpart of the

nilpotent varieties Nd = {x : Cd -+ Cd I xn = 0}. To that end, for each
k > 0, we introduce a distinguished nilpotent endomorphism of the vector
space rk, the infinite product of copies of the regular nilpotent e:
00 00
erk fl e E End (11 Gn) = End rk.
j>k j>k

We now set
Nr+oo = {x E EndCl 00 I x1rk = elrk for some k = k(x) >> 0}.
Note that NT}0D is not a cone-variety, since 0 ¢ Nr+oo. Observe, that if
x61 = erk then rk is an x-invariant subspace in Gr+OO. Hence, x induces
an endomorphism of Cr+,erk cf., (4.4.18). This way we obtain
a natural affine embedding Nr+00 sending 0 r- erk . Thus we get a
direct system of finite dimensional subvarieties of increasing dimension

(4.4.20) Nr ` Nr+n `a Nr+2.n '_`, ,

 4.4 Stabilization 221

so that we obtain an equality Nr+,,, = lira Nr+k.n.

The group GLr+,o acts on Nr+m by conjugation and we would like to

find a parametrization of GLr+,,.-orbits, an infinite analogue of the Jordan
form.

Definition 4.4.21. A countable set I is said to be a Dirac sea if the

following conditions hold:
(1) Any element of I is an integer 1, 2, ... , n, and all but finitely many
elements of I are equal to n;
(2) For any sufficiently large finite set pi, ... pm E I we have pi + +
p,n = r(modn).
Let Sr denote the set of all Dirac seas. One should think of a Dirac sea
I as an infinite set of "states" occupied by the Jordan blocks whose sizes
are given by elements of I, so that all but a finite number of blocks are of
size n x n. To such a Dirac sea I, we associate a GLr+,, conjugacy class in
Nr+oo as follows.
Let {pi,... , pm} be any finite subset of I which is "large enough" in
the sense that all the elements of I\{pi,... , pm} are equal to n. Set d =
pi + + pm. Let x E Nd be an element whose Jordan form consists of
Jordan blocks of sizes pi, . . . , pm. Observe that by the definition of a Dirac
sea we have d e r(mod n) so that d = r + k n. Hence, there is a natural
isomorphism Cr+oo ,,, Il> k Cn = Gd ® rk. Let ®j be the GLr+.,,-
conjugacy class of the endomorphism x ® erk of the vector space Cd ® rk.
It is clear that the conjugacy class 0 does not depend on the choice of the
"large enough" finite subset {pi,... , pm} C I. Moreover, the assignment
I -+ Oj sets up a bijection between the set Sr of all Dirac seas and the set
of all GLr+oo-conjugacy classes in Nr+oo
Given two Dirac seas I = (p1,.. . , p2, ...) and I' = (pi, p2, ... write
I - I' if there is a pair of integers k < l such that
I=(...< < ...< pi <_ ...)
Pk
P=(... <pk+1 <pi-1 <...
and all the entries in I and I' indicated by dots coincide, i.e., pi = p; for all
i k, 1. This way one defines, as at the beginning of this section, a partial
order "<" on the set Sr. Observe that the set Sr has a unique maximal
element, the Dirac sea Imaz, which consists of the integer r, with all other
elements being equal to n. Further, for any I E Sr there are only finitely
many elements I' E Sr such that I' > I and infinitely many elements I'
such that I > F. Moreover, for any 11, 12 E Sr there exists I' E Sr such
that I >I'and12>I'.
We wish to think of Nr+,o as an infinite dimensional variety stratified
222 4. Springer Theory for U(5rn)

by infinitely many "smooth" strata 01i I E Sr, of finite codimension. The

codimension of a stratum ®1 is defined as follows. Choose a large enough
integer d = r + k n such that id' (®1) id(Nd) fl ®1) is non-empty, where
the embedding id : Nd - Nr+,,. arises from (4.4.20). Then the set id' (®1)
is a single conjugacy class in Nd, because of Lemma 4.4.4 (1). We put by
definition: codim®1 = dim Nd - dim id' (®1). Lemma 4.4.5 ensures that the
integer so defined does not depend on the choice of d = r + k - n, provided
d is large enough.
We can also define a closure relation between the strata 01 putting
formally

01 C ®1, b I < P.
This definition can be justified as follows. Given two Dirac seas I < I' E S,
choose d = r + k n large enough so that ia' (®1) is non-empty. Then Lemma
4.4.13 implies that id' (®1.) is also non-empty and id' (®1) C id'
Again this does not depend on the choice of d >> 0.
Furthermore, let S denote the standard transversal slice to the conju-
gacy class id' (®1) in Nd, and Sd(®1i ®1,) := S fl id' (®1, ). Then Proposition
4.4.9 ensures that (the isomorphism class of) the variety Sd(01, ®1,) is inde-
pendent of d. Thus, the subscript d can be dropped from the notation and
S(®1, ®1,) may be viewed as the intersection of a transverse slice to ®1 in
N,.+,, with ®p. In short, Theorem 4.4.16 says that N,.+,o has a well defined
finite-dimensional structure in the directions transverse to the strata.
We now study the dependence on d of all the other objects involved in
the construction. We begin with the natural projection µ : Md --+ Nd.
Let F = (0 C C C C2 C ... C Cn) be the standard coordinate
flag in Cn, the unique flag kept fixed by the action of the (fixed) regular
nilpotent e. Given an integer d, we identify Cd+n with Cd ® C", as before,
and define an embedding i :.Fd -4 .Fd+n by the formula

is Fi-+F®F= (Fi®F1 C FzED F2 C . CCd(D Cn).

Recall the variety Md = {(x, F) E Nd x Fd x(Fj) C Fj _1 , Vj =

I

1,2,. .. , n}, and its projection to Nd denoted A. The embeddings i

Nd `- Nd+n and i : Fd `- .Fd+n being already defined, we define an embed-
ding i : Md `- Md+n by the assignment (x, F) - (i(x), i(F)) = (xEe, FEW).
This way we get a commutative diagram

MdL-'.-,. Md+n
(4.4.22)

Nd--. Nd
 4.4 Stabilization 223

The following result shows that the diagram above is a cartesian square
(recall that Fx = µ-1(x)).
Lemma 4.4.23. For any x E Nd we have i(.F.) = .Fi(x).
Proof. The inclusion i(.Fx) C Fixi is clear, since the flag F is fixed by e.
To prove the equality assume that Ft = (0 = Fat C Flt C ... C Fnt =
Cd ® C") E .Fi(x). To any linear map we have associated at the beginning of
section 4.1 two flags Fmmn(x) and Finax(x), in Cd. Observe that Fmin(e) =
F nax(e) = F so that 1

Finax(i(x)) = Fmin(x) ®F, and Finax(i(x)) = Finax(x) ®F.

l

This yields, by Remark 4.2.2, the inclusions

(4.4.24) F-in(x) ®C' C F; t C Finax (x) e Ci, t/j = 1, 2,. .., n.
We now investigate the position of the flag Ft relative to the direct sum
decomposition
pr,
Cd®(C" , ' 91
C".
P1r2

Observe that, for any j, we have

(Fmin(x) ® ci) n E(C") = (Ff ax(x) ® Ci) n E(C") = E(Ci),

whence, (4.4.24) implies

F;t ne(c") = E(O'), j = 1,2,...,n.
Entirely similar arguments based on (4.4.24) with the embedding f being
replaced by the projection pr2, yield

pr2(F,it)=O'', j=1,2,...,n.
The last two formulas show that, for each j, there is a canonical direct
sum decomposition
Flt = FF ®C', where F, := pr1(FFt).
The collection F:= (F1 C F2 C C F") clearly forms an x-stable flag.
Hence, F E .Fx and Ft = F ®F = i(F). The lemma follows.
The lemma allows us to "lift" stabilization results from the variety
Nd to the variety Md as follows. Fix a point x E Nd and let S be the
standard transverse slice at x to 0 C Nd, the conjugacy class of x. Let
S = µ-1(S) C Md be its inverse image in Md, and St the inverse image of
St in Md+n. Lemma 4.4.23, combined with Proposition 4.4.9, yields
Lemma 4.4.25. With the notation of 4.4.9 we have i(S) = St.
224 4. Springer Theory for

We now analyze the structure of the embeddings given by diagram

(4.4.22). Let U C Nd+,, be the open neighborhood of the subvariety i(Nd)
provided by Theorem 4.4.16 and set U =,u-'(U). Thus U C Md+,, is an
open neighborhood of i(Md). Set D = Oi(o) n U, a small neighborhood of
the point i(O) in the orbit Oi(o)

Proposition 4.4.26. There exists an isomorphism ¢: U = D x Md such

that the assignments i : m +--+ (i(0), m) and i : n i--+ (i(0), n), m E Md, U E
Nd, make diagram (4.4.22) isomorphic to the following commutative dia-
gram

MdC D x Md -=- - U
A
"I Iid°X°
Ndc-' , DxNd==U
The isomorphism 0 in the diagram is the composition of the isomor-
phism of Theorem 4.4.16 with the natural map Nd =+ i(Nd) on the second
factor.

Proof. We follow the argument of the proof of Theorem 4.4.16. First,

take U to be a small open neighborhood of the point i(O) E Nd+n and let
St C Nd+,, be the transverse slice at i(O) to the conjugacy class Oi(o). Let
U and St be the inverse images in Md+,, of U and St, respectively. By
the general results of 3.2.21 on transverse slices, one obtains the following
commutative diagram

U -='- (®i(o) n U) x (St n U)

idxµI
I JA

U---(Oi(o)nU) x (StnU)
where the second row is the isomorphism considered at the beginning of the
proof of Theorem 4.4.16, and the vertical map on the right is the identity
map on the factor Oi(o) Q U = D. Proposition 4.4.9 and Lemma 4.4.25 yield
St = i(S) and S = i(S) respectively. One now completes the argument
exactly as in the proof of Theorem 4.4.16.

We now introduce a key ingredient in our construction: the variety

Zd = Md X Nd Md. There is a natural cartesian square:
 4.4 Stabilization 225

Zd = Md X,,, Md C + ,. Md+n X,,+. Md+n = Zd+n

(4.4.27) jI
i
if
Md X Mdc 4 Md+n X Md+n

induced by the embeddings of diagram (4.4.22). The following result is

immediate from Proposition 4.4.26.

Corollary 4.4.28. The diagram (4.4.27) is isomorphic by the isomorphism

of Proposition 4.4.26 to the diagram

Zd = Md xNd Md C -Lo. DG X (Md X N,,Md) ' Zd+n (l (Cr x U)

if Axj f'

Md X MdC
i
(DxD)x(MdxMd)
where A : Do'- D x D is the diagonal embedding.

The following result describes the relative position of the subvariety

Zd+n with respect to the embedding i : Md X Md y Md+n X Md+n.

Corollary 4.4.29. The inverse image in Md x Md of an irreducible compo-

nent of the variety Zd+n is either empty or else is an irreducible component
of the variety Zd.

Proof. Let A' be a (closed) irreducible component of Zd+n. If A' does

not intersect the open subset U x U C Md+n X Md+,,, see diagram in
4.4.28, then i-1(A') = 0, since i(Zd) C U xU. Assume now that the set
A' := A' fl (U x U) is non-empty. Then Aut is an irreducible component of
Zd+n fl U x U. Corollary 4.4.28 says that such a component must be of the
form Aut = Do x A where A is an irreducible component of Md x Zd Md = Zd.
It is then clear that i-1(A') = A, and the result follows.

Recall that given a variety Y, we let H(Y) denote the subspace of

H. (Y, Q), the rational Borel-Moore homology of Y, spanned by the fun-
damental classes of all the irreducible components of Y (regardless of their
dimensions). For any x E Nd, the isomorphism of varieties

Y. -- Fi(x)
ensured by Lemma 4.4.23 induces a natural isomorphism i*: H(.Fi(x)) -Z
H(FF).
226 4. Springer Theory for

Further, the cartesian square (4.4.27) gives rise to a restriction with

supports (cf., Example 2.7.11(iii)) morphism:
i* : H* H* (Zd), i* (c) = c n [Md x Md].

Moreover, by Corollary 4.4.28 this morphism takes the subspace H(Zd+n)

into the subspace H(Zd).
We can now state the main result of this section the Stabilization Theo-
rem.
Theorem 4.4.30. (1) The morphism i*: H(Zd+n) - H(Zd) is an algebra
homomorphism (with respect to the convolution product);
(2) For any x E Nd the following diagram, whose vertical maps are given
by the convolution action, commutes

H(Zd+n) ® H(.Fi(s)) H(Zd) 0 H(.Fx)

I.-
1_ H(V=)
Proof. Both parts are proved in a similar way so we shall only prove
the first part. Recall the notation introduced before Proposition 4.4.26. In
particular U C Md+n is an open neighborhood of i(Md), whence we get a
sequence of embeddings

Accordingly, the morphism i* factors as the composition

(4.4.31) i* : H(Zd+n) -> H(Zd+n n (U x U)) - H(Zd).
The first map in (4.4.31) is the restriction to an open subset. It com-
mutes with convolution by base locality 2.7.45. The second map is induced
by embedding Zd `- Zd+n n (U x O). This embedding is isomorphic, by
means of Corollary 4.4.28, to the natural embedding Zd -Do x Zd, z '--
(i(0), z). The corresponding map i* : H(Do x Zd) - H(Zd) commutes with
convolution by the Kiinneth formula for convolution 2.7.16. This completes
the proof.
4.4.32. PRO-FINITE COMPLETION OF U(s(n(C)). Introduce the standard
pro-finite topology on the enveloping algebra U(s(n(C)), cf. [AtMa]. A
fundamental set of open neighborhoods of 0 in this topology is formed,
by definition, by all two-sided ideals I C U(sFn(C)) of finite codimension.
The topology is separating, since the intersection of the annihilators of all
finite-dimensional U(s(n(C))-modules is known to be = 0, see [Di]. We let
U := liimU(s(n(C))/I
 4.4 Stabilization 227

denote the completion of U(srn(C)) in the pro-finite topology (the projec-

tive limit above is taken over all two-sided ideals of finite codimension).
We have a canonical embedding U(srn(O)) - U, since the topology is sep-
arating, and any finite-dimensional U(sln(C))-module can be viewed in a
canonical way as a U-module. We will give below a geometric interpreta-
tion of the algebra U.

Recall first that the group SL,,(C) is a simply connected Lie group whose
center Z(SLn(C)) is formed by the scalar matrices
Z(SLn((C)) = {(- Id ((= n-th root of 1 } .
Hence, any finite dimensional rational SLn(C)-module has a canonical
weight space decomposition according to the action of the center

M= ® xE Z(SL (C))^
M,,

Here Z(SLn(O))^ stands for the group of all characters X : Z(SLn(C)) -+

C*, the Pontryagin dual of Z(SLn(C)). The group Z(SLn(C))A is identified
canonically with Z/nZ by means of the map Z/nZ - Z(SLn(C))
whereXd:
Observe next that the group SLn(C) being simply connected, speaking
about finite dimensional rational SLn(C)-modules is the same as speaking
about finite dimensional U(sln(C))-modules. Hence, the above discussion
shows that any finite dimensional U(srn(C))-module has a canonical algebra
direct sum decomposition
(4.4.33)
M= ® Md,
dEZ/nZ

Md={mEMI IdEZ(SLn(C))}.
Thus any finite dimensional quotient U(sln(C))/I is a semisimple associa-
tive algebra (since sin(C) is a semisimple Lie algebra) with a canonical di-
rect sum decomposition
U(srn(C))/I = ® Ud.
dEZ/nZ

corresponding to the decomposition (4.4.33). This yields a direct sum de-

composition of the pro-finite completion

(4.4.34) U = lin U(sln(C))/I = ® U,..

1<r<n
228 4. Springer Theory for U(sIn)

The direct summand U, is the subalgebra characterized by the property

that it acts non-trivially on any rational simple SLn(C)-module with central
character Xd if d = r(mod n) and trivially if d 0 r(mod n).
We now return to the geometric setup. For each integer r = 1, 2,... , n,
the restriction morphisms of the Stabilization Theorem 4.4.30(a) give rise
to the following projective system of algebras:

H(Zr) "- H(Zr+n) H(Z*+2n) "- .. .

Let limH(Z,+k.n) denote the projective limit of that system as k -+ oo,

a complete associative algebra. Furthermore, it follows directly from the
definition of the algebra morphisms 4d: U(5In(C)) -++ H(Zd) of Theorem
4.1.12 that, for any d, the following triangle commutes

U(s1 (C))

H(Zd) i. H(Zd+n)

Hence, the morphisms 1d assembled together give rise to well-defined alge-

bra homomorphisms
(4.4.35) j : U(sln(C)) -+ lim H(Zr+k.n), r = 1, 2,... , n.
A geometric meaning of decomposition (4.4.34) is provided by the following
result.
Proposition 4.4.36. F o r each r = 1, 2, ... , n, there is a natural (continu-
ous) isomorphism of complete topological algebras
Ur = lim
so that the map (4.4.35) becomes the composition of the natural embedding
and projection U(sIn(C))'-+U -» U,..
Proof. Fix r = 1, 2,... , n. Theorem 4.4.30(2) yields the following com-
mutative diagram
lim
Pe Pa+n

H(Zd) ti. H(Zd+n)

I I
End H(.F.) End H(..i( )).
 4.4 Stabilization 229

The diagram shows that, for each x E Nd where d = k = 0, 1, 2, ... ,

the space H(7) acquires, by means of the projection pd, an lim
module structure, and those structures are in effect independent of k, i.e.,
are compatible with the stabilization isomorphisms H(.FF) = H(.Fi(y)).
Moreover, it follows from the isomorphism 4.2.5 that we have a natural
isomorphism

lim lim U(sl (C))/I(r + k . n),

k k

where I(d) = Ann ((C')®`') is the annihilator of the d-th tensor power of the
fundamental n-dimensional representation. Observe further that a central
element C Id E Z(SLn(C)) acts in the representation Cn by means of
(C)®`'-+k

multiplication by C. Hence it acts on "' as multiplication by

Sr = Xr( . Id).
Furthermore, any simple finite dimensional SLn(C)-module with central
character Xr occurs in (Cn)®('+k"`' for k sufficiently large. Hence, the (clo-
sures of the) ideals I(r+k.n) form a fundamental set of open neighborhoods
of 0 in Ur and the proposition follows.
4.4.37. AN INFINITE DIMENSIONAL INTERPRETATION. In addition to the
infinite nilpotent variety Nr+oo defined in 4.4 we now introduce, for each
r = 1, 2, ... , n, infinite dimensional counterparts of the varieties Fd and
Md = T'.Fd.
Fix r and recall the vector space Cr+oo = Cr x 1j 1 Cn equipped with
an infinite decreasing filtration by subspaces of finite codimension Cr+°° =
ro D rl D .... Here rk = II°°k+1 Cn. In rk fix the standard "coordinate"
n-step flag F(rk) = lli=k+1 F, where F = (0 C C C C2 C ... C cCn) is
the standard "coordinate" flag in C". We define Fr+oo to be the set of all
n-step infinite dimensional flags in Cr+o° with the following "stabilization"
property
.Fr+o={F=(0=FoCFiC...CFn=C`) I
3k = k(F) >> 0: F fl rk = F(rk)}
We can now put
Mr+oo = {(x, F) E Nr+oo X Fr+oo I x(Fi) C Fi_1, i = 1, 2,... , n}
The variety Mr+°o plays the role of a cotangent bundle to .Fr+O,,. Notice
that this "cotangent bundle" does not have zero-section however since
0 V Nr+°o
There is a natural map A : Mr+,. , Nr+°° given by (x, F) -- x. Observe
that, by definition of the variety Nr+°°, all but finitely many Jordan blocks
230 4. Springer Theory for

in any x E N,+,,, are equal to the standard n x n regular nilpotent e

(see Definition 3.6.1). It follows, due to Lemma 4.4.23, that the fibers of
p: N,+oo are finite dimensional projective varieties, despite the
fact that both M,+,. and N,+,o are infinite dimensional. We put finally
Z,+. := M,+oo x,,+_ M,+oo. Then the algebra U, may be thought of
as being formed by infinite sums of the fundamental classes of irreducible
components of the infinite dimensional variety Z,+,,..
 CHAPTER 5

Equivariant K-Theory

5.1 Equivariant Resolutions

This chapter is devoted to the fundamentals of equivariant algebraic K-
theory. The reader interested mostly in the applications to representation
theory may skip this chapter and use it only,as a reference for later chap-
ters. As has been explained in the introduction, most of the results here
were proved by Thomason [Thl)-[Th4], sometimes in much greater gener-
ality. Our approach is however more elementary and in many places essen-
tially different.
There is no mention of K-theory in the first section where general results
on equivariant sheaves, laying the "groundwork" of the theory, are worked
out. The K-groups will be introduced in the next section. We assume that
the reader is familiar with the basics of coherent sheaves on an algebraic
variety as in say, [Ha) or [Sel).
Throughout this chapter G stands for a linear algebraic group, that is a
closed subgroup of GL,,, defined by polynomial equations.
Remark 5.1.1. An abelian variety is an example of an algebraic group
which is not a linear algebraic group.
Let X be a G-variety i.e., a variety equipped with an algebraic G-action.
Thus there are two natural maps
a
GxX P
X

where p is the projection map and a denotes the action of G on X. We

motivate the definition of a G-equivariant sheaf on X by studying G-
invariant functions on X. An invariant function f : X --- C is a function
such that
(5.1.2) f(gx) = f(x)

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_6,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
232 5. Equivariant K-Theory

for any g E G and any x E X. Therefore, for any gl, g2 E G

(5.1.3) f(91(92x)) = f(92x) = f(x) = f((9192)x).

We would like to reformulate these equalities so that only functions

themselves, but not "points," explicitly enter the definitions. To that end,
observe that the maps a and p give rise by composition to two functions on
G x X, denoted by a* f and p* f, respectively:

a* f (9, x) = f (a(9, x)) = f (9x) , p* f (9, x) = f (p(9, x)) = f (x).

Therefore (5.1.2) says
(5.1.4) a* f = p* f.
Now let m x idx : G x G x X - G x X be given by group multiplication
[Link] idGxa:GxGxX --+GxX begivenbytheactionof
the second factor G on X. The operators ido x a and m x id x give rise by
composition to the pullbacks (id c x a)* and (m x idx)*. Then (5.1.3) says
(5.1.5) (ido x a)*a'f = (m x idx)*p*f.
In sheaf theory, there are two different notions of "pullback." Let u
Y - X be a morphism of complex algebraic varieties and F a sheaf on X.
Then there is a sheaf u'F on Y, the sheaf-theoretic pullback of F, see [Ha].
Let further, OX be the structure sheaf of regular functions on X. If F is a
sheaf of Ox-modules then one defines an Oy-module u*F, the "pullback of
0-modules," by u*. F:= Oy ®,,.oX u'.f.
Definition 5.1.6. A sheaf F of Ox-modules on an algebraic G-variety X
is called G-equivariant if the following conditions analogous to (5.1.2) and
(5.1.3) hold.
(a) There is a given isomorphism of sheaves on G x X
I : a*FZp*.F.
(b) The pullbacks by id x a and m x id of the isomorphism I are
related by the equation p23I o (idc x a)*I = (m x idx)*I, where
P23 : G x G x X -+ G x X is the projection along the first factor G.
(c) lexx = id : F = a*.FLLXx =Z p*FI exx =.F, e = unit of G.
A similar definition works for arbitrary sheaves (not-necesarily of 0-
modules), provided "pullbacks" of 0-modules are replaced everywhere by
sheaf-theoretic pullbacks.
Remark 5.1.7. (i) For any G-variety X, the sheaf Ox has a canonical
G-equivariant structure given by the composition of the following natural
isomorphisms: p*Ox ^-' OG,,x ^' a*Ox
 5.1 Equivariant Resolutions 233

(ii) Condition (c) in the definition above is superfluous and is only given
for convenience. Indeed, it can be deduced from (a) and (b) as follows.
Restricting the equality in (b) to e x e x X , one finds Iexx o Iexx = Iexx
Since Iexx is an isomorphism, this yields Iexx = id.
(iii) In spite of a similarity between the notion of invariant functions
and that of equivariant sheaves there are essential differences. First, any
function is either invariant or not, while asking whether a given sheaf is
equivariant is meaningless: an equivariant structure has to be given as
additional data and, moreover, this additional data may not be unique
in general. Second, the invariance condition (5.1.4) automatically implies
equation (5.1.5), while part (a) of Definition 5.1.6 by no means implies
conditions of parts (b) and (c) of the definition.

To help the reader become more familiar with the notion of an equivari-
ant sheaf, assume that F is a locally free sheaf, that is, a vector bundle on a
G-variety X. Write F for the total space of this bundle and 7r : F -+ X for
the natural projection. Let I : a*F-+p`.F be an isomorphism of sheaves on
G x X making F an equivariant sheaf. Giving I clearly amounts to giving a
vector bundle isomorphism a`F-Zp*F. Observe that the latter map deter-
mines, and is determined by an algebraic map 4) : G x F -+ F, where, for
g E G, the map : {g} x F --+ F is given by restricting I to {g} x X C G x X.
Rewriting conditions (b)-(c) of Definition 5.1.6 in terms of the map 4P, we
obtain the following equations:
(5.1.8) 4'(h, ot (g, f)) = 4 (g h, f) , -t (e, f) = f bh, g E G, df E F.
But these equations mean that the map 4) gives an algebraic G-action on
F. We thus conclude
OBSERVATION: Giving a G-equivariant structure on a vector bundle F is
the same as giving a G-action it : G x F -+ F on the total space of F such
that
(1) The projection 7r : F -+ X commutes with G-actions; in particular
any g E G takes the fiber F. over x E X to Fg.x.
(2) For any x E X and g E G, the map 4D(g, ) : Fx -+ Fg.x is a linear
map of vector spaces.

EQUIVARIANT LINE BUNDLES. Our immediate goal is to make sure there

are "sufficiently many" G-equivariant line bundles on a G-variety.

Theorem 5.1.9. [KKLV] Let G be a linear algebraic group, X a smooth

(more generally, normal) G-variety, and L an arbitrary algebraic line bun-
dle on X. Then there exists a positive integer n such that the line bundle
L®" admits a G-equivariant structure (possibly not unique).
234 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Remark 5.1.10. The theorem is false without the normality assumption

on X. This unpleasant technical condition will never play a role in our
exposition, since we will only use the theorem for smooth varieties, which
are automatically normal, cf. [Hal.

The standard proof of 5.1.21 for projective varieties can be found in

[Mum2j. The quasi-projective case can then be handled by means of a
non-trivial equivariant embedding theorem due to Sumihiro [Sul]. We will
follow a different approach to Theorem 5.1.9 based on an elegant exposition
in [KKV]. Our argument is much shorter than the standard argument
and also provides an independent proof of Sumihiro's result. Thus, our
streamlined treatment of the subject is totally self-contained.
We begin by recalling a few basic facts about line bundles on an alge-
braic variety. Proofs and more detatails may be found in [Ha].
From now on let X be a normal algebraic variety. Line bundles on X
form an abelian group under tensor product structure. Further, we write
CI(X) for the abelian group of classes of divisors (linear combinations of
codimension 1 subvarieties with multiplicities) in X modulo linear equiva-
lence. For all this and the proposition below, the reader is referred to [Ha,
ch II, §6].

Proposition 5.1.11. For a normal algebraic variety X we have

(1) If X is smooth then the abelian group of the isomorphism classes of
line bundles on X is naturally isomorphic to Cl(X).
(2) For any X, the pullback of divisors with respect to the projection
p : C x X ..4 X gives an isomorphism p' : CI(X) Z Cl(C X X).
(3) Let U C X be a Zariski open subset and write Cl,... , C for the
distinct irreducible components of X \ U of codimension 1 in X.
Then one has a natural exact sequence of the pair (X, U):
7G" -+ CI(X) - Cl(U) -+ 0
where the first map sends (k1, ... , k,,) to the class of divisor E
and the second map is given by restriction to U.
The isomorphism in (1) is established by asigning to a line bundle the
divisor, die(s), associated to its rational section s (here die(s) is a linear
combination of zeros and poles of s counted with multiplicities). Different
choices of a rational section of the line bundle lead to linearly equivalent
divisors.
Further, applying the exact sequence of part (3) to the pair (C x X, C* x
X) and using (2), we get a natural isomorphism CI(X) = Cl(C" X X).
Hence, we obtain by induction that, for any integers n, m, the pullback
morphism induces an isomorphism CI(X) Z Cl(C' x (C')' x X). We can
 5.1 Equivariant Resolutions 235

now combine this isomorphism with part (a) of the proposition above to
obtain the following result.
Corollary 5.1.12. Let M and X be smooth varieties, and p,,, p,, the
projections of M X X to the corresponding factors. Assume that M contains
a Zariski open dense subset isomorphic to Cr xC'". Then, any line bundle L
on M x X is isomorphic to an externel tensor product of line bundles on the
factors. Specifically, for any points m E M, x E X, there is an isomorphism
L -- ®pX(Ll(m}xX)
Proof. By assumption, we may view C` x C`' as a Zariski open subset
of M. Let Cl,... , C be irreducible components of M \ (Cr x C'') of
codimension 1 in M. By part (3) of the proposition we have an exact
sequence

Zn Cl(M X X) - Cl((C' X C') x x) 0.

The first map here sends (k1, ... , to E ki . [C; x X], and the last group
is isomorphic to Cl(X) by the discussion before the corollary. We see that
the group Cl(M x X) is generated by the classes of divisors of either the
form p'M (D), D E Cl(M) or pX (E), E E Cl(X). Since M x X is smooth,
the claim now follows from part (1) of Proposition 5.1.11.
Remark 5.1.13. The statement of the corollary remains valid assuming
only that both M and X are normal, and m E M, x E X are smooth
points, respectively. Indeed, our claim is equivalent to saying that

(5.1.14) K := L-1 ® (p'M (LJMX(r)) ® p.*, (LI (,,.}xx))

is a trivial line bundle on M x X. Let MTeg and Xfeg be the regular loci
of M and X, respectively. Then, applying the corollary, we obtain that
the restriction of the line bundle K to MTeg x XTe9 is trivial, hence has a
nowhere vanishing section s. But the complement (M X X) \ (MTeg X Xreg)
has codimension > 2 in M x X, due to the normality assumption (see [Ha]).
Hence s cannot have any zeros or poles on the whole of M x X. Thus, K is
a trivial bundle on the whole of M x X, and the claim follows.
Given an algebraic variety X we write O(X)x for the group of regular
invertible functions on X, that is, of algebraic maps X - C.
Lemma 5.1.15. [FI, Lemma 21) For any irreducible algebraic varieties X
and Y, the canonical map O(X)x x O(Y)x , O(X x Y)x is surfective.
Proof. Let f E O(X X Y)x. We choose smooth points xo E X and yo E Y
respectively, and consider the function
F: X x Y -+ C`, F(x, y) := f (x, y)-' . f (xo, y) . f (x, yo)
236 5. Equivariant K-Theory

The lemma will follow provided we show that F = f. The varieties being
irreducible, it suffices to prove this on a Zariski open neighborhood of
(xo, yo) in X x Y. Thus, we may assume without loss of generality that X
and Y are both smooth and affine. Then, we may find (using an embedding
into P' and normalization) normal projective varieties X and Y containing
X and Y as open dense subsets, respectively.
View as a rational function on X x Y. Observe that the divisor,
F this function is contained in ((X \ X) x Y) U (X x (Y \ Y)),
div(F ), of
since f, and F do not vanish on X x Y. Hence, div(F) is a sum of divisors
of the form D x Y and X x E where D and E are codimension 1 irreducible
components of X \ X and Y \ Y, respectively. Now, if -t has a zero of order
d at D x Y, then F is regular on an open set U which meets D x {yo}
and, moreover, vanishes on U U (D x {yo}). This leads to a contradiction
with the identity F(x, yo) = f (xo, yo). Similarly, we see that the function F
cannot have poles at D x Y. Switching the roles of X and Y we find that
div(F) = 0, i.e., F is a constant function. Thus F = 1 since it is 1 at the
point (xo, yo)
Our next result gives a way to apply Corollary 5.1.12 to the situation
involving a group action.
Lemma 5.1.16. Any connected linear algebraic group G contains a Zariski
open dense subset isomorphic to C° x C*'.
Proof. Let Gu be the unipotent radical of G. Then GIG is a reductive
group, and by the Levi-Malcev theorem [Hum], we have an isomorphism
of algebraic varieties G = x G,, (not a group isomorphism). Thus,
since G,. = C' as a variety, it suffices to prove the lemma for G reductive.
In that case choose two opposite Borel subgroups B+, B- C G, i.e., two
Borel subgroups such that their intersection, T := B+ fl B-, is a maximal
torus in G. Then the set B+ B- is dense Zariski open in G. To see
this, consider B+-orbits in the flag manifold G/B-. These orbits form
Bruhat cells, cf. (3.1.8), hence there is a unique Zariski open dense B+-
orbit. But the differential of the B+-action at the point e B-/B- E
G/B- is surjective, since we have Lie B+ + Lie B- = Lie G. Thus the B+-
orbit through e B-/B- is the Zariski open one, and B+ - B- is dense
in G. Furthermore, writing Ut for the unipotent radical of Bt, we see
that the multiplication in G gives an isomorphism of algebraic varieties
U+ x T x U- Z+ B+ B. Hence G contains a Zariski open subset isomorphic
toU+xTxU'=C'xC*'.
Next we need to study line bundles on G.
Proposition 5.1.17. Given a line bundle L on a linear algebraic group G,
there exists an integer n such that L®" is a trivial bundle.
 5.1 Equivariant Resolutions 237

Proof. Since any algebraic group has only finitely many connected com-
ponents the claim is easily reduced to the case of G connected, which we
assume from now on. We use the notation of the previous lemma. Since G
is smooth we have only to show that every element of Cl(G), see Proposi-
tion 5.1.11(a), has finite order. Writing G,, for the unipotent radical of G,
we have

Cl(G) = x Cl((G/G,,) x Cr) = Cl(G/G,,).

Thus, we are reduced to the case of G reductive. Then, by Proposition
5.1.11(3) we have an exact sequence
Z Cl(G) --o Cl(U+ T U-).
The last term here vanishes, since Cl(U+ T T. U-) = Cl(C' x cC*') = Cl(pt),
cf. 5.1.11(2).
It remains to show that each irreducible component, Ci, of the comple-
ment G \ (B+ B-) gives a finite order element in Cl(G). The Bruhat
decomposition of G/B- into B+-orbits, cf. Theorem 3.1.9, implies that any
irreducible component of G \ (B+ B-) is the closure of a codimension one
Bruhat cell in G. Such a cell has the form B+siB-, where si is a simple
reflection in the Weyl group of (G, T), where T = B+ fl B-. Thus the ir-
reducible components, Ci, are parametrized by simple reflections or, equiv-
alently, by the simple roots relative to B-. If G is semisimple and simply
connected, then it was shown in [BGG] that Ci is the zero variety of a
regular function on G. Specifically, let a, be the fundamental weight of G
corresponding to the simple root that labels Ci, and let U be a simple ra-
tional G-module with highest weight a,. Choose vi, a non-zero vector in
the unique B'-stable line in Vi, and a similar vector, vi, in the unique B+-
stable line in the contragredient representation V*. Then, it was shown in
[BGG] that R+siB-(= Ci) is the zero variety of the function g -
on G. Hence Ci is a principal divisor, and the corresponding class in Cl(G)
is zero.
In general, we may find a finite covering a : G' - G such that G' is
the direct product of a semisimple simply connected group and a torus.
Hence we know that Cl(G') = 0. Recall that since it is a finite covering,
there is a natural direct image map 7r.: Cl(G') --- Cl(G), and the following
projection formula, see [Ha], holds,
7r.7r*(D) = (deg7r) D , D E Cl(G),
where deg it is the order of the finite group Ker(7r). Now, for any D E
C1(G), we have lr*(D) = 0, since C1(G') = 0. Thus we find degir D =
lr*lr' (D) = ir. (0) = 0, and the proposition follows.
We are now ready to give
238 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Proof of Theorem 5.1.9 (following (KKV],[KKLV]): Write e for the unit

element in G, write a : G x X -+ X for the action map, and p,,, p,r for the
first and second projection, respectively. Given a line bundle L on X, set
E:= a*LJ(.}Xx = L. By 5.1.12 applied to M = G and m = e, there is a line
bundle F on G such that one has an isomorphism a'L (pXE).
Furthermore, there is an integer n such that F®" is a trivial bundle, due to
Proposition 5.1.17. Thus we get an isomorphism

(5.1.18) a'(L®n) = p'X(L®n) on G x X.

We will show that the bundle L®A may be equipped with the structure of
a G-equivariant bundle. To that end, write L for the total space of L®"
with the zero-section removed, and ir : L - X for the natural projection.
Isomorphism (5.1.18) induces a map 1 : G x L --+ L of algebraic varieties
making the following diagram commute

GxL L
(5.1.19) jidxlr

Furthermore, the map 4) has the property that the restriction of -b to

{e} x L is an automorphism of L, viewed as a principal C'-bundle on
X. Any such automorphism is given by multiplication by an invertible
function. Hence there is a well-defined regular function 0 : X -' C' such
that, for any l E L, we have ' (e, 1) = 0(7r(1)) 1. Replacing the map 4D by
the new map A;h - -t we obtain a new diagram like 5.1.19.
By making this change we have achieved that the new map ' satisfies
-0 (e, 1) = 1, for all l E L. Moreover, it is clear from the construction, that
for any g E G and x E X, the map t(g, ) commutes with the C'-actions
on the fibers. We can therefore define a regular function f : G x G x L -+ C
by

(5.1.20) c(gh,1) = f (g, h, l) 4D(g, 0(h, l)) for all g, h E G , l E L.

Applying Lemma 5.1.15, we can find regular functions r, s E O(G)x and

t E O(L)x such that the function f is of the form

f (g, h, 1) = r(g) s(h) t(l) , Vg, h E G , l E L.

Using the property '(e, 1) = l we find

r(e) s(h) t(l) = 1 , r(g) s(e) . t(l) = 1 , Vg, h E G , l E L.

 5.1 Equivariant Resolutions 239

In particular, multiplying by r(e)s(e)t(l) = 1, we can write

f (g, h, 1) = r(g) s(h) t(l) _ (r(g) s(h) t(l)) (r(e) s(e) t(l))
_ (r(g) s(e) t(l)) (r(e) s(h) t(l)) = 1.
Hence equation (5.1.20) yields 4 (gh, 1) = 4 (g, 4D(h,1)). Thus the map 4)
gives a G-action on L which is a lifting of that on X. The theorem follows.

Recall that a line bundle (equivariant or otherwise) L on an algebraic

variety X is called ample if, for any coherent sheaf F on X, there exists an
integer n = n(.F) great enough so that the sheaf F®L ®" is generated by its
global sections, i.e., there exists a set of global sections whose restrictions
to each stalk form a set of generators. Since any quasi-projective variety
has an ample bundle (e.g., pullback of 0(1) by means of a projective
embedding), Theorem 5.1.9 yields the following result.

Corollary 5.1.21. Let G be a linear algebraic group and X a smooth

quasi-projective G-variety. Then there exists a G-equivariant ample line
bundle on X.

Let an algebraic group G act linearly on a (possibly infinite dimensional)

vector space M. We call such an action algebraic provided any element
m E M is contained in a finite dimensional G-stable vector subspace
V C M such that the map G -- GL(V) arising from the G-action on V is
an algebraic group homomorphism. This can be alternatively formulated as
follows. Write Map(G, M) for the vector space of arbitrary maps G - M,
and C[G] for the ring of regular algebraic functions on G. Observe that
Map(G, M) naturally contains the tensor product, C[G] ® M, as a subspace
by means of the embedding sending E fi ® mi E C[G] ® M to the function
g - E fi(g) mi. Observe further that a G-action g x m " g- m on M gives
rise to a natural linear map
(5.1.22) aM : M - Map(G, M) , a,,, (m) : g - g m.
It is easy to see that the G-action on M is algebraic if and only if the image
of the map aM above is contained in the subspace C[G]®M C Map(G, M).

Lemma 5.1.23. Let F be a G-equivariant coherent sheaf on an algebraic

G-variety X. Then the space r(X,F) of global sections of 7 has a natural
structure of an algebraic G-module.

Proof. Recall that for any coherent sheaf F on X, one has a canonical
isomorphism, cf. [Ha, ch. III],
(5.1.24) r(G x X, p*x.F) = C[G] ® r(x, F).
240 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Using the action map a : G x X --+ X and the isomorphism I from 5.1.6(a),
we obtain a chain of linear maps

r(X, .F) r(G x X, aX F) --`- r(G x X, p'X F) = C[G] ® r(x, .F).

We leave it to the reader to check that the composition of these maps gives
r(X, F) the structure of an algebraic G-module such that formula (5.1.22)
holds.

We now turn to the equivariant embedding theorem due to Sumihiro

(Sul]. In the special case when X is projective, it was proved earlier by
Kambayashi [Kamb).

Theorem 5.1.25. (Equivariant projective embedding) Let G be a linear al-

gebraic group and X a normal quasi-projective G-variety. Then there ex-
ists a finite dimensional vector space V, an algebraic group homomorphism
p : G --+ GL(V), and an equivariant embedding i : X `- IP(V) . Here equi-
variance means

i(g . x) = P(g) i(x), dg E G, X E X,

and the dot on the right stands for the standard GL(V)-action on P(V).

Proof. Since X is quasi-projective, there is a (non-equivariant) projective

embedding of X as a dense Zariski open subset of a certain projective
variety X. Let f- be the ample line bundle on X induced from 0(1) by
means of an embedding of X into P". Then the global sections of G are
known to separate points and their tangents on X. In more detail, for each
point x E X, let Hy C r(X, G) be the hyperplane in the finite dimensional
vector space r(ff, G), formed by all sections vanishing at x. Then the
assignment x H H. gives a projective embedding i : X G)' ).
The G-action on X has played no role so far. We now use Theorem 5.1.9
to insure that a certain power G®" 1x of the restriction of L to X has a
G-equivariant structure. Replacing C by On we will assume that the sheaf
LI,, is itself G-equivariant.
Next consider a canonical embedding r(X, G) c r(X, G) . By Lemma
5.1.23 the RHS here has the natural structure of a (possibly infinite di-
mensional) G-module. The LHS is finite dimensional though not necessar-
ily G-stable. But the G-action being algebraic (Lemma 5.1.23), there exists
a finite dimensional G-stable subspace V C r(X, G) containing r(X, G).
Elements of V separate points on X (and also separate tangents, see e.g.
[GH, ch.l,§4] for details), since elements of the smaller space, r(X, G), do
so on f C. Thus, assigning to any x E X the hyperplane in V formed by the
elements of V vanishing at x yields a G-equivariant embedding X 1P(V'),
and the theorem follows.
 5.1 Equivariant Resolutions 241

Proposition 5.1.26. Let X be a smooth (more generally, normal) quasi-

projective G-variety. Then any G-equivariant coherent sheaf F on X is a
quotient of a G-equivariant locally free sheaf.
Proof. Arguing as in the proof of the theorem, we find a projective
variety X containing X, and an ample line bundle L on X. Further, we may
(and will) extend the sheaf F to a (not necessarily equivariant) coherent
sheaf on k, see [BSJ, which we denote by P. Then there exists an n large
enough so that the sheaf P®(L®n) is generated by a finite number of global
sections {si} on k which a fortiori generate F ® (Long,, ). We may assume
further, by Theorem 5.1.9, that the line bundle £®'X has a G-equivariant
structure.
Arguing as in the proof of the Equivariant Embedding Theorem above,
we find a G-stable finite-dimensional subspace V C r (X, F ® (L®n lo)
containing all of the {stlx}. Since P® (L®n) is generated by the {s;}, the
natural map
V®(C Ix)®n -" F,
is surjective, and this gives the desired quotient.
Let X be a Zariski open G-stable subset of a projective G-variety X.
Next we show that for this setup, every G-equivariant sheaf on X comes
from a G-equivariant sheaf on X, and the obvious functorial relations hold.
Proposition 5.1.27. Let .F be a G-equivariant coherent sheaf on X.
(i) There exists a G-equivariant coherent sheaf P on X such that P
restricted to X is equal to F.
(ii) Let f : F - 9 be a G-equivariant morphism of equivariant sheaves
on X. Then there exists a G-equivariant morphism of equivariant sheaves
f :.F ---+ G on X that extends f .
Proof. Assume first that X is a normal variety. Then, the proof of
Proposition 5.1.26, repeated for Ker (V (9 L®-" I,, -» F) presents F as
the cokernel of a G-equivariant morphism of the restrictions to X of f :
W ®L®-.n -« V ®L®-n, where W is a certain finite-dimensional G-vector
space.
The morphism f corresponds to a G-invariant section s of the sheaf
Hom (W, V) (&L®(--n)
which is regular on X. Choose a basis e1, ... , e, of the vector space
Hom (W, V), and let D C X be the set where at least one of the coor-
dinates of the section s (with respect to the base el, . . . , e,.) has a pole.
Clearly D is a divisor in X and, for k >> 0, s may be viewed as a section of
the sheaf Hom (W, V) ®L®(m-n)(k D) which is regular over all of X, and
242 5. Equivariant K-Theory

G-invariant. Hence it gives rise to a G-equivariant morphism f of sheaves

on X:
f: W®(G*)®'n-

Let P be the cokernel of the morphism 1, a G-equivariant sheaf on 9. The

restriction of f to X coincides with f, hence, the restriction of F to X
coincides with F.
This proves part (i) assuming X is normal. In general, let 7r : X - X
be the normalization of X. The above argument shows that there exists a
G-equivariant coherent sheaf F on k that extends a*.F. Then, the sheaf F
may be viewed as a subsheaf of the sheaf (7r..F)Ix. Let F be the subsheaf
of 7r.J defined as follows:

P = {s E iri' such that s1, E F}.

The sheaf P so defined is a G-equivariant extension of F to X. Claim (i)
follows. Claim (ii) is proved along similar lines.

The following proposition was implicit in [Sul].

Proposition 5.1.28. If X is a smooth quasi-projective G-variety then any

G-equivariant coherent sheaf F on X has a finite locally free G-equivariant
resolution.

Proof. By Proposition 5.1.26 we can find a short exact sequence F' -

.F1 --» F, where F1 is a locally free G-equivariant sheaf and F' = Ker(.F, -+
.F). Applying the same proposition to F' again, we get an exact sequence
F" °- .F2 -' F1 -n 7, where F2 is locally free. Iterating the argument, we
construct an infinite resolution

(5.1.29) ...-[Link]-
by locally free coherent G-equivariant sheaves. So it remains to show that
this resolution can be made finite. This follows from the general result
5.1.30 below that insures that we may terminate our process by taking
Ker (F" - F'-') to be the last term of the resolution. This completes
the proof of Proposition 5.1.28.

Theorem 5.1.30. (Hilbert's Syzygy Theorem) Let X be a smooth n-

dimensional variety, and F an arbitrary coherent sheaf on X. Suppose
we are given any locally free resolution of F of the form (5.1.29). Then the
sheaf Ker (F" --, .F"-1) is itself locally free.
 5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 243

5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions

From now on we let X be a quasi-projective variety, that is, a locally
closed (in the Zariski topology) subset of the complex projective space ?".
Assume G is a linear algebraic group acting algebraically on X. We write
CohG(X) for the category of G-equivariant sheaves on X. It is an abelian
category. Let KG(X) denote the Grothendieck group of this category. If
G = {1} then KG(X) = K(X) is the ordinary K-group of coherent sheaves
as defined e.g., in [BS].
Though we will only be concerned with the groups K0 '0(X) = KG(X)
in this book, it is useful to know of the existence of "higher K-groups"
which intervene in our study via standard long exact sequences. We briefly
mention the existence of these groups and refer the reader to Quillen [Ql]
for further details.
Quillen associated to any abelian category C a simplicial complex B+C.
He then defined "higher K-groups" of category C to be the homotopy
groups K;(C) :_ ir;(B+C) of the topological space B+C. Quillen proved that
Ko(C) = Grothendieck group of C.
We apply the general Quillen construction to the abelian category C =
CohG (X), and define equivariant K-groups of a G-variety X as
K?(X) := K;(CohG(X)).
We have, in particular, Ko (X) = KG(X).
Here is a list of some basic properties of K-groups.
5.2.1. THE REPRESENTATION RING. Let G be an arbitrary linear algebraic
group. Giving a coherent G-equivariant sheaf on a point is the same as
giving a finite dimensional rational representation of G. Thus CohG(pt) =
Rep G is the category of finite dimensional rational representations of G.
We write R(G) for the Grothendieck group of Rep G. Thus, KG(pt) _
R(G). There is a canonical algebra embedding
R(G) .O(G)G = {regular class functions on G}
obtained by mapping a representation to its character. The embedding is
not surjective, since the LHS is a finitely generated Z-algebra while the
RHS is a finitely generated C-algebra. If the group G is reductive (e.g., a
torus) then the induced map
(5.2.2) C ®z R(G) --' O(G)G
is known to be an algebra isomorphism. For a general linear algebraic
group, the image of (5.2.2) is the set of f E O(G)G which are constant
on each coset of the unipotent radical of G.
244 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Remark 5.2.3. Any finite dimensional rational representation p : G -+

GL(V) of an arbitrary algebraic group G has a G-stable Jordan-Holder
filtration V = V D D Vo = (0), such that for each i, ti/V_1 is a
simple G-module. Thus, in the Grothendiek group we have the equality
[V] = >i [V /V _1] . Thus, R(G), as an additive group, is freely generated,
due to the Jordan-Holder theorem, by the set of simple rational G-modules.
Let, in particular, G be a unipotent group. Then by the Lie-Engel theorem,
G has only one simple G-module: the trivial 1-dimensional representation
1. It follows that R(G) is the free abelian group with a single generator 1.
Thus C ®z R(G) = C, while the algebra O(G)G may be much larger, e.g.,
for G = the additive group.

Let X be a G-variety and G = G1 X G2, where G1 acts trivially on

X. The category Coh0(X), in this case, decomposes as the tensor product
CohG2 (X) 0 Rep(G1). Hence there is a canonical isomorphism

(5.2.4) KG(X) = R(G1) ®Z KG' (X).

FUNCTORIALITY. We are going to define various morphisms between K-
groups which arise from various operations on the underlying varieties.
5.2.5. PULLBACK. Let f : Y -+ X be a G-equivariant morphism of G-
varieties.
(i) If f is an open embedding (in the Zariski topology) or more generally
if f is flat then there exists a map
f*:KG(X)-+KG(Y)
induced by the exact (since f is flat) pullback functor
f ` : CohG(X) -+ CohG(Y), F i-4 f *.F:= f'f.
Proposition 5.1.27(i) ensures that the functor f* is essentially surjective
for a Zariski open embedding f. Moreover, it follows, see [Gbl], from part
(ii) of Proposition 5.1.27 that the category CohG(Y) gets identified, by
means of f', with the quotient of the category CohG(X) modulo the full
subcategory (cf. [Gbl]) of sheaves supported on X \ Y.
(ii) Given a G-equivariant closed embedding f : Y -4 X, we would like
to define a pullback map
(5.2.6) f' : KG(X) --+ KG (Y).
Let Zy C Ox be the defining ideal of the subvariety Y so that Oy =
Ox/Zy. For any Ox-module F, the restriction of F to Y is defined by
f'. :_ F/ Ty.F c Oy ®oX Y.
 5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 245

The restriction functor F - f'.F so defined is not exact in general,

hence, does not give rise to a map on K-groups. Things might be cor-
rected by assigning to the class [.F] E KG(X) the formal alternating
sum E(-1)"L" f'.F of higher derived functors L" f'. In the language of
homological algebra, the sheaves L"f'.F are nothing but the Tor-sheaves
L" f'.F = Tor°X (0y, .F). In this way one would recover "additivity of short
exact sequences" using the long exact sequence of Tor's associated to a
short exact sequence of sheaves. However, without additional assumptions,
the Tor sheaves L" f'.F may be non-zero for infinitely many values of n.
Thus, the alternating sum (_1)nL"f'.F is not finite in general, hence
does not give rise to a well defined class in KG(Y).
For that reason, in this book we will usually avoid using pullback of
sheaves induced by a morphism f : Y - X from one singular variety to
another. The only exception is (see 5.3) the case where the Ox module
is flat with respect to Oy (see e.g., Bourbaki, Commutative Algebra for
the meaning of flat), that is, the case where all the higher Tor sheaves,
Tor°X (0y, .F), n > 0, vanish.
Thus we assume that X and Y are smooth quasi-projective G-varieties
and f : Y ' X is a closed G-equivariant embedding of Y as a submanifold
in X. Let F be a G-equivariant sheaf on X. By Proposition 5.1.28, there
exists, a finite G-equivariant locally free resolution F' of F

For any i, the sheaf [Link] ®,,X F' is clearly a coherent sheaf of [Link]-
modules (in particular, it is annihilated by the ideal Zy). Thus, identifying
[Link] with Oy, the cohomology sheaves, 11 ([Link] (&oX F') , of the complex
F' --, [Link]®o,, F°--+0
may be viewed as G-equivariant coherent sheaves of [Link]-modules, hence
Oy-modules again. We put
f`[F] = F.)I E KG(Y).
(-1)` [H'([Link] ®oX
The class in KG(Y) thus defined does not depend on the choice of the
resolution F*.
5.2.7. REMARK As we mentioned before, the cohomology of the complex
[Link] ® F' are, in the language of homological algebra, nothing but the
sheaves
(5.2.8) V([Link] ®oX F') = Tor°X (0y, .F).
By a standard argument these sheaves are independent of the choice of
resolution of F, proving the claim. Moreover, the Tor sheaves are known to
be symmetric with respect to the two arguments, [Link] and .F, respectively.
246 5. Equivariant K-Theory

That is, instead of taking a locally free resolution F' of F, one gets the
same result by taking a locally free resolution E' of [Link]. We will often
use the second option in the future.

(iii) RESTRICTION WITH SUPPORTS. We now turn to the case of singu-

lar varieties. We explained above that the construction in (ii) cannot be
carried out verbatim. Instead, we always assume the singular variety under
consideration is imbedded into a given ambient smooth variety.
Let f : Y X be a smooth closed embedding as above. Given a possibly
singular G-stable closed subvariety Z C X, put f -'(Z) = Z fl Y, a (re-
duced) closed G-stable subvariety of Y (unless stated otherwise, we always
write f l' for the naive set-theoretic preimage). We define the restriction
with support map

(5.2.9) f' : Kc(Z) - Ko(f-'(Z)) = KG(Y n z).

as follows.
Given a G-equivariant coherent sheaf E on Z we first consider the closed
embedding i : Z `- X and put F = i.E, a sheaf on X. We can then apply
the construction of f' in (ii) to F. Using the notation of the formula in
Remark (5.2.7) we therefore consider the alternating sum

(-1)n [Torox (Oy, i.E)] .

Each term in this sum is clearly an Ox-sheaf, say A, supported on

supp Oy n supp E = Y fl Z, since Tor is a local functor. We have seen in sub-
section (ii) above that such a sheaf A is in effect an Oy-module. We do not
know however that it is an Oynz-module, since it may not be annihilated
by 2ynzi the defining ideal of the subvariety Y n Z C Y. We do know,
though, that there exists an integer k great enough such that Zynz ' A = 0,
since A is supported on Y n Z. But then there are only finitely many
non-zero quotient sheaves Z'ynz A/ Iyn' A and each of those is clearly
annihilated by lynz. Thus the sum gr A:= >j [2'ynz - A/ Zynz . A) gives
a well defined class in KG(Y n Z), and we put finally

(5.2.10) f' (E) := E (-1)n gr Toro' (Oy, i.E) E KG(Z n Y) .

n

It should be noted that morphism (5.2.9) depends in an essential way

on the ambient spaces X and Y, and that we have not assumed Z to be
smooth.

5.2.11. TENSOR PRODUCTS IN EQUIVARIANT K-THEORY: Given two arbi-

trary G-varieties X and Y one has an exact functor CohG(X) x Coh°(Y) -
 5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 247

CohG(X x Y)

®: (F,Y) e--' YOY, := pX.F®oxxr p*P ,

where pX and p,, denote the projections of X x Y to the corresponding
factors. The exact functor above induces the external tensor product on
K-groups ®: KG(X) ®Z KG(Y) -+ KG(X X y).
We now turn to the more interesting case of tensor product of algebraic
K-groups on the same variety. It plays a role similar to that of the intersec-
tion pairing in Borel-Moore homology of the variety. Because of the ques-
tion of exactness, these latter tensor products in K-theory must be treated
with some care.
(i) THE TENSOR PRODUCT: Let X be a smooth G-variety. Then the
diagonal embedding 0 : Xo --+ X x X makes Xo a submanifold of X x X.
Thus the pullback morphism A` is well-defined, see (5.2.6). Given
coherent G-equivariant sheaves on X, we put
(F] ®[f'] def A. (.F ®y'')
(5.2.12) .

This way we have constructed a bilinear R(G)-module homomorphism

KG(X)®KG(X) , KG(X).
We emphasize that such a map does not exist in general for singular
varieties because the operation of taking the naive tensor product of two
coherent sheaves may not be exact and thus may not give rise to a map of
K-groups.
For smooth X, the tensor product makes KG(X) a commutative asso-
ciative R(G)-algebra.
(ii) TENSOR PRODUCT WITH SUPPORTS: We may refine Definition 5.2.12
to give a sort of analogue of the intersection pairing with support in
homology. Let X be smooth, and Z, Z' C X be two closed, G-invariant
subvarieties of X. Then we will define a map
®: KG(Z) x KG(Z') --+ KG(Z n Z')
using "reduction to diagonal" as in the above definition of tensor product.
Specifically, given r E KG(Z), F' E KG(Z') form FOP E KG(Z X Z'). Let
0 : Xo'-+X x X be the diagonal embedding. Note that 0- 1(Z x Z') =
Xo n (Z x Z') = Z n Z', and apply the restriction with supports map
A*:KG(Zx to FOP.
(iii) TENSOR PRODUCT WITH A VECTOR BUNDLE: Note that for X an
arbitrary quasi-projective G-variety and E a G-equivariant vector bundle
on X, the functor
E 0 Ox : CohG(X) CohG(X)
248 5. Equivariant K-Theory

is exact and therefore induces a homomorphism on the K-groups

E®: K,(X) -+ K°(X).
5.2.13. PUSHFORWARD: Let X and Y be arbitrary quasi-projective G-
varieties, and let f : X -+ Y be a proper G-equivariant morphism. Then
there is a natural direct image morphism
f.: KG(X) -+ KG(Y),
defined as follows. Let F be a G-equivariant coherent sheaf on X. Then
the higher derived functor sheaves R' f.F are G-equivariant, coherent, and
vanish for all i >> 0 (G-equivariance is proved using Godement resolution;
coherence and vanishing are proved by factoring f as the composition
X -X x Y -+ Y of a closed imbedding and a projection along a compact
variety X, see [BS], [Ha]). Define

The long exact sequence of the derived functors R' f. associated to a short
exact sequence of sheaves 0 F' -+ Y -+ F" -+ 0 insures the equality
f. (.P] = f. [F] + f. (F"] . Hence, one gets in this way a well defined mor-
phism of K-groups.
5.2.14. LONG EXACT SEQUENCE: Let i : X'-+Y be a closed embedding
and j : U = Y \ X -- X the complementary open embedding. Recall that
Proposition 5.1.26 yields an identification of the category CohG(U) with the
quotient of CohG(X) modulo CohG(Y). Thus, the general results of Quillen
[Q1] imply the existence of a long exact sequence

...--.K?(X) '*

We now turn to several properties involving equivariant K-theories with

respect to different groups.
5.2.15. EQUIVARIANT DESCENT. There are two essentially different no-
tions of a principal G-bundle in algebraic geometry. The difference is be-
tween those which are locally-trivial in the Zariski topology and those
which are locally-trivial in the etale topology. Local triviality in the Zariski
topology implies local triviality in the tale topology, so that this second
notion is more general and more flexible.
Given n : P --+ X, a principal G-bundle which is locally trivial in
the etale topology, one has a canonical equivalence of categories ir' :
Coh(X) (see [SGA 1, ch. VIII, sect. 1], the essential point is
that the map x is flat). This gives a canonical group isomorphism
rr` : K(X) - KG(P) .
 5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 249

In this book we refer to a locally trivial bundle always in the sense of the
Zariski topology unless specifically stated otherwise. Actually we will never
use the etale topology anywhere except in the orbi-space construction to be
mentioned in the following subsection.

5.2.16. INDUCTION. Let H C G be a closed algebraic subgroup and X

an H-space. Define the induced space, G x X, to be the space of orbits
of H acting freely on G x X by h : (g, x) H (gh-1, hx). This space can
be given the structure of an algebraic variety, but we will not go into this
delicate issue here. For the special case of X = pt, that is the quotient-
space G/H, we refer the reader to [Bo3] for a detailed construction. The
projection G -+ G/H and, more generally, the projection Y -+ Y/H where
Y is an algebraic variety with a free action of an algebraic group H, are
typical examples of H-bundles which are locally trivial in the etale topology
but not in the Zariski topology in general.
Given an H-variety X, the first projection G X X -+ G induces a flat
map G x X - G/H with fiber X. Furthermore, any G-equivariant sheaf
9 on G x H X is flat over G/H. Hence there is a well defined sheaf res g, the
restriction of 9 to the fiber over the base point e E G/H. The assignment
C H res G clearly gives an exact functor
res : Coh°(G xH X) --+Coh'(X).

Moreover, this functor is an equivalence of categories. To see this we define

the inverse functor
IndH : Coh"(X) -+CohG(G xH X)
as follows. Let p : G x X --+ X be the second projection and let F be an H-
equivariant sheaf on X. Then the sheaf p*.F is H-equivariant with respect
to the diagonal H-action on G x X. The map G x X --+ G xH X being
a locally trivial H-bundle in the etale topology, the equivariant descent
property 5.2.15 implies that the sheaf p*F descends to a sheaf, Ind HF,
on G x H X. Moreover, the obvious G-equivariant structure on p*F induces
a G-equivariant structure on Ind X.F. It is immediate that the functors res
and Ind are mutually inverse, giving the desired equivalence of categories.
In particular, there mutually inverse isomorphisms
res
(5.2.17) KX(X) 10
KG(G xH X), Vi > 0.
Ind for

5.2.18. REDUCTION. Recall, see [Bo3], that any algebraic group G can be
written as a semidirect product G = R x U where R is reductive and U is
the unipotent radical of G. Then for any G-variety X, we therefore have the
250 5. Equivariant K-Theory

forgetful map KG(X) -+ KR(X) regarding a G-equivariant sheaf as just an

R-equivariant sheaf. We claim that this map is an isomorphism.
To prove the claim, form the induced space G x R X and consider the
natural 1st projection p : G xR X -+ G/R. Observe that since X is a G-
variety and not just an R-variety we also have a well-defined action-map
a : G x R X - X. It is easy to see that the maps p and a combined together
give a G-equivariant isomorphism p O a : G X R X =+ (G/R) x X, whence we
get by the induction property:
(5.2.19) KR(X) KG(G xR X) KG((G/R) x X).
Observe next that the second projection it : (G/R) x X -+ X induces the
pull-back map 7r* : KG(X) KG((G/R) x X), F H OGIR M.F. The claim
will be proved provided we show this map is an isomorphism.
To that end observe that we have a natural isomorphism of G-spaces
G/R U, where the unipotent radical, U, is made into a G-space by
means of conjugation-action. Hence, if U is abelian, i.e, if U C", the
isomorphism G/R = U makes it into a G-equivariant vector bundle on
X. In this case ir' : KG(X) -+ KG (U x X) is the Thom isomorphism of
Proposition 5.4.17 (which is independent of the intervening material). The
general case is deduced now by writing the central series of U
U=U°DU' DU"={e}, where U'+':=[U',U'], i=0,1,...
Thus, W are Ad G-stable subgroups of U, and each quotient U'/U'+'
is abelian. The map Sri : Ul Ui U/U'-' is a (non-canonically) trivial
fibration with affine space fibers Ui-'/U' so that we have by the Thom
isomorphism (see 5.4.17)
7r!: KG(U/U'-' x X) - KG(U/U' X X).
We may now proceed by induction to prove the result.

5.2.20. THE CONVOLUTION CONSTRUCTION IN EQUIVARIANT K-THEORY:

As we remarked in Chapter 3, the convolution construction can be defined
for any theory that has pullbacks for smooth fibrations, pushforwards for
proper maps and a kind of "intersection with support" pairing. Equivariant
K-theory possesses all of these properties, so we can define convolution in
K-theory. In more detail, let M1, M2, M3 be smooth, quasi-projective G-
varieties. Write p=; : M1 x M2 x M3 --+ Mi x M; for the projection onto the
i, j-factor. Let
Z12CMIXM2, Z23CM2xM3
be G-stable closed subvarieties such that
P13 : p121(Z12) np231(Z23) -+ M1 X M3
 5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 251

is a proper map, and let Z12 o Z23 denote the image of the latter. For
112 E KG(Z12) and 123 E Ko'(Z23) note that p12.F12 0 P23123 is well-
defined, see 5.2.11(ii), as a class in K° (pj21 (Z12) lp231(Z23)). Since p13
p12'(Z12)lp23'(Z23) - M1 x M3 is proper, the pushforward (p13)* is defined
in K-theory, and we put

(5.2.21) 112 * 123 = (p13)* (p12112 ®p23'F23) E KG(Z12 o Z23)

Thus, as in the case of Borel-Moore homology the assignment V12, 123) -'
112 * 123 gives rise to a homomorphism

KG(Z12) ® KG(7i23) ...., KG(Z12 o Z23)

called the convolution map.

Remark 5.2.22. It is instructive to consider the special case of discrete

sets that has also motivated our construction of convolution in Borel-Moore
homology. Assume for simplicity that no group action is involved, i.e.,
G = 1. Let M1, M2, M3 be finite sets.
Giving a coherent sheaf 1 on Z12 amounts to giving a collection
{1(m1, m2) , (m1, m2) E Z12} of finite dimensional vector spaces, one for
each point of Z12. Here 1(ml, m2) is the stalk of F at (ml, m2). Asso-
ciated to such a sheaf 1 is a function fs on Z12 defined by the formula
f, : (m1, m2) o--+ dim 1(m1 i M2). The assignment 1 - f., clearly gives a
well defined group homomorphism £ : K(Z12) = K(Coh(Z12)) - Z[Z12] ,
where Z[Z12] stands for the vector space of Z-valued functions on Z12. It is
easy to show that the map rc is in effect an isomorphism.
In this finite setting we can "lift" the convolution construction to the
level of categories, and define a convolution-functor

* : Coh(Z12) x Coh(Z23) -+ Coh(Z12 o Z23)

by the following simplified version of formula (5.2.21)

(112 * 723)(ml, m3)

(D
{m,EM2 l(m,,m2)EZ,a,(ma,m3)EZ23}
112(m1, m2) ®c 123(m2, m3)

The convolution-functor thus defined induces the previously defined convo-

lution product on K-groups, that is, we have [113 * 123] = [112] * [123]
More concretely, identify K-groups with the corresponding function spaces
b y means of the isomorphism r. : 1'- fs above. Then by a simple straight-
forward calculation based on the formula dim (V ® W) = dim V dim W we
obtain
252 5. Equivariant K-Theory

fSI9 23
= TI2 * fF23

Here, the convolution on the right is explicitly given by the formula

(f12*f23)(ml,m3) _ E
{m2EM21(m1,m2)EZ12,(m2,m3)EZ23}
f12(ml,m2)'f23(m2,m3),

where we use the notation f,, instead of f f; . Note-and this is of course

,

not a coincidence-that this formula is identical to the one given in (2.7.2).

We now record one simple property of the convolution in K-theory.

In the setup of 5.2.20, assume given a G-equivariant closed embedding
E : Z23 '-+ Z23. Then the composition Z12 o Z23 is well defined and the

induced map c : Z12 o Z23 `-' Z12 o Z23 is a closed embedding again. We have
the following result which says that, in a sense, the result of convolution
is independent of the choice of support (but nonetheless depends on the
ambient spaces).

Lemma 5.2.23. The following natural diagram commutes

convolution
KG(Z12) ® KG(223) KG(Z12 0 223)

id®[. I
i
convolution
K'(Z12) ® KG(Z23) KG(Z12 o Z23)

A similar result holds for convolution in homology.

We will apply the lemma in the special case M1 = M2 = M and M3 = pt.

In that case we write, Z23 C M, We
get a KG(Z)-action on KG(Y) and KG(Y), respectively. The lemma says
that these actions are compatible with each other.

5.2.24. The same way as the intersection pairing is a special case of the
convolution in homology, tensor product in K-theory is a special case of
the convolution in K-theory. In more detail, let X be a smooth G-variety,
and A : Xo -+ X x X the diagonal embedding. Then clearly Xo o Xo =
Xo, as a composition of subsets in X x X. Hence the convolution map
* : KG(Xo) x KG(XA) - KG(Xo) is well defined. On the other hand,
since Xo is smooth, the group KG(XQ) has a ring structure by means of
tensor product, see 5.2.12. We leave the proof of the following simple result
to the reader.
 5.2 Basic K-Theoretic Constructions 253

Corollary 5.2.25. For a smooth G-variety X, the following two maps are
equal:

KG(Xo) ®KG(XA) - KG(Xo).

5.2.26. DUALITY PAIRING. Let X be a projective G-variety, and let

p : X - pt be the projection of X to a point. Then p is a proper G-
equivariant morphism, hence the direct image

p.: KG(X) -+ K' (pt) = R(G)

is a well-defined R(G)-linear map.
Now assume in addition that X is smooth. We introduce an R(G)-
bilinear pairing K°(X) x KG(X) -+ R(G)

(5.2.27) F X F' H (.F,.F') := P.([F] ® (.F'])

The reader must be certain not to mistake the tensor product on the right
for the naive tensor product. Rather it is the tensor product in K-theory,
defined in 5.2.11.
More generally, let the variety X be smooth but not necessarily compact.
Given any closed G-stable subvarieties Y', Y" C X such that Y' fl Y" is
compact, one may still define the duality pairing KG(Y') x KG(Y") -
R(G), since in this case the pushforward map is still well-defined.
The duality pairing may be used for making computations with convo-
lution. Let M1, M2 and M3 be smooth G-varieties, and Y', Y" C M2 two
closed G-stable subvarieties such that Y' fl Y" is a compact set. Then the
composition (M1 x Y' ) o (Y" x M3) = M1 x M3 is well defined, and we
have the corresponding convolution map
*:Kc(M1xY')xKc(Y"xM3)- KG(M1xM3).

The following explicit formula is used quite often.

Lemma 5.2.28. For any .F1 E KG(M1), .F3 E KG(M3), and 'j' E KC(Y'),
9" E KG(Y") we have
(5.2.29) (.F1® Q') * (g" ® FF3) = (9', CJ") . (.F1® F3) ,

where (a', a") acts on F1 ®.F3 by means of the R(G)-module structure.

Proof. We perform a straightforward computation based on the defini-

tion of convolution. Recall the projections

Ai:M1xM2xM3-+MixMJ, p:: M1xM2xM3-+Mi.

254 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Writing it : M2 --+ {pt} for the constant map and using the trivial special
case of the projection formula, see 5.3.13, we compute
p23(9"

(11 (D yr) * (g" ® -F3)= (p13) (p12('Fl ®J') ® (D f3))

= (p13).(pi3(.F10.F3) 0 p2 (G' ®9")) projection formula
= (.F1® .F3) ® (p13).p2(9' (& 9")
= (F1® .F3) ® rr'rr. (G' (9 Ca") projection formula
= ( C ' , 9") (.Fl ®.F3) .

5.2.30. Projective Bundle Theorem. Let E - X be a G-equivariant n-

dimensional (algebraic) vector bundle on a G-variety X, and let rr : P(E) -
X be the associated projective bundle with fiber P' 1. For each k E Z
there is a natural G-equivariant line bundle O(k) on P(E) whose germs of
sections are the germs of regular functions on E \ (zero-section) that are
homogeneous of degree k along the fibers.
Theorem 5.2.31. For each j ? 0, the group K? (II'(E)) is freely generated
over K?(X) by the classes [O(k)], k = 0,1, ..., n - 1, that is, any element
TE has a unique presentation of the form
n-1
.F=EO(k)®7r'.Fk, .FkEK,(X).
k=0

In the non-equivariant case this theorem is due to Quillen [Q1]. The

arguments of [Q1] can be extended, in principle, to the equivariant setup as
well (see e.g., [Th3),[S]). We will give a more modern proof of the theorem
in this book (apart from the uniqueness statement which is easy and will
never be used in this book) in Section 5.6.

5.3 Specialization in Equivariant K-Theory

Let C be a smooth algebraic curve with a base point o E C. Further,
let X be a G-variety and p: X - C a G-equivariant morphism (we
assume G acts trivially on C). As in section 2.3.21, we put X, = p -1(o),
X' = X \ X,. These are clearly G-stable subsets, and we are going to define
a specialization morphism
(5.3.1) li m : KC(X") -- KG (X.).
We proceed as follows. Call F a lattice for a G-equivariant coherent sheaf
.F" on X' if the following two conditions hold:
(i) F is a G-equivariant coherent sheaf on X such that Fix. =.F*, and
(ii) F has no subsheaves supported on X,.
 5.3 Specialization in Equivariant K-Theory 255

Lemma 5.3.2. For any G-equivariant coherent sheaf .F' on X*, we have
(i) There exists a lattice, .F, for .F`.
(ii) If F1 and F2 are two lattices for F*, then in the group KG (X,,) We
have

.F,/t'.F1 = F2/t
where t is a local parameter on C such that t(o) = 0.
Proof. (i) We view t as a function on a neighborhood of X. by means of
pullback to X. Given F* as above, there exists, by Proposition 5.1.27(i),
a G-equivariant coherent sheaf F on X such that FIx = .F'. For any
k = 1, 2, 3, ... , define a coherent subsheaf .Fk of .F to be the kernel of the
multiplication map .F We have
-Fl C .F2 C ....

This sequence stabilizes, due to coherence of .F, and we put UkFk

Clearly .F is the maximal subsheaf of .F supported on X so that the quo-
tient sheaf F :_ has no subsheavessupported on X,. Moreover, the
function t being G-stable, both F. and are G-equivariant sheaves.
Thus .F is a lattice for .F` and (i) follows.
To prove (ii) notice that by definition of restriction, for any lattice F,
we have i*.F = F/t Y. The rest of the proof of (ii) is along the same lines
as the proof of Propositions 2.3.2 and 2.3.4.
Following the pattern of section 2.3, we define the map (5.3.1) by

(5.3.3) lim.F* = [.F/t Jr], F is a lattice for .F'.

Lemma 5.3.2(ii) above insures that the class [.Fit..F] is well defined, and an
analogue of Lemma 2.3.3 says that the assignment .F F--' [.F/t .F] extends
to a group homomorphism K' (X,).
Remark 5.3.4. As we explained in section 5.2.5(ii) the sheaf Flt F is
nothing but the restriction of the Ox-module .F to X,. Although we do not
assume X to be smooth, the construction works because of the assumption
that .F, being t-torsion free, is flat over C. Now, the reason we assume C to
be one-dimensional, is that this is essentially the only case where a result
like Lemma 5.3.2 holds.

We are going to study the relationship betweeen specialization and

restriction with support maps in K-theory. A note on terminology first. By
a "fibration" (not necessarily locally-trivial) we will mean any morphism
between smooth varieties that has surjective differential at every point.
Whenever we take a "fibration," the reader may use the weaker notion of
256 5. Equivariant K-Theory

an arbitrary flat morphism with smooth fibers, referred to as a "smooth

morphism" in [Ha].
Assume X is a smooth G-variety and p : X -' C is a smooth G-
equivariant fibration over a smooth curve C (with trivial G-action). Let
Z C X be a closed G-stable subvariety, not necessarily flat over C.
We adopt the same notation as above. Thus, o E C is a base point,
Xo=p-'(X),X`=X\X0,and we put Z0:=ZflX,, andZ*=Zf1Xr.
There is a natural commutative diagram formed by two Cartesian squares:

Z Z*

(5.3.5) E

fS- 1'
Xf'X Xr
Lemma 5.3.6. Let F be a G-equivariant coherent sheaf on Z. Then we
have an equality, in K°(Z0),

where the specialization on the LHS is taken with respect to a (non-flat)

morphism p : Z --+ C and the map iZ : KG(Z) -+ K°(ZO) on the RHS
stands for the restriction with supports in z fl X0.
Proof. We assume first that F is flat over C. Let -- Fl --+ Fo - er.F
be a finite G-equivariant locally free resolution of the sheaf e.Y on X (see
5.1.28). Observe further that the map p : X - C being flat and the sheaves
F; being locally free imply that each F, is flat over C. It follows that if t
is a local parameter on C such that t(o) = 0 then dividing by t yields a
sequence of sheaves on X0:
...-
which is still an exact sequence since F is flat over C, hence, a locally free
resolution of er.F/t erF. Therefore, in K°(Z0) we have
(5.3.7) [Er.F/t er.F] = E(-1)"[F,a/t - F]-
The LHS of this expression equals, since .F is a lattice for FIz.
[Er F/t Er F] = Er[.F/t .F] = C. lim[.FIz.].
To compute the RHS we note that, for any sheaf A on X, one has
Q,r.. ® A = Alt A. Hence the class of

represents the restriction with support in Z. of the class [F] E K°(Z). This
proves the claim for flat sheaves over C.
 5.3 Specialization in Equivariant K-Theory 257

Now let F be an arbitrary, not necessarily flat, G-equivariant coherent

sheaf on Z and let F,° be the maximal subsheaf of F supported on Z° (cf.
proof of Lemma 5.3.2(1)). Then the sheaf F = has no t-torsion, so
that the first part of the proof applies to F. Thus, we have
(5.3.8) li-.m [F z.] = Za[. l-

On the other hand, the short exact sequence

0 -* )7 --* F -+ ' -+ 0
says that [.F] = in the Grothendieck group. Since the specializa-
tion functor limi_,o and restriction ii are homomorphisms of Grothendieck
groups, proving the claim for F, amounts, due to (5.3.8), to proving it for
Observe next that in the Grothendieck group we have

i=O

where the sum on the right is finite, since the sheaf Y is supported on
Z°, hence, annihilated by a high enough power of t. Thus, we may assume
without loss of generality that t F = 0. Then clearly F',,.Iz. = 0, hence,
limt.o(F,oIz.) = 0. On the other hand, for any sheaf A, restriction to
the divisor t = 0 is defined, in K-theory, as the alternating sum of the
cohomology sheaves of the two term complex A - A. Since t F,, = 0,
the map . '+ Y is trivial, and we get Ker t - Coker t =
[Y.]-[F,,] =0. .
CONVOLUTION COMMUTES WITH SPECIALIZATION. Suppose MI, M2, M3
are smooth algebraic G-varieties and we are given fibrations fi : Mi -+ C
with smooth fibers (where G acts trivially on the curve C). Write M° :_
f, ' (o) for the special fibers of the fibrations, and Mi* = Mi \ Mill. for
generic fibers. Assume that Z12 C M1 X M2, Z23 C M. x M3 are closed
G-stable subvarieties such that the composition Z13 Z12 o Z23 C M1 X M3
is well-defined (see 5.2.20). For i, j = 1, 2, 3, let fiA : Zi, -- C denote the
restriction of the fibration fi x f2 : Mi x M; - C to Zij. Put Z°, = f;'(0)
and Ztj = f j'(C*). We have the following result.

Theorem 5.3.9. The following diagram, whose horizontal arrows are given
by specialization and vertical arrows are given by convolution, commutes.

KG(Zi2) ® KG(Z23) ji KG(Zi2) ® KG(Zz3)

*1
1*
lim
KG(Z13) KG(Z13)
258 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Proof. Write p,, : M1 x M2 x M3 -i Mi x M2 for the projection along the

factor not named. We have the following commutative diagram where the
map 0 is induced by the diagonal embedding M2 '- M2 x M2.
(5.3.10)
4, v13
M1 x M2 x M2 x M3 , M1xM2xM3 ],M1xM3
IE E

J
Z12 x Z23 E
G
pa
,P12 (Z12) n pea (Z23) 13

Each of the two squares in the diagram is clearly a cartesian square (the
second, for Z13 = Z12 o Z23). The diagram gives rise to the following maps
on K-groups:
(5.3.11)

KG(Z12) (& KC(Z23) ® -"'- KC(Z12 X Z23)

(P13).
KG(p121(Z12) np231(Z23)) - K'(Z13),
where 0* is restriction with support relative to the map 0 in the upper
row in (5.3.10). The convolution map was defined as the composition of all
maps in (5.3.11). Thus to prove the theorem, it suffices to show that each
of the maps in (5.3.11) commutes with specialization.
For the first map, ®, this is trivial. For the second map, this follows
from Lemma 5.3.6. It remains to prove the claim for the direct image
map (p13)*. Observe that, with the obvious notation, we have the following
commutative diagram

M1xM2XM3 YMIXAX 3

P13 I P131

113
M1 xM3( M1xM3
which is a special case of the cartesian square (5.3.14) below, for ff = P13
and f2 = i. Proposition 5.3.15, applied in this case to the variety Z =
p121(Z12) n p2- 3'(Z23) and a G-equivariant sheaf F on this variety, yields

213(PI3)* l = (p13)2123'
On the other hand, by Lemma 5.3.6, one may replace here both pullback
maps i* by the corresponding specialization. Thus, for any sheaf -*F* on
P121(Z12)* n pi-31 (Z2*3), we find

liM(P13)*"* = (p13)*(lirr F*)'

This completes the proof of the theorem.
 5.3 Specialization in Equivariant K-Theory 259

5.3.12. PROJECTION FORMULA AND BASE CHANCE. Let f : X -- Y be

an equivariant proper morphism of algebraic G-varieties, F an equivariant
coherent sheaf on X, and let £ be an equivariant locally free sheaf on Y.
The following equality in KG(Y), known as the "projection formula" is
analogous to a very similar result in the context of algebraic cycles proved,
e.g. in (Fu].

(5.3.13) f.(F ®f'£) = f.F ®£.

Next let 0 : S - S and f : Z -+ S be G-equivariant maps of G-varieties.

We form a natural cartesian diagram

Z=SxSZ -Z
(5.3.14) ii

We will assume from now on that one of the following two assumptions
holds:
(a) Either ¢ is flat or
(b) ¢ : S - S is a closed embedding of smooth varieties and, in addi-
tion, there is a smooth fibration f : X -+ S such that f : Z -+ S is
its restriction to a closed subset Z C X.
These assumptions make it possible to define the pullback morphism
KG(Z) - KG(Z) in K-theory. In case (a) the map 4' : Z - Z is flat and we
can therefore apply the construction 5.2.5(i). In case (b) we form the fiber
product X := S xS X and consider the cartesian diagram for X, analogous
to diagram (5.3.14) for Z but consisting of smooth ambient varieties. In
particular, we have a closed embedding 4' : 9-X making k a submanifold
of X. We use the restriction with support map KG(Z) -+ KG (.k fl Z) _
KG(Z) to be the definition of 4'`.
Proposition 5.3.15. If either of the assumptions (a) or (b) above hold
and, moreover, the map f : Z - S is proper, then the following diagram
induced by the cartesian square (5.3.14) commutes

KG(Z)' KG(Z)
i.I If.
KG(S) KG(S).
In case (a) this follows from the results of [SGA6, ch. II, III[. Case (b) is
260 5. Equivariant K-Theory

more elementary and can be deduced from the projection formula (5.3.13).
Indeed, in this case one can find a finite G-equivariant resolution E' of
the sheaf .OR by locally free sheaves on X. The restriction with support
map 4` : KG(Z) - KG(2) is then given essentially by tensoring with
the resolution E. Thus, commutativity of the diagram of the proposition
amounts to the equality in the middle of the formula
=E'®(f..F)=0"f..P , VFEKG(Z).

5.4 The Koszul Complex and the Thom Isomorphism

Let ir : V --+ X be a G-equivariant vector bundle and i : X V the zero-
section. We will construct in a canonical way a G-equivariant complex of
locally free sheaves on the total space of V, called the Koszul complex of
V, which provides a resolution of the sheaf [Link].
First of all introduce the notation A'V for the ith exterior power of V, a
G-equivariant bundle on X again. We define the following class
dim V
(5.4.1) .X(V) = E (-1)' A'V E KG(X).
i=o
Let Eu be the Euler vector field on V generating the natural C*-action
along the fibers. The field Eu is tangent to the fibers of E and its value at
a point v E V is v, viewed as a point of VV(,,) = the fiber of V at the point
ir(v). Further, let 01 x denote the sheaf of regular relative j-forms on V
(over X). The Koszul complex has the form

(5.4.2) ... n2V/X '- [Link],

where is stands for the contraction operator with the vector field Eu. The
augmentation e : S2o x = Ov -+ [Link] assigns to a germ of a function on V
its restriction to the zero-section, viewed as an element of [Link].
More concretely, let it : V" -+ X be the vector bundle dual to V. For
each j > 0 there is a natural isomorphism Slv/X 7r' (AJ V" ), so that the
Koszul complex takes the form
(5.4.3) ... - i}(A2V") - 7r*(A'V") ...., Ov E., [Link].
This is a complex of vector bundles on V. The differential arising from that
of (5.4.2) acts fiberwise and is described as follows. Let V E V and x = ir(v).
The fiber at v of the vector bundle it*(A2V") is canonically isomorphic to
A'V". The differential AS' ._ Aj-'V" is now given by
j
(5.4.4) v1 A ... A vj -, L(_1)k . (vk, v) . vl n . vk ... A vJ.
k=1
 5.4 The Koszul Complex and the Thom Isomorphism 261

where vk means that 'Uk is omitted.

Proposition 5.4.5. The complex (5.4.2), resp. (5.4.3), is exact so that in

the Grothendieck group KC(V) we have (see 5.4.1):

i*Ox = 7r*(A(V")).
Proof. The claim being local with respect to the base X, we may assume
that the vector bundle V is trivial, and furthermore that X = pt. Thus
in this case V is a vector space so that all coherent sheaves on V may be
replaced by C[V]-modules of their global sections. The sections of the sheaf
7r* (Ai V") form the free module

C[V] 0AjV" -- (SV") ® (A'Vv),

where S(Vv) is the symmetric algebra on V", or, equivalently, the algebra
of polynomial functions of V. The Koszul complex differential then becomes
the standard differential on S(Vv) 0 A(V"), which is known to be acyclic
(see, e.g. [Lang]). Indeed, if dim V = 1 and t is a coordinate on V then the
complex reduces to the exact sequence

(5.4.6) 0 -. C[t] t C[t] -+ C[t]/t . C[t] = C - 0.

If dim V > 1, choose a direct sum decomposition V = ®V,,,, dim V, = 1.
The complex for V is isomorphic to the tensor product of complexes of the
form (5.4.6), one for each summand V,,, hence is acyclic in general.
We now recall the Euler-Poincare principle which states that, in the
Grothendieck group, taking the alternating sum of the terms of a complex
yields the same element as the alternating sum of the cohomology groups
of that complex. In particular, the alternating sum of the terms of the
acyclic complex (5.4.3) vanishes. This yields the equation claimed in the
proposition.

5.4.7. RESTRICTION TO THE ZERO SECTION. Given a vector bundle V --

X, where X is not necessarily smooth, we can use the Koszul resolution of
i*OX (by locally-free sheaves) to define a restriction function i* : K°'(V) --r
KG(X) as explained in Remark 5.2.7 in the smooth case. Thus, given a
sheaf F E KG(V), the class [i*.F] E K°(X) is defined as the alternating
sum of the cohomology sheaves of the complex
(5.4.8) ... 7r*A2V" ®.r -+ 7r*Al V" ®.F --+.F.

In the two extreme cases the restriction may be computed explicitly by

means of the following result which is analogous to the Thom isomorphism
2.6.43(i) in homology.
262 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Lemma 5.4.9. Let F E KG(X). Then we have the following equalities:

i*7r*P = F and i*i*P = A(V") ®P in KG(X ).
Proof. For the proof of the first equality we set F = The corre-
sponding complex (5.4.8) is then exact everywhere but the rightmost term,
and then the claim follows. For the second case, set Jr = i*.F. Then the
nth term of the complex (5.4.8) is, i* (A" V" 0 F), a sheaf supported on the
zero-section. Hence, the Euler-Poincare principle yields

E(-1)"[1-l"(A0V" ®Y)] _ E(-1)" , [A"V" ®.x'] =

= [E(-1)n . AnV"] ®P = ) (V") 0 F.
Thus, i*.F = A(VI) ®.P.
We now extend the previous lemma to a non-linear setting. The result
below is entirely similar to its counterpart 2.6.44 in Borel-Moore homology.
Proposition 5.4.10. Let i : N--+M be a G-equivariant closed embedding
of a smooth G-variety N as a submanifold of a smooth G-variety M. Then
the composite map KG(N) `'-+ KG(M) ) KG (N) is given by the formula
i*i*F = \(T,* M) ®P, for any P E KG(N).
Corollary 5.4.11. For a G-equivariant short exact sequence Vl --+V -» V2
of vector bundles on X, we have \(V) _ \(V1) ®a(V2) .
Proof of Corollary 5.4.11. Write j : V2 '-+ V for the vector bundle
embedding of the total spaces, and, given any vector bundle E, write 7r5
and iE for the corresponding projection and zero-section, respectively. It is
easy to see that the normal bundle to j(V1) in V is equal to 7T-,, (V/Vi) _
it.
V2 . Therefore, Proposition 5.4.10 yields

[Link](V1).
t4
We now factor the embedding i, as the composition X V1 '- V .
Using the previous formula we find

i*V (i").(Ox) = it,, j*j* (iv,).(Ox)

= i.l (7r . \(V2) 0 projection formula
= A(VV) ® Kl iv,.Ox) by 5.4.9
=a(VZ)®A(V")®OX =A(V,")®a(V2 )
On the other hand, the leftmost term in the above chain of equations can
be computed directly by means of Lemma 5.4.9. This gives: LHS = \(V") .
Since both sides of the chain of equations must be equal we get .1(V') =
 5.4 The Koszul Complex and the Than Isomorphisni 283

.\(V,') ® )(V2"). The claim follows by applying the above argument, to the,
dual exact sequence V2 -4 Vv -N Vi .
5.4.12. Proof of Proposition 5.4.10: The idea of the argument is to re-
place M by the normal bundle of M at N and then apply Lemma 5.4.9.
In the topological setup of 2.6.43 this was achieved by replacing M by a
small tubular neighborhood of N. This cannot be done in our present alge-
braic framework, since there are no Zariski-open "tubular neighborhoods."
Instead, we will use the invariance of algebraic K-theory under algebraic
deformations, and "deform" M to the normal bundle by means of the con-
struction of section 2.3.15.
Recall the following deformation to the normal bundle diagram, see
2.3.15:

NC NxC--)NxC' N

fi pr, f
L

TNM(X N M X x C* -M
M

Given a G-equivariant coherent sheaf F on N let fr be its pullback to

N x C by means of the first projection. Form the complex i' i..F where
i : N x C -- XN is the closed embedding. Let t be a coordinate on the line
C. Clearly is a flat C[t]-module.
The projection f : XN - C being flat by construction, it follows that
i' i5 F is flat over C[t], whence the following equality holds in KG(N) by
Lemma 5.3.6

r
(5.4.13) e'. (i` J) = lim(j`
To compute the LHS of (5.4.13) we use the following cartesian square

N xr C

i
TNM E - XN
of the deformation diagram above. This yields

(5.4.14)e'(i*i..f)=i'e`i'i.e"r=i`i.F=A(T;,M)®.P,
where the second equality uses the flat base change, see 5.3.15, and the last
one is Lemma 5.4.9.
264 5. Equivariant K-Theory

We now compute the RHS of (5.4.13) using the other cartesian square
from the deformation diagram above:

if
fi
XN--'MxC'
_.

We have similarly

1(i*i.T),
where the second equality uses the flat base change, see 5.3.15, and the last
one follows, because the embedding N x C* '--+ M x C* is just the product
of the embedding N --+ M with the identity on the factor C*. Thus, one
obtains

(5.4.15) li«m j*(%* a,.)) lin pr 1(i' i..F) = i* i,F,

where the last equality follows from 5.3.6. Now formulas (5.4.13), (5.4.14),
and (5.4.15) combine together to complete the proof of Lemma 5.11.3.
5.4.16. Next let it : E --+ X be a G-equivariant affine bundle on X
(without preferred zero-section in particular).

Theorem 5.4.17. (The Thom isomorphism theorem). For any j > 0 the
morphism ir' : K'(X) -+ KO(E) is an isomorphism.

Proof. We proceed in three steps:

STEP 1. PROJECTIVE COMPLETION: Recall that for any affine space E,

we have constructed in 2.3.10 its projective completion PE. Due to the
canonical nature of the construction it extends to the relative case as well.
Thus, for an affine bundle there is a canonical projective bundle PE - X
associated to the affine bundle E -+ X whose fibers are the projective
completions of those of E (thus, PE is not the projectivization of E).
Given a G-equivariant sheaf F on E, we would like to extend it to a
G-equivariant sheaf .Fe on FE. The existence of such an extension is guar-
anteed by Proposition 5.1.27. In the special case under consideration, we
give an alternative and more direct approach to constructing an extension.
This approach has the advantage of working in the general (non-smooth)
case as well.
Set G[E] := 1r,OE. Thus C[E] is a sheaf of algebras on X whose sections
over an open subset U C X are all regular functions on ir'1(U). Such a
function is necessarily polynomial along the fibers of it. Hence, the sheaf
C[E] acquires, as in section 2.3.10, a natural filtration Ox = Co[E] C
 5.4 The Koszul Complex and the Thom Isomorphism 265

C1 (E) C .... where Cj [EJ is the sub-sheaf of sections of polynomials

of degree < j along the fibers. Following formula (2.3.6) we form the
graded sheaf of algebras C[E] = @, As explained in 2.3.10 there
CAE].

is a canonical graded algebra isomorphism C[E] ^- C[E] where k is the

total space of the extended bundle E -+ X (see diagram (2.3.13) of section
2.3.10), a vector bundle of dimension 1 greater than E.
Observe next that the projection E -, X being affine (a map is affine
if the inverse image of an affine set is affine), speaking about coherent
sheaves on the total space of E is the same as speaking about coherent
C[E]-modules on X. Let F denote the C[EJ-module corresponding to a
G-equivariant sheaf F. Choose an Ox-coherent G-equivariant submodule
F0 C F which generates F over the subalgebra Ox C C[E]. Following
the strategy of section 2.3.10 define an increasing G-stable filtration on F
setting Fj = Cj [EJ Fo, j = 0, 1, 2,.... This makes F a filtered C[E]-module,
and we put F := E t`F; (C F[t, t'1]). Thus P is a graded C __[E__]-module,
hence, a graded C[EJ-module.
A basic fact of algebraic geometry is that a graded module over a poly-
nomial algebra gives rise to a sheaf on the corresponding projective space.
Thus, the module F gives rise to a coherent sheaf Fp on ]P(E) = FE, the
projectivization of the vector bundle E. Geometrically the correspondence
F --+ Xp can be explained as follows. First, a grading F = ®jEZFj makes
F a C'-module by means of the action z : fj - zf - ff, z E C*, ff E Ff.
Second, the C[E]-module F gives rise to a sheaf F on E, and the C'-action
on F puts on F the structure of a C'-equivariant sheaf. Now the natural
projection p : E \ {zero-section} - 1P(E) is a principal C'-bundle. Hence,
there exists, by equivariant descent 5.2.15, a unique sheaf Xp on F(E) such
that p'.Fp = F.
STEP 2. SURJECTIVITY OF THE MORPHISM 7r': A relative analogue of
(2.3.13) in section 2.3.10 yields a canonical fiberwise decomposition

(5.4.18) 7rp :FE = E U P(V) -- X,

where V - X is the vector bundle associated to the given affine bundle E.

Now the projective bundle Theorem 5.2.31 applied to the sheaf Fp yields
an equation in KG(FE):

[Fp] = > 0(k) ®7rp.F'k, for certain fk E KG(X).

We restrict both sides of the equation to the "finite part," the open set
E C FE, see (5.4.18). We have the canonical isomorphisms:

(FP)IE =.F, and O(k)I& = OE, Vk > 0.

266 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Hence, the equation in K9(PE), being restricted to E, yields

[Fl _ OE ®7r*.Fk = 7r`.Fk = it (E[.Fk])

and the surjectivity of the map 7r' : KG(X) - KG(E) follows.

STEP 3. INJECTIVITY OF THE MORPHISM 7r`: We will use the following

relative version of diagram (2.3.13) of section 2.3.10:

X X X X
irvI 7rEI lrrxC.1 At

(5.4.19) VC--- E - E x C* P`` E

where V, E and t have the same meaning as in steps 1 and 2. We use the
diagram to define a morphism sp : K°(E) -+ KO(V) by the formula (see
5.3.3 for the definition of lime-.o)
sp.F lim(priF).
Assume now that J E KG(X) and let F = 7r'j E KG(E). Then we have
prif = pri7r`.F = It follows that
(5.4.20) ep(7f*P) = iio(iEXc.P) = 7r P.
Let i : X `- V denote the zero-section. Then equation (5.4.20) and the first
isomorphism of Lemma 5.4.9 yield
i' sp(7r'.F) = i`7rv.F =.F.
Thus
7r'i'=0*i5sp(7r"'P)=0=: P =0,
and the injectivity of the morphism 7r` follows.
This completes the proof of the Thom isomorphism for the group KG _
Ko . To prove the theorem for higher K-groups, observe that equation
(5.7.8) of the proof of the projective bundle theorem (see the end of section
5.7 below) yields a slightly stronger result: any G-equivariant sheaf on the
total space of the affine bundle E is quasi-isomorphic to a bounded G-
equivariant complex consisting of sheaves of the form 7r'F. As was shown
by Quillen, this stronger result implies formally (see Resolution Theorem
in [Q1]) the isomorphism 7r' : K?(E) = K?(X) for all higher equivariant
K-groups (note that we do not claim, and it would be false, the equivalence
 5.4 The Koszul Complex and the Thom Isomorphism 267

of the derived categories of equivariant coherent sheaves on X and E

respectively). This completes the proof of the theorem.
Corollary 5.4.21. let 7r : V --+ X be a G-equivariant vector bundle with
zero-section i : X --+V. Then the morphism
i' : KG(V) , KG(X)
is an isomorphism which is the inverse of the Thom isomorphism 7r*.
Proof. This follows from the first isomorphism of Lemma 5.4.9.
5.4.22. CONVOLUTION ACTION AND THE THOM ISOMORPHISM. Let M1
and M2 be smooth projective G-varieties. In the setup of section 5.2.20
put M3 = pt, Z12 = M1 x M2 and Z23 = M2 x pt. Then Z12 o Z23 =
M1 x pt so that convolution in K-theory gives rise to an R(G)-linear map
KG(M1 x M2) ®R(G)
KG(M2) -+ KG(M1), or, equivalently, a morphism

(5.4.23) (Ml)).
PM : KG(MI X M2) -+ Hom. R(G) (KG (M2), KG
Now let pr: E,. -+ M,., r = 1, 2, be G-equivariant vector bundles. One
would like to have an analogue of (5.4.23) with Mr replaced by E,.. This is
not possible verbatim, because the total space Er is not compact, so that
the necessary properness condition does not hold and the convolution is not
well-defined in general. To get around this difficulty, introduce the natural
projection p = id E2 X P2 : E1 x E2 -+ E1 x M2.
5.4.24. ASSUMPTION: Let Z C E1 x E2 be a closed G-stable subvariety
such that the restriction
p : Z -+ E1 x M2 is proper.
The above assumption ensures that the composition Z o E2 is a well-
defined closed G-stable subvariety of El. Hence, convolution in K-theory
and the closed embedding (Z o E2) -+ El induce well-defined morphisms
KG(Z) ® KG(E2) -+ KG(Z o E2) - KG(E1). The composition of these
morphisms gives rise to the following vector-bundle counterpart of (5.4.23),
an R(G)-linear map:
(5.4.25) PE : KG(Z) --- HomR(G)(KG(E2), KG(El)).
Observe next that the target groups on the RHS of (5.4.23) and (5.4.25)
can be identified by means of the Thom isomorphism KG(Er) KG(Mr).
To compare the LHS of (5.4.23) and (5.4.25) let it : Mr ti E, denote the
zero-section embeddings and put i = it x id M2 : M1 x M2'-+ E1 x M2. This
way we get the following morphisms:

(5.4.26) KG(Z) KG(E1 x M2) -+ KG(M1 x M2).

268 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Lemma 5.4.27. The following diagram commutes

KG(Z) PE -r HomR(a)(KG(E2), KG (El))

Thom

KG(M1 X M2) P"'' HomR(G)(KG(M2), KG(M1))

Proof. First we need some additional notation. Let q; : M1 x M2 -- Mi be

the projection to the ith factor. We have the following diagram, in which
the middle square is cartesian.
02
E1xE2 - E1xM2 iM1xM2
Pti 911
1,
E1 , M1 M2

We deduce (via 5.3.15) the following commutative diagram in K-theory

KG(Z) P1.
KG(E1)
(5.4.28) P, I I i-,

M2) _91,_
KG(M1 X KG(M1)

Let F E KG(Z), G E KG(M2). In order to prove the lemma we must prove

the equality
(5.4.29) ii( * p2G), where p2 : E2 - M2.
Using the definition of convolution we rewrite (5.4.29) as

(5.4.30) 41.(z'p..F(9 429) = ® pr`Q)),where pr: El x M2 -+ M2.

Using (5.4.28) we compute the RHS of (5.4.30) and find
(5.4.31) (9 p;p29)) = 41.(i'p.)(.F 0 pr*9)
Write P2 : E1 x E2 -+ E2 for the projection to the second factor. Noting
the commutative diagram
P
E1xE2 E1xM2
P2I 1 pr
P2
E2 - M2,

we rewrite the RHS of (5.4.31) as

(5.4.32) g1.i'p,(F ®p" pr'Q) = gl.i'(p.-F 0 pr'G),
 5.5 Cellular Fibration Lemma 269

where the equality follows from the projection formula in K-theory. Now
we simply note that pr o i = q2. Therefore
(5.4.33) gi.?*(p..F (9 pr'C) = ql.(a"p..F (9 q29) = LHS (5.4.30).
Thus combining (5.4.31)-(5.4.33) we are done.
Now let M,=M2=MandEl=E2=Esothat Z C [Link]
assumption 5.4.24 guarantees that the composition Z o Z is well defined,
and we have the following result, whose proof is left to the reader.
Corollary 5.4.34. Assume in addition to 5.4.24 that Z o Z C Z so that
KG(Z) acquires an algebra structure by means of convolution. Then the
diagram of Lemma 5.4.27 becomes a commutative diagram of R(G)-linear
algebra homomorphisms:
ae
KG(Z) End R(G)(KG(E), KG(E))
I %-op. Thom
vn+_
KG(M X M) EndR(G)(KG(M),KG(M))

All the above constructions hold in the setup of Borel-Moore homology.

Here is an analogue of Lemma 5.4.27
Lemma 5.4.35. The following diagram commutes

H.(Z) -°c----- 3--Hom(H.(E2), H. (E,))

Ifi,oi' Thomll

H. (MI X M2) °-"' - Hom (H.(M2), H.(MI)).

Proof. Proof is identical to that of Lemma 5.4.27 with Proposition

2.6.43(i) playing the role of Theorem 5.4.17.

5.5 Cellular Fibration Lemma

Let 7r : F -+ X be a morphism of G-varieties. We call F a cellular fibration
over X if F is equipped with a finite decreasing filtration F = F" D
Fn'' D D F' D F° = O such that for any i = 1, 2, ... , n, the following
holds:
(a) F' is a G-stable closed algebraic subvariety; furthermore, the re-
striction a : F' -+ X is a G-equivariant locally trivial fibration.
(b) The map 7ri : F'\ F'+' - X, the restriction of 7r : F --+ X, is a G-
equivariant affine fibration, i.e., a locally trivial fibration with affine
linear fibers and affine transition functions.
270 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Thus we have the diagram

F =F"D F"-' D...D_F°

We introduce the notation E' = Fi \ F'+', and consider the following maps
24
X - - E' F, where E' denotes the closure of E' and e, the natural
embedding. The following result will be referred to as the cellular fibration
lemma

Lemma 5.5.1. In the above setup the following holds.

(a) For each i = 1, . . . , n there is a canonical short exact sequence

(5.5.2) 0 KG(F'-') -, KG(F') -, KG(F' \ F'-') -- 0.

(b) If KG(X) is a free R(G)-module with a basis .F1i ... then all the
exact sequences of the form (5.5.2) are (non-canonically) split. Moreover,
KG(F) is a free R(G)-module with basis {(c ),ir; (.F,) , i = 1,...,n;
= 1,...,m}.
(c) Let H C G be a closed algebraic subgroup and suppose that the
assumption of (b) holds for both G and H. If the natural map

(5.5.3) R(H) ®,(,) KG(X) - KH(X)

is an isomorphism, then so is the map
R(H) ®R(G) KG(F) -; KH(F).

The map (5.5.3) is induced by the tensor product of the natural morphisms
t and r arising from the following commutative diagram:

R(G)
z R(H)

KH(X)

KG(X)

Proof of the Cellular Fibration Lemma. We have the following inclusions

Fk-' Fk 4 Ek
 5.5 Cellular Fibration Lemma 271

where i is a closed embedding and j is a (Zariski) open embedding. The

long exact sequence in equivariant K-theory yields

K?(Fk) -'- K?(Ek) a' Ko (Fk-')

-4 Ko (Fk) -- Ko (Ek) -+ 0.

We claim that 8 is trivial. To see this we complete the above long exact
sequence by pullback morphisms induced by ir:

j.
KG(Fk) Ki (Ek) Ko (F k-1) Ko (Fk) - K0 1(E') . 0

KG(X)

The pullback maps in the triangle are well-defined because the projections
it : F` -> X were assumed to be locally trivial, in particular flat. The
triangle in the above diagram commutes and therefore j' is surjective. Thus
exactness implies that 8 = 0. Therefore we have a short exact sequence

(5.5.4) 0 -> Ka (Fk-1)

o Ko (Fk) - Ko (Fk \ Fk-1) -' 0,
and part (a) of the lemma follows.
We now prove parts (b) and (c) by induction on n. For n = 1 we
use that F' = E1 and that by the definition of a cellular fibration 7r1 :
E' -+ X is an affine bundle. Thus, we have by the Thom isomorphism
7ri : K°(X) Z K°(E'), and both claims are immediate.
To prove the induction step, assume we already know K°(F'-') is free.
Also, K°(X) is a free R(G)-module by assumption. Hence, K°(E') is free
by the Thom isomorphism 7r; : KO (X) Z K° (E') . Therefore both ends
of the short exact sequence of part (a), cf. (5.5.4), are free R(G)-modules.
It follows that the short exact sequence splits and K°(F') is a free R(G)-
module. Other claims of part (b) now follow easily.
Finally we prove (c). Let H C G be a closed algebraic subgroup such
that hypothesis (a) of the theorem holds for both H and G. Tensoring
the exact sequence (5.5.4) of free R(G)-modules with R(H), we obtain the
following short exact sequence of R(G)-modules

R(H) ®, K°(F''') -, R(H) ®R«) K°(F') -» R(H) ®R«) K°(E').

We also have a short exact sequence of free R(H)-modules:

0 --g KH(F''') - KH(F') --3 KH(F' \ F'-') -} 0,

272 5. Equivariant K-Theory

which, together with the previous one, gives rise to the following commuta-
tive diagram whose rows are exact:
R(H) ®R(c) Ko(Fi-')" R(H) ®R(G) KG(P) -. R(H) ®R(G) KG(Et)

KH(F'-')( i KH(Fi) KH(E')

Our assumptions and the Thom isomorphism imply that the rightmost ver-
tical arrow is an isomorphism. We are now done by applying the induction
hypothesis and the five-lemma.
5.5.5. COMPARISON WITH TOPOLOGICAL K-THEORY. Given a continuous
action of a compact group Gcomp on a reasonable (i.e., having the proper-
ties mentioned at the beginning of section 2.6) locally compact topological
space X, one can define Gcomp-equivariant topological K-homology group
K°!°"°(X) as indicated e.g., in [KL4] or [Th4]. If X is a smooth com-
pact manifold then K P ' (X) is just the Grothendieck group of Gcomp-
equivariant (topological) vector bundles on X, see [S], but the general case
is technically much more complicated.
Now let G be a complex reductive group and Gcomp C G a maximal
compact subgroup. Any complex algebraic G-variety X may be viewed as
a topological G,,,,,,, -space. In particular, one has the algebraic K-group
KG(X) and the topological K-group K°°°'"y(X). There is a natural ho-
momorphism KG(X) - K ot,°'"v (X). It is defined in three steps. First, if
X is smooth and compact both groups are generated by equivariant vec-
tor bundles (algebraic and topological, respectively). Any algebraic vector
bundle may be regarded as a topological vector bundle, and this way one
gets the desired map. Next, if X is a possibly singular projective variety we
may find a G-equivariant closed embedding of X into a smooth projective
G-variety M. Then any coherent sheaf on X has a finite equivariant resolu-
tion by algebraic vector bundles on M. The map KG(X) - K,"' 7`(X) is
defined in this case by regarding each term of such a resolution as a Gcomp
equivariant topological vector bundle on M. Finally, if X is not compact,
the construction is more complicated, see [BFM].
In general, topological and algebraic K-theories are quite different, e.g.,
for X = C. We have however the following result
Proposition 5.5.6. Let F -+ X be a G-equivariant cellular fibration. If
the canonical map KG(X) - Ka. (X) is an isomorphism then so is the
canonical map KG(F) K ov '"" (F).
Sketch of Proof. We first note that there is a natural bijection between
rational finite dimensional representations of G and continuous finite di-
 5.6 The Kiinneth Formula 273

mensional representations of Gcomp This shows that the proposition holds

for X = pt, since in this case we have KG(pt) = R(G) L- R(Gcomp) _
Kc:imp

top (pt)
Further, the topological K-homology theory shares various natural prop-
erties of its algebraic counterpart, cf. [Th4]. In particular, there is an ana-
logue of the Thom isomorphism, hence an analogue of the cellular fibration
lemma. This implies, that given an algebraic cellular fibration, we have the
following diagram
0 KG(Fi-1) > KG(Fi) KG(Fi \ Fi-1) ` 0

I
0 -' K Cco,np
top
(Ft-1)
Cco,n
Kte
Ccom
(Ft) - Ktop (Ft \ Fi-1) 0

The diagram commutes due to the naturality of the map KG(X)

K aN '"" M. Further, since Fi \ Fi-1 is an affine bundle over X, the groups
KG(F' \ F`-1) and K .11 (Fi \ Fi-1) are isomorphic to the corresponding
groups for X due to the Thom isomorphism. The groups for X being iso-
morphic by assumption imply that the vertical map on the right is an iso-
morphism. The result now follows by induction on i using the five-lemma.

5.6 The Kiinneth Formula

Given a G-variety X write 0 E KG(X x X) for the class of the structure
sheaf of the diagonal X " X x X. Note further that if X is smooth and
compact then, for an arbitrary G-variety Y, we have a convolution map
KG(Y x X) ® KG(X) -i KG(Y).
Theorem 5.6.1. Let G be a linear algebraic group, X a smooth projective
G-variety. Then the following conditions (a)-(d) are equivalent:
(a) The natural map
it : KG(X) ®KG(Y) -+ KG(X x Y) , t-- F
R(G)

is an isomorphism for an arbitrary G-variety Y;

(b) The class 0 E KG(X) belongs to the image of Tr for Y = X;
(c) KG(X) is a finitely generated projective R(G) -module, and for any
G-variety Y, the homomorphism below induced by convolution is an
isomorphism
KG(Y X X) --* HomR(G)(KG(X),KG(Y)).
(d) KG(X) is a finitely generated projective R(G)-module, KG(X x X)
is a finitely generated projective R(G)-module such that
274 5. Equivariant K-Theory

rk KG(X x X) = (rk KG (X) )2, and, moreover, the bilinear pairing

(, ): KG(X) x KG(X) --+ R(G), see (5.2.27), is non-degenerate in
the sense explained below.
Proof. Recall first that, given an arbitrary commutative ring R and an
R-module M, one can define the dual R-module M" := Horn R(M, R). Take
R = R(G) and M = KG(X). It is clear that the assignment m '-
gives an R(G)-module map KG (X) - KG (X)". The "non-degeneracy" of
the pairing ( , ) means, by definition, that this map is an isomorphism.
To prove the theorem we introduce 4 intermediate steps:
(1) For any R(G)-module M the map
KG(X) ®R(G) M -p HomR(G)(KG(X), M) , a® m -+ a) m
is surjective, and the map it in part (a) is surjective.
(2) (i) KG(X) is a finitely generated projective R(G)-module, and:
(ii) step (1) holds for all M = KG(Y) and: (iii) it is surjective.
(3) (i) KG(X) is projective, (ii) KG(X) - KG(X)" is surjective, and
also (iii) KG(Y) ® KG(X) - HomR(G)(KG(X), KG(Y)) is surjec-
R(G)
tive, and (iv) it is surjective.
(4) (i) KG(X) is projective, (ii) KG(X) = KG(X)', (iii) the map
KG(Y x X) - HomR(G)(KG(X ), KG(Y))
is surjective, and (iv) it is surjective.
We will prove the implications
(a) = (b) = (1) (2) (3) = (4) => (c) #, (a), (a) a (d).

We now proceed with the proof.

(a) (b) is clear (take Y = X).
(b) (1): Since A is the unit of the convolution algebra KG(X X X),
convolution with the diagonal gives, for any G-variety Y, the identity map:

(Since Y is not assumed to be smooth we are not quite in the setup we used
for the definition of convolution. Note however, that to define convolution,
it suffices to assume that only the first two of the three ambient varieties
involved are smooth. Indeed, the smoothness assumption is used in defining
the tensor product by means of finite locally free resolutions. Thus, if we
want to define b * a, it suffices to be able to choose a finite locally free
resolution for b (but not necessarily for a), which we can always do provided
b lives on a smooth variety. Thus we are in good shape, since X is smooth.
We will be using this argument once more later.)
 5.6 The Kenneth Formula 275

Assuming (b) write A = E bi ® b', where bi, b' E KG(X). Let p,r and
p,, denote the projections of X x Y to the corresponding factors, and
a E KG(X x Y). Using a calculation similar to the one in the proof of
Lemma 5.2.28, one finds
(bi®b') * a = bt®a).
Thus we obtain
(pr)*(P,,bi®a) E K G(X) (9 KG (y)
i i

This proves that it is surjective. Further, set in the above formula Y = pt.
Then, V f E HomR(G) (KG(X ), M) and Va E KG(X), we get, see (5.2.28):

f (a) = f (A * a) = f (E(6', a) bi) = a) f (bi).

(1) #- (2): To prove (i) we will show that the functor HorR(G)(KG(X), )
is exact. It is always left exact. Hence we have only to prove that if
M -» N is a surjection of R(G)-modules then HomR(G) (KG (X ), M) _
HomR(a)(KG(X), N) is also surjective. The map in (1) gives the commuta-
tive diagram
KG(X) M ---, KG(X) ®R(C) N

HomR(G)(KG(X), M) - - > HomR(G)(KG(X ), N)

Since ® is right exact, the top horizontal map is surjective. By (1) the
vertical arrows are surjective. Hence the dashed arrow is surjective so
KG(X) is projective. Parts (ii) and (iii) are clear.
(2) (3) is clear. Take Y = pt and Y = X to get (ii).
(3) . (4): (i) clear; (ii) Assume that a E Then (a, b') = 0 Vi
a = A * a = F,bi(b',a) = 0 . a = 0 . KG(X) ^ (iii) follows
KG(X)I.

from 3(iii), since KG(X) ®R(G) KG(Y) - Hom R(G)(KG(X), KG(Y)) factors
through KG(Y x X) by Lemma 5.2.28.
(4) (c): For any finitely generated projective R(G)-module M, the
module M" is also projective and we have the natural equivalence of
functors
HomR(G)(M", -) ~ M ®R(G) (-)
(this is clear for free R(G)-modules, hence holds for projective modules
as direct summands of free ones). Hence since KG(X) is always finitely
generated, and is projective by 4(ii) we have
(5.6.2) HomR(G)(KG(X)V, M) = KG(X) ®R«) M
276 5. Equivariant K-Theory

so that the map p : K(Y x X) -+ HomR(o)(KG(X),KG(Y)) given by

convolution may be viewed as the second homomorphism in the diagram

(5.6.3) KG(Y) ®R(C) KG(X) -+ KG(Y X X) P+ KG(Y) ®R(c) KG(X).

An easy computation based on Lemma 5.2.28 shows that the composition

above is the identity, i.e., p(7r(u)) = it for all it E KG(Y) ®R(o) KG(X).
Assume f E KG(Y x X) is such that p(f) = 0 in KG(Y) ®R« KG(X ).
Since it is surjective (by 4(iv)), f = 7r(u) for some it, hence p(f) = 0 = u =
P(x(u)) = P(f) = 0 = f = 0.
(c)=(a): Since KG(X) is finitely generated and projective, we have by
(5.6.2), HomR(G) (KG(X)v, K°(Y)) ^ K' (X) ®R(G) KG (Y) . Furthermore,
we have seen above that the composition in (5.6.3) is the identity. Hence if
p is an isomorphism then so is 7r, since p o it = id.

We have KG(X) ®R(c) KG(X) ^ KG(X X X) which proves that

KG(X x X) is projective of rank = (rkKG(X))2. One proves that (, ) is
non-degenerate exactly as in (3)=(4) using that (a) (4)(ii).
Since ( , ) is non-degenerate and K°(X) is a finitely gener-
ated projective R(G)-module we construct the map p : K°(X x X) --+
KG(X) ®R(a) K°(X) as in the proof (c). We have p(ir(a (9 b)) = a ® b,
a, b E KG(X), and thus p is surjective. But any surjective map between
projective modules of the same rank is an isomorphism. Thus p is an iso-
morphism and is inverse to it.

5.7 Projective Bundle Theorem and Beilinson Resolution

Let V be a complex vector space of dimension n + 1, and P = P(V)
the corresponding projective space. Let e : 1Po" P x P be the diagonal
embedding.
The sheaf a*Op, has a canonical resolution by locally free sheaves on
P x IF, called the Beilinson resolution, [Be]. This resolution is a projective
space analogue of the Koszul complex resolution of the sheaf E*Ov, where
E : Vo --+ V x V is the diagonal embedding.
5.7.1. CONSTRUCTION OF THE RESOLUTION: For any non-zero vector v E
V, let v = C v denote the one-dimensional subspace of V viewed as a point
of P(V). Let OP(-1) be the tautological line bundle (= invertible sheaf) on
IF whose fiber over any point v E P is the corresponding line C C. v. Let O,(1)
denote the dual line bundle, and V* the dual of V. An element v E V*
gives, for each v E V, a linear function on C v, hence a global section of
O,(1). This way one obtains a canonical isomorphism
(5.7.2) V* =+ H°(iP, 0,(1)).
 5.7 Projective Bundle Theorem and Beilinson Resolution 277

Let id E V' ®V = Hom (V, V) denote the identity operator. The element
id may be viewed, due to the isomorphism 5.7.2, as a global section of the
sheaf V ® 0,(1). The assignment f H f id gives rise to a short exact
sequence
O --+Op -+V ®O,(1) --+T --4O.
The quotient sheaf T is canonically isomorphic to the tangent sheaf on P
(its geometric fiber over v E P is V/C v - TOP, see e.g. [Hal for details
about the exact sequence above). Tensoring the above exact sequence by
0,(-l) gives the Euler sequence
V®0,--+Q-,O
where Q = T ® 0,(-1). The corresponding long exact sequence of coho-
mology yields a canonical isomorphism

(5.7.3) H°(IP, Q) = H°(1P, V ® 0,) = V

which is dual, in a sense, to isomorphism (5.7.2).
Consider now the projections
Poi
P PxP Pr' P
and abbreviate A S B = pr*A 0 pr2B for bundles (sheaves) A, B over P.
From (5.7.2), (5.7.3) and the Kiinneth formula we obtain
H°(PxP, O,(1)SQ) c H°(]P, 0,(1))®H°(1P, Q) = V`®V = Homc(V, V).
Let s be the global section of 0,(1) S Q corresponding to the identity
id E Horn (V, V) by means of the above isomorphism. To describe this
section explicitly write
0,(1) S Q = lom(priO,(-1) , pr2Q).
The section s on the LHS corresponds to a sheaf morphism on the RHS:
A : pri0,(-1) --+ przQ
defined as follows. Given v, w E 1P, for the geometric fibers atv and w
respectively we have

0,(-1)10 = QIw =
Hence, giving the morphism s amounts to giving, for each v, w E 1P, a linear
map We have
s(v,w) :
Clearly, the section s(v, w) vanishes if and only if v and w are linearly
dependent, i.e., if and only if v = w. Thus the zero locus of s is the diagonal
278 5. Equivariant K-Theory

0 C P x P. Furthermore, contraction with s E O,(1) ® Q defines, for each

k > 1, a sheaf morphism
i, : Ak(Op(-1) ® Q*) -+ Ak-1(O,(-1) ® Q').
Thus we obtain the following locally free resolution of the sheaf 00 =
OrxP/ZQ, where n = dim P and 14 is the sheaf of ideals defined by 0:
A"(0,(-1)®Q') --f A"-1(0,(-1)®Q') -+ ... _.., 0.(-1)®Q' -4 0,x, -" Oo
Observe next that
Q*
T* ® 01(1) = up(1)
where Sly is the cotangent sheaf on P and, for any sheaf F, we use the
standard notation F(k) = F ® 0,(k). It follows that Ak Q' = SlP (k) is
the k-twist of the sheaf Sl' of algebraic differential k-forms on P, and the
resolution above reads:
(5.7.4) 0 - 0,(-n) 0 Q (n) -- O,(-n + 1) M fl -1(n - 1) --
gyp,(-1)0011(1)- 01.1p-'0o-'0
This completes the construction of the resolution.
The next corollary, which in the non-equivariant case was first proved in
[Qi], follows directly from Theorem 5.6.1.
Corollary 5.7.5. The Kiinneth theorem holds for X =1P".
Proof of the Projective Bundle Theorem 5.2.31: Let 7r : P -+ X be
a G-equivariant projective bundle, the projectivization of an equivariant
vector bundle V on a G-variety X. Let 1P4 be the diagonal of P x IP and
P xX IP = {(yi, y2) E P X IP I 7r(yi) = 7r(y2)1. There is a natural commutative
diagram

IP x X IP pr' IP

(5.7.6) pr, 7r

,
_

P X
The four maps along the border of (5.7.6) form a cartesian square and the
isomorphisms pi are induced by the two natural projections pri : IP x X P -+
P.
There is the following relative version of the Euler sequence
0 - 0,/X(-1) -+ 7r'V -4 QlX -+ 0.
 5.7 Projective Bundle Theorem and Beilinson Resolution 279

Note that the construction of the Euler sequence is completely canonical,

and is defined locally for any projective bundle. A relative version for the
embedding e: ll '-+ P xx P of the Beilinson resolution (5.7.4) gives the
following canonical resolution of [Link], by locally-free sheaves on P x, P.

(5.7.7) 0 --' OP/X (-n) ®StP/X (n) - OP/X (-n } 1) ®S2P/X1(n

'- OP. x P -, C. Op, --+ 0.
x
Observe that the resolution (5.7.7) is G-equivariant due to the canonical
nature of the construction.
Let K be a G-equivariant sheaf on P x x P which has a finite locally
free G-equivariant resolution (this is not necessarily the case since X,
hence P x x 1P, is not smooth in general). Define a relative version of the
convolution action IC*: KG(?) -- KG(P), F i-+ K *.F, by the formula
IC * F = E(-1)i(Pr1).Tor1(K, praF)
The assumption on IC ensures that the Tor-sheaves vanish for all i >> 0 so
that the sum on the RHS is actually finite.
We now take K = e*OP,. This sheaf has the finite locally-free resolution
(5.7.7) so that the assumption on IC holds. For any F E KG(P) one has
(-1)` Tor;([Link] , Pr;F) = [Link], ® Prig' = e.(OP, (9 e* PriF)
= e.e* Praf = f.P;'F'
It follows that
(5.7.8) ([Link],) * .F = (Pr,).e.p*af = (p1).p?.F =.F.
On the other hand, using the resolution (5.7.7) we find

([Link],) * .F = (oP x X P - OP/X (-1) 0 OPI/X (1) +...) *.F.

We note that
(OP/x (-i) ®ftP/X (i)) *.F = pri. (pr*O,/X (-i) 0 Pr2*(H;/X (i)) ®F)2)
= OP/X (-2) ®7r*7r. (fly/X (2) ®.F) .
So we have

(5.7.9) ([Link]) *.F = E(-1)'OP/X (-i) ® 7r*7r.(fZP/X (i) ®.F).

Combining (5.7.8) with (5.7.9) we obtain

F = E(-1)'OP/X (-i) ® 7r*7r* (fZP/X (i) ®.F).

To complete the proof we tensor both sides of the equation by OP/X (n).
280 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Setting ,6 =.F(n) we find

®7r*7r (Il'/x (i) (9 F)

rix
This completes the proof (of the surjectivity part) of the projective
bundle theorem for the groups KO G. Observe further that equation (5.7.8)
yields that the sheaf F is in fact quasi-isomorphic to the complex of locally
free sheaves whose alternating sum enters the RHS of (5.7.9). It follows that
any sheaf on P is quasi-isomorphic to a complex of sheaves with all terms
being a direct sum of copies of Op/x(i). The projective bundle theorem for
higher K-groups KG, i > 1, can now be deduced formally from the Quillen
"Resolution Theorem" [Q1].

5.8 The Chern Character

Let X be a closed subvariety of a smooth quasi-projective variety M. We
shall define a homology Chern character map for the non-equivariant K-
theory

(5.8.1) ch.: K(X) -4 H.(X,C),

which depends on the ambient variety M, where H. (X, C) is the Borel-
Moore homology of X with complex coefficients. The construction proceeds
in several steps and is a refinement of the classical Chern-Weil construction
that we recall first. For alternative though equivalent definitions of the
Chern character, see [BFM], [Q2] and [Fu].
STEP 1. Let E be a C°°-vector bundle on M. In this step we will ignore
the complex structure on M and let 11i(M) denote the vector space of C°°-
forms of degree i on M. Similarly write Sli(E) for the vector space of E-
valued C°°-forms, i.e., COO-sections of E ® W. Recall [BtTu] that one can
construct, using partition of unity, a smooth connection on E (which is not
unique), i.e., a first order differential operator V : E -4 W (E), such that,
(5.8.2) V(f s) = df s + f Os, f E C°°(M) , s E C°O(E).

The connection can be extended in a canonical way to a first order differen-

tial operator V : f '(E) -, Sl`+1(E), i > 0. Furthermore, it can be derived
from (5.8.2) that the operator
V2= VoV:C°O(E)-'f12(E)
is COO(M)-linear, hence is given by s i-+ w(s), where w E fl2(End E) is an
End E-valued 2-form on M. The form w is called the curvature-form of the
connection V.
 5.8 The Chern Character 281

The cohomology Chern character of E is defined as the de Rham coho-

mology class represented by the (non-homogeneous) differential form

ch`(E, V) := Tr(e*") = Tr(1 + w + 1 (? )Z w n w + ... ).

2"r 2! 27r

Define the homology Chern character by Poincare duality

ch(E) = ch*(E) n [M] E H,(M).
STEP 2. Let U be a dense open subset of M. We need to recall a
de Rham type construction of the relative cohomology H*(M, U) with
complex coefficients. Observe that the restriction to U gives a morphism
of de Rham complexes
Sl'(M) --- V(U).
The morphism is injective, since U is dense in M. Thus Q'(M) may be
viewed as a sub-complex of W (U) by means of the above injection and we
set, by definition (note the degree shift)
(5.8.3) 1 (M, U) := S2''1(U)/Sl'-1(M).
The short exact sequence of complexes
0 -- Sl'(M) -+ Q* (U) - V(U)/SZ'(M) -+ 0
gives rise to the long exact sequence of cohomology:
(5.8.4)
... -a H`(Q'(M, U)) --+ H'(n*(M)) - H'(Sl'(U)) -- H'+1(SZ'(M, U)) -- .. .
Here, by the de Rham theorem, H'(Sl'(M)) = H'(M) and H'(Sl'(U)) _
H'(U). The mapping-cone construction in derived categories, cf. [KS],
yields

Proposition 5.8.5. There is a natural isomorphism

H'(Sl'(M, U)) ^_- H'(M, U)
so that the long exact sequence (5.8.4) becomes the standard cohomology
exact sequence of the pair (M, U).
Next, define a multiplication
U : H'(Sl'(M, U) x Hi(Sl'(M, U))) - H'+i(S2'(M, U))
as follows. Let a E (1''1(U) be a representative of some cohomology class
[a] E H'(S1'(M, U)) and /0 E 17i '(U) be a representative of some coho-
mology class [Q] E HI(S1'(M, U)). Thus, a and /0 are cocycles, i.e., we have
282 5. Equivariant K-Theory

da E Sl`(M), d/3 E SZ'(M) so that d(a A d/3) = da A d/3 E fl'+'(M). Define

[a] U [/3] := class of (a A d,d) E H'+'(SZ'(M, U)).
The RHS is independent of the choice of representatives. Indeed, [a] = [a']
and [/3] = [/3'] means that a' = a + a and /3' = /3 + b, where a and b are
C"-forms on the whole of M. Therefore we get

[a']U[/3'] _ [(a A do) + a A do + a A db + a A db] _

[a] U [/3] + class of a smooth form on M = [a] U [/3]
The multiplication so defined is graded commutative, since we have
[a] U [/3] + (-1)'' [/3] U [a] = [a A d/3 + (-i)4'/3 A da] = [d(a A /3)] = 0

Moreover this multiplication becomes the standard U-product on cohomol-

ogy under the isomorphism of Proposition 5.8.5.
STEP 3. (Chern-Simons difference class). Let U be an open dense subset
of M, as in step 2. Let E and E' be two C°°-vector bundles on M and let
u : El =+ E' 10 be a vector bundle isomorphism of the restrictions to U. We
shall associate to such data a cohomology class ch(E, E', u) in H*(M, U)
such that 8 ch(E, E', u) = ch(E) - ch(E') E H' (M) where a: H*(M, U) -+
H'(M) is the connecting homomorphism in the cohomology long exact
sequence of the pair (M, U).
To construct ch(E, E', u) we produce an explicit representative of that
class in the complex SZ' (M, U). To that end, choose a connection V on E,
and a connection V' on E'. On U, the connections can be compared by
means of the isomorphism u so that we have
(5.8.6) u*(O') = V - 9,
where 9 is an (End E)-valued 1-form on U. Let w and w' be the curvature
forms of the connections V and V' respectively. From (5.8.6) one obtains
(5.8.7) u*(w')=w-V(9)+9A9.
The expression V - 9 on the RHS of (5.8.6) defines another connection on
the vector bundle El,,. It is well known, however, that any two connections
on a vector bundle give rise to cohomologically equivalent Chern character
forms, i.e.,

(5.8.8) ch(EI,,, V - 9) - ch(EI,,, V) = d/3, /3 E SZ'(U)

Furthermore, there is an explicit formula for /3 known as the Chern-Simons

form. To write it down, consider the cartesian product U = U x [0, 1] where
[0, 1] is the segment 0 < t < 1. Let 7r : U -+ U be the natural projection and
E = rr' E the pullback of the vector bundle El,,. On 2 define a connection
 5.8 The Chern Character 283

V by

Then the Chern-Simons form is given by,3 = n. Tr(e vs ), where ir. stands
for the integral of the Chern character form ch(E, v) = Tr(e "v2) along the
fibers of it.
The integral can be expressed in terms of a C-valued analytic function
of two matrix variables A, B E given by the convergent power series:

D(A, B) _ 1 (? )k Tr(A , Bk-1)

k=1
(k - 1)! 27r

We summarize the above discussion in the following lemma whose proof can
be found, e.g. in [BtTuJ.

Lemma 5.8.9. The equation (5.8.8) holds for

f Tr(9ei i-` )dt

0

=f 14D dt.
0

Observe next that we have

ch(EI,,, V - 9) = ch(EI0, u'(O')) = u'(Eu,, V') = ch(E', V')I.
Therefore, equation (5.8.8) reads
d,0 = [ch(E', v') - ch(E, V)J1,,,
where the RHS is now the restriction to U of the differential form
ch(E', v') - ch(E, V) well defined on the whole of M. Thus, the form
0 given by the lemma defines a cocycle in the complex 11 (M, U) =
1''1(U)/fi-1(M). We let ch'(E', E, u) be the cohomology class of that
cocycle. One can show that it does not depend on the choice of connections
V and v'.
STEP 4. Now let X be a closed algebraic subvariety of a smooth quasi-
projective variety M and F a coherent sheaf of X -' M OX-modules. Let i :

denote the embedding. By 5.1.28 there exists a finite locally free resolution
(on M):
0 d,Fp dii.r --+ 0.

Set U := M \ X and let Ki Ker (Fi l -d+ Fi_ 1 1 u ), i = 1, 2, ... , n, and put
also Ko := FoI,,. The sheaf i..F being clearly supported on X, the complex
284 5. Equivariant K-Theory

.. -+ Fl --+ F0 -- 0 is exact off X. Therefore, on U, the complex gives rise

to a collection of short exact sequences of sheaves on U:

(5.8.10) i=0,1,....
Recall that the sheaves Ko = Fo, F1, F2,- .. are locally free. Hence, one
shows, inductively that all the exact sequences of (5.8.10) split in the
category of C°°-vector bundles on U. Thus, there are isomorphisms of C°°-
vector bundles

(5.8.11) Fi+11u'--Ki®Ki+1.
Set Fev = ®i>0 F2i and Fodd = ®i>o F2i+1 Assembling all the isomorphisms
of (5.8.11) together one obtains two isomorphisms

Fevl U ti ® Ki, Foddl

U
,., ® Ki.
i>0 i>0

Composing the first isomorphism with the inverse of the second yields an
isomorphism
u : Fevlu.2Foddlu
We now apply the Chern-Simons construction of step 3 to the triple
(Fev,F°dd,u). This gives a cohomology class ch*(F' ,F°dd,u) E H'(M,
M \ X) . Finally, we let ch. (.F) E H, (X) be the Borel-Moore homology
class arising from ch* (Fey, Fodd, u) by means of the Poincare duality iso-
morphism H. (X) = H' (M, M \ X). The class ch. (.F) does not depend on
the choices involved in its construction.
Remark 5.8.12. If X itself is smooth, then one can find a finite, locally
free resolution on X (not on M):

and we get
ch. (.F) = (ch*.F) n[X] E H. (X ),
where ch*.F (-1)ich*(Ei). One can show that the class so defined is
equal to the one arising from ch*(Fe0, F°dd, u) by means of the embedding
X--+M.
The following proposition is standard, except possibly for part (i), whose
proof will be sketched in 5.9.14. In all the results below the Chern charac-
ters and Todd classes in cohomology, e.g., TdM E H*(M), are always taken
relative to the relevant smooth ambient spaces.
Proposition 5.8.13. The Chern character map has the following proper-
ties, see [BFM], [Fu].
 5.8 The Chern Character 285

(i) Normalization: For any complex algebraic variety X, we have

ch.(OX) = [X] + r E H.(X), where r is a sum of homology classes of
degrees < 2dim cX.
(ii) Additivity: For any short exact sequence of sheaves on X
0 -.F' -.F -.17" -. 0
we have ch.(.F) = ch.(.F') + ch.(.F"). Hence, the assignment F - ch.Y
gives rise to a homomorphism of abelian groups, ch.: K(X) --+ H.(X).
(iii) Restriction to an open subset: Let U be a Zariski open subset of a
smooth variety M, X C M a closed subvariety, and i: X n u y X the
induced embedding. Then the following diagram commutes

K(X) K(X n u)

ch. I ch. I
H. (X)

Theorem 5.8.14. (Riemann-Roch for singular varieties [BFM1] ). Given

a commutative diagram
t 1,

M -- N
where the morphism f is proper, and M and N are smooth, one has
TdN f. (ch..F) = f. (TdM ch..F), F E K(X).
Proposition 5.8.15. [BFM1] (i) The homological Chern character map
commutes with specialization in K-theory, and homology respectively.
(ii) Let Z, Z' C M be closed subvarieties of a smooth variety M. Then
the following diagram commutes

K(Z) 0 K(Z') ®-> K(Z n Z')

ch. I I ch.

H.(Z) ®H.(Z') H. (z n r),

where the horizontal maps are given by tensor product with supports in K-
theory and the intersection pairing in homology respectively.
Note that we have not claimed that the homological Chern charac-
ter map commutes with convolution. In fact the Riemann-Roch Theorem
286 5. Equivariant K-Theory

5.8.14 shows that in order to get a result of that kind, one has to intro-
duce some "correction factors" involving Todd classes. We will return to
this matter at the end of the chapter.

5.9 The Dimension Filtration and "Devissage"

In this section we discuss some special features of the non-equivariant K-
theory. The results below are quite classical and go back to [BS].
Let X be an m-dimensional variety. On K(X) we define an increasing
filtration 0 = r_1 C I'o c r1 C ... C IF.. = K(X) by letting I', be the
subgroup of K(X) spanned by all sheaves .F such that dim supp .F < j. By
abuse of notation we also denote by I'; the induced filtration on C®ZK(X).
Clearly, for any vector bundle E on X we have
(5.9.1) .FEr; = E®.FEF;.
If X is smooth we know that the tensor product 5.2.11 (i) makes K(X) a
commutative ring. Furthermore, the group K(X) is spanned in that case
by vector bundles (Proposition 5.1.28). Hence, (5.9.1) shows that each I', is
an ideal in K(X).
Let F be a coherent sheaf on an arbitrary algebraic variety X, and
S1,. .. , Sr the irreducible components of the subvariety supp.F C X.
Lemma 5.9.2. For each irreducible component Si of supp.F, there exists
a Zariski open subset U; C Si and a uniquely determined positive integer,
mult(.F; Si), such that the following equality holds in K(U8):
.F'U; = mult(.F; S;) - Ou,.
Proof of Lemma 5.9.2. Removing a closed subvariety Y of codimension
> d - 1, one may assume that each of the Si is affine. Let J be the defining
ideal of supp.F. Then there exists an integer N >> 0 such that JN .F = 0.
This gives a finite decreasing filtration .F D J .F D 9Z .F D ... 0 on F.
Hence, in K(S2) we have the equality
[f] =
E [Ji ,
Thus to prove the lemma we may assume that 9 .F = 0.
Let R = C(S8) be the field of rational functions on Si. The coherent
sheaf F, viewed as a sheaf on supp.F, gives rise to a finitely generated R-
module, which is necessarily free over R since R is a field. A basis for this
free module is obtained by inverting finitely many elements of O(SS), say
fl, ... , f,,. This implies that F is free over the Zariski open subvariety of Si
where all f i, ... , f,, do not vanish.
The result below, which follows readily from Lemma 5.9.2, is known
as the "devissage principle," since it allows us to make reduction from
 5.9 The Dimension Filtration and "Devissage" 287

rd to rd_1i provided one knows the result for the structure sheaves of d-
dimensional subvarieties.

Proposition 5.9.3. (Devissage) Let F be a coherent sheaf on an algebraic

variety X such that dim supp.P = d and let S1, ... , S be all the d-
dimensional irreducible components of supp.P. Then we have [.P) E I'd and
in the K-group
n
mult (.P; Si) . [Os.] ( mod rd-1)
i=1

Definition 5.9.4. The integer mult(.P; Si) is called the multiplicity of F at

Si, and the algebraic cycle
[supp F] = E mult(.P; Si) [Si] E H2d(X, Z)
{ildim Sz=d}

is called the support cycle of .P in Borel-Moore homology.

The above defined dimension filtration ri can be defined verbatim in the

equivariant setup as well. It is not of much use, however, because different
orbits have different dimensions in general (see however 6.6.12). This spoils
the devissage property.
Proposition 5.9.5. Let E be a rank d vector bundle and Ox the trivial 1-
dimensional vector bundle on a variety X. Then tensor product by
induces a nilpotent operator on K(X); more precisely we have
(E - d . 0 )dim x+l = 0
as an endomorphism of K(X).
Proof. The result is clearly implied by the following stronger claim:
tensoring with (E - d id) maps rj into rj_ 1 for any j = 0,1, ... , dim X.
To prove the claim, let F E r j be a coherent sheaf. By Lemma 5.9.2,
there exists a Zariski-open dense subset U C supp.P such that in the K-
group we have El,, = (rk E) OX. It follows that (E ®.P)I = (rk E) Y,,.
Repeating the argument of the proof of Lemma 5.9.2 we find that E ®.P -
Definition 5.9.6. Let H2i(X,C)a19 denote the subspace of Borel-Moore
homology with complex coefficients spanned by the fundamental classes
of all i-dimensional algebraic subvarieties. Also write H.(X, C)a!9 for
®H2i(X, (C)a19.
We say that H. (X, C) is spanned by algebraic cycles if H. (X, C) _
H.(X,C)ai9. Note that in such a case Hadd(X), the odd homology of X,
vanishes.
288 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Proposition 5.9.7. The Chern character map C ®z K(X) -+ H.(X) in-

duces, for each j, a surjective morphism

(5.9.8) C ® r; -» ® H2i (X, C)ai9.

i<,j

We remind the reader that the homology Chern character class ch F is

only defined once an embedding X " M into a smooth ambient variety M
is chosen. Such an embedding is assumed to be fixed from now on.
Proof of the proposition will use the following fundamental Resolution
of Singularities Theorem (Hi].

Theorem 5.9.9. (Hironaka) Any irreducible complex algebraic variety S

has a resolution of singularities, that is, there exists an irreducible smooth
algebraic variety S and a map 7r : S -+ S having the properties:
(1) ir : S -+ S is a birational isomorphism, i.e., there is a Zariski open
dense subset U C S so that i-'(U) is an open dense subset of S
and the restriction ir : i-'(U) --, U is an isomorphism.
(2) 7r : S -+ S is proper.

We begin with the proof of Proposition 5.9.7. We proceed by induction

on j. The result is clear for j = 0. We assume the result is proved for all
i < j and prove it for j. Let F E rj be a coherent sheaf and S1, . . . , Sn be
the j-dimensional irreducible components of suppF. Then by the induction
hypothesis and Proposition 5.9.3 we have

(5.9.10) ch..F - E mult (.F; Si) ch. Os, E ® H2ti(X, C)ai9.

i<j-1

Thus, to prove that ch. (r,) is contained in the RHS we have to show that,
for any j, we have ch.(Os;) C ®i<;H2i(X)atg. But this is immediate from
the normalization property 5.8.13(i), to be proved shortly:
(5.9.11) ch. (Os) = [S] + r , r E ®i<,j H2(X)°.
We have thus shown in particular that the Chern character map induces
a well defined associated graded map

(5.9.12) ch.: r.i/ri-1 -+ ® H2i(X)a1g/® H2i(X)ai9 = H2j(X)ai9.

i<! i<;
Therefore, by Lemma 2.2.25, the surjectivity claim of the proposition will
follow provided we show that the complexification of the map (5.9.12) is
surjective. This is immediate from the result below, which will be important
for us in its own right. That completes the induction step in the proof of
Proposition 5.9.7.
 5.9 The Dimension Filtration and "Devissage" 289

Lemma 5.9.13. The map (5.9.12) is given by the assignment: J F--i

[[Link]
5.9.14. Proof of Lemma 5.9.13 and normalization property 5.8.13(i). We
proceed by induction on j as in the proof of the proposition above.
Given an algebraic subvariety S C X, choose a resolution of singularities
S --, Sand let 7r denote the composition S -+ S --4X, a proper morphism.
Since S is birationally isomorphic to S, one shows that in K(X) we have

(5.9.15) [Os] - [Link] E r;_1.

Thus by the induction hypothesis (in Proposition 5.9.7) we have ch. ([Os] -
[[Link]]) E ®i<j H2{(X)a19. Since the normalization property is well known
for smooth (arbitrary CI) manifolds, we have [Link] + I, where r" E
®,<,, H2; (X) aig . Thus, we are reduced to showing that

ch. (7r. (0g)) _ 7r. [91 + r = [S] + r,

where r E ®,<, H2i(X)a19. We are going to apply Riemann-Roch Theorem

5.8.14. Recall that X is embedded in a smooth ambient variety M and
write Tds and TdM for the Todd classes of the corresponding smooth
varieties. It is known and elementary that for any smooth variety N, we
have TdN = 1 + (higher order terms). Hence, TdN is an invertible element
in H* (N, C). Furthermore, the Riemann-Roch theorem says:
TdM ch.([Link]) = 7r.(TdS - ch* OS).

But S being smooth, we have ch* OS = [S] n ch* O. = [SJ + lower order
terms. Hence, Tds ch* OS = [S] + (lower order terms) E H.(S)ai9. Here
"lower order terms" means terms whose dimensions are less than dim a S.
We now observe that both multiplication by the element (TdM)-' =
1+ and the morphism 7r, do not increase homology degree and take
algebraic classes into algebraic classes. It follows that

ch.(ir.O1) = (TdM)-' . it ([SJ + ... )

= (TdM)-' - ([S] +...) = [SJ + ... E ®;<; H2i(X)a19.
where "..." stands for "lower order terms." This combined with (5.9.15)
completes the proof of the induction step. Thus, the normalization property
follows by induction on dim S, and hence the lemma by induction on j.
Corollary 5.9.16. The assignment F H [supp F] can be extended, by
additivity, to a well defined homomorphism supp : r,,K(X) --+ H2j9(X).
This is clear from formula (5.9.12) and Lemma 5.9.13. Further, Proposi-
tion 5.8.15(i) yields
290 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Corollary 5.9.17. The above defined homomorphism "supp " commutes

with specialization.

Remark 5.9.18. So far our considerations involved Borel-Moore homol-

ogy with either complex or rational coefficients because the Chern character
map cannot be defined over the integers (it involves factorials in denomina-
tors). There is however one special case where we can work over Z. This is
the case of the top homology group.

In more detail, let X be an algebraic variety of complex dimension n,

and let X1, ... , X,,, be the n-dimensional irreducible components of X.
The fundamental classes [X1],.. , [Xm] clearly form a basis of H2,, (X, Z),
.

the integral top Borel-Moore homology group. The "devissage" Proposition

5.9.3 shows at the same time that the classes [OX; ] E K(X), i = 1,... , m
form a free basis of the quotient r,,/rn_1. Moreover, it is clear from the
proposition that the map supp induces an isomorphism of abelian groups
supp : H2n(X, Z) , [OX,] -[X,] .
This isomorphism can be used to refine various constructions in Borel-
Moore homology with complex coefficients using similar constructions in
K-theory.
Here is an example of such a refinement that we have mentioned in the
discussion preceding Lemma 3.4.14. One first verifies that the specialization
in the algebraic K-theory is compatible with the F-filtration, i.e., for any
i = 1, 2, ... , we have limt_o(ri) c ri_1. It follows that the specialization
induces a well defined map on the top quotient n=
dim X. Using the above isomorphism we can interpret this induced map as
a specialization on the top Borel-Moore homology with integral coefficients.
Corollary 5.9.17 insures that the specialization so defined becomes, after
tensoring with C, the ordinary specialization in Borel-Moore homology.
For the remainder of this section we will write H. (X) for H. (X, C).

Theorem 5.9.19. Let 7r : F ---+ X be a cellular fibration in the sense of 5.5.

Suppose that H. (X) is spanned by algebraic cycles and the Chern character
map

ch.:C®K(X) -+H.(X)
is an isomorphism. Then H.(F) is spanned by algebraic cycles and the
Chern character map
ch.: C ®K(F) -+ H. (F)
is also an isomorphism.
 5.9 The Dimension Filtration and "Devissage" 291

Lemma 5.9.20. Suppose we have i : F '-+ F' - U = F' \ F where i is a

closed embedding. Then if H.(F) and H.(U) are spanned by algebraic cycles
then so is H.(F').
Proof of lemma. Note that in this case Hodd(F) = 0 and Hadd(U) = 0
so that the long exact sequence in homology breaks up into the following
short exact sequences indexed by the even integers
0 --+ H,(F) -+ H;(F') --+ H;(U) -+ 0, j E 2Z.
Now we have the following commutative diagram whose second row is
exact, but whose first row is not necessarily exact at the middle term:
H,(F')atg -- H,(U)at9
H,i(F'')al9

0 ; H; (F) -- - H; (F') H; (U) 0

The map Hj(F')a'9 -- Hj(U)a19 is surjective, since any algebraic cycle in

U is the restriction of its closure in F. We now show that the middle map
Hj(F')a'9 - H;(F') is surjective by a standard diagram chase.
Choose a cycle a E H;(F'). Then a ' b E H;(U), and the diagram
shows there exists c E Hj(F')at9 such that c -+ b. Thus c F-+ d E H3(F')
and a - d -+ 0 E H1(U). Hence a - d comes from an element e E
H; (F), and e E H, (F)a'9 since the left vertical map is bijective. Now
e F- h E Hf(F')a'9, and we have that h F-+ a - d E HH(F'). Thus
h + c H a E H,(F'), which proves that the middle map is surjective.

Proof of Theorem 5.9.19. STEP 1. We claim that

dimc(C 0 K(F)) = dim H. (F).
The claim holds for X by the hypotheses of the theorem, and it also
holds for affine bundles over X by the Thom isomorphism in Borel-Moore
homology (note that we are not claiming compatibility with the Chern
character, we are simply checking the dimension).
We can now prove by induction on the filtration F = F" D . . . D F°
that dim c (C 0 K(F3 )) = dim H. (Fd ). Since F° is an affine linear bundle
over X and E' = F' \ F° is an affine linear bundle over X, by 5.5 we have
the following short exact sequences in K-theory and homology respectively

We obtain dimC®K(F') = dimC®K(F°)+dim, C®K(E') = dimH.(F°)+

dim H(E') = dim H.(F'). The induction proceeds similarly.
292 5. Equivariant K-Theory

STEP 2. The map ch.: C ® K(F) -* H.(F) is surjective by combining

Proposition 5.9.7 and Lemma 5.9.20. The theorem now follows because the
dimensions are the same and ch. is surjective.

5.10 The Localization Theorem

In this section we prove a special case of the Localization Theorem in equi-
variant K-theory. The more limited treatment given here is technically
simpler than the general case and suffices for all the purposes needed in
this book.
Suppose from now on that A is an abelian reductive group. The identity
component, A°, of such a group is necessarily a complex torus, and the
component group A/A° is finite. Since any extension 1 -+ (C*)tz -- A -
(Finite group) -, 1 splits, the group A is of the form A = (C.)n X
(Finite group) .
Let R(A) denote the representation ring of A. Taking traces of repre-
sentations we identify R(A) with a subring of the ring of regular functions
on A. Given a E A we form in R(A) the multiplicative set S consisting of
functions in R(A) which do not vanish at a. Write
(5.10.1) R° = S'' - R(A).
For any R(A)-module M set Ma = Ra ®R(A) M. The localization functor
M H M. is clearly exact.
Now let X be a complex variety and E - X an algebraic vector bundle
over X with a linear A-action on E along the fibers, i.e., the A-action on
E that takes each fiber of E into itself and induces linear endomorphisms
on the fibers. The A-action gives a weight space decomposition on each
fiber. Furthermore since E is locally trivial so that the A-action varies
continuously from fiber to fiber and, moreover the weights of A form a
descrete set, one gets a "global" vector bundle direct sum decomposition
(5.10.2) E=® Ea, a:A-+C'.
a

Here Ea is the subbundle whose fibers are the eigenspaces of the A-action
corresponding to the weight a, and these a's run through a finite set
SpE C Hom (A, C*), formed by weights that occur in the decomposition
of E.
Regard X as an A-variety with the trivial A-action so that by 5.2.4 we
have K'(X) = R(A) ®Z K(X). The class A(E) E KA(X), see (5.4.1), of the
Koszul complex of the vector bundle E has the following form, where Ea is
understood to be an element of K(X) without any A-action:
A(E) = (-1)' A3 (E a (9 Ea) E R(A) ®K(X ).
j aESp E
 5.10 The Localization Theorem 293

Proposition 5.10.3. Assume that in the above setup a(a) 0 1 for all
a E SpE so that X = E" (= the set of a-fixed points in E). Then, for
a(E
any j > 0, multiplication by A(E) induces an automorphism KjA(X )a
KK (X)a on the localized K-groups.

We shall give two proofs of the proposition. The first proof is shorter
and works in general; the advantage of the second proof is that it does not
appeal to higher K-theory.
First Proof of Proposition 5.10.3. STEP 1. Assume first that E is a triv-
ial vector bundle. If dim E = 1 and SpE = {a}, then A(E) = 1 - a E R(A).
By assumption a(a) 0 1, hence 1 - a E S. Thus, A(E) is invertible in
R. and the claim follows. If dim E > 1 we reduce to the one dimensional
case by means of the decomposition E = ®aVa, into 1-dimensional trivial
A-stable subbundles. Then we have A(E) = fja(1 - a) E S where each
a E SpE is taken with the multiplicity equal to the multiplicity of a in the
decomposition E _ ®V,,.

STEP 2. We proceed by induction on dim X by means of "devissage".

First note that if dim X = 0 then each irreducible component of X is a
point and the theorem follows by Step 1. It is clear that we may find a
Zariski open dense subset U C X such that the restrictions to U of the
vector bundles Ea are trivial. Hence El is a trivial vector bundle. Set
Y = X \ U and write the long exact sequence in K-theory:

KA(Y)-'K; (X)Kj (U)K i(1') ...

A(E)I A(E)I '\(E)l a(E)I

K(Y) - Kjl(X) Kj (U) Kj i(1') .. .

The restriction of E to U being trivial, the multiplication by .(E) induces

an isomorphism on K, (U), by Step 1. Also, dim Y < dim X, hence, a(E)
induces an isomorphism on K" (Y), by the induction hypothesis. The 5-
lemma completes the proof.
Second Proof of Proposition 5.10.3. Write the decomposition (5.10.2)
and let R. denote the trivial bundle of the same dimension as Ea. Set E =
E a 0 R. E R(A) ® K(X). By Proposition 5.9.5 we get that multiplication
by A(E) - \(E) is a nilpotent operator on KA(X)a = R. 0 K(X). But
multiplication by A(E) is an invertible scalar in Ra, by Step 1 of the first
proof of the proposition. Hence, )(E) = )(E) + N where N is a nilpotent
operator. Therefore multiplication by A(E) is also an isomorphism.
Corollary 5.10.4. Let E - X an algebraic vector bundle with zero section
i : X -- E. Let A be an abelian reductive group acting identically on X and
294 5. Equivariant K-Theory

linearly along the fibers of E, as above. Assume further that a E A is an

element whose fix-point set is the zero section, i.e. Ea = i(X). Then the
pushforward

i.: K (X)a -4 KK (E)a

is an isomorphism of the localized K-groups.

Proof. Since the pullback i" is the Thom isomorphism, it suffices to show
that the composition i'i. becomes an isomorphism after localizing at a.
But by Lemma 5.4.9, the map i'i. is given by multiplication by .(E").
The latter is invertible due to Proposition 5.10.3.

We now turn to the Localization Theorem saying that equivariant K-

groups, being appropriately localized, are concentrated at fixed points.
Specifically, let A be an abelian reductive group and X an algebraic A-
variety. Given an element a E A, write i : Xa -4 X for the natural inclusion
of the a-fixed point set. We say that the Localization Theorem holds for
"
X if the induced map i.: KA(Xa)a KA(X )a is an isomorphism of the
localized K-groups. It was proved by Thomason [Thl], [Th2] that the Lo-
calization Theorem holds for an arbitrary A-variety X. Here we only prove
the following partial result

Theorem 5.10.5. (Localization Theorem for Cellular Fibrations) Let A

be an abelian reductive group and a : F - X an A-equivariant cellular
fibration, see 5.5. If the Localization Theorem holds for X, then it holds for
F.

Proof. We introduce the intermediate space F = 7r-1(Xa), the part

of F over the fix-point set in X. Clearly Fa projects into Xa. Hence
Fa is contained in F, and we can factor the embedding Fa-- F as the
"t,
composition Fa F Z F. It suffices to show that both i, and i2 induce
isomorphisms on the localized equivariant K-groups.
STEP 1: We first prove (i2).: KA(F)a - KA(F)a is an isomorphism.
Observe that the cellular fibration F = Fn Fn-1 D D F° over X
restricts to a cellular fibration F = F" D F"-1 D ... D F° over Xa, where
we put F' = F' fl F. We prove by induction on j = 1, 2,... , n, that the
natural embedding FV " F' induces an isomorphism
(5.10.6) KA(F')a .Z KA(F2)a.
To that end, we will use the Cellular Fibration Lemma. Set E' := F? \ P-1
and V = E' fl F = F' \ Fi-1. By definition of a cellular fibration E' --. X
is, for any j, an A-equivariant affine bundle over X. It follows that E' :=
F' \ Fi-1 is an A-equivariant affine bundle over Xa. Hence we have the
 5.10 The Localization Theorem 295

following commutative diagram whose horizontal maps are given by the

Thom isomorphisms and vertical maps are induced by imbeddings

KA(E3)° KA(X°)°

KA(E2)° KA(X )°

Now, since the Localization Theorem holds for X, the right vertical map in
the diagram is an isomorphism. It follows that the left vertical map v is an
isomorphism as well. Now, applying the Cellular Fibration Lemma, we get
the following commutative diagram, cf.5.5.2:

0 KA(Fi-1)° - KA(F')° > KA(E')° - 0

0 - KA(Fi-i)° , KA(F?)° , KA(EJ)° -_. 0

The map ui-1 in this diagram is an isomorphism by the induction hypoth-
esis. The map v has been already shown to be an isomorphism. Hence, the
map ui is an isomorphism by the five-lemma. This completes the induction
step, and Step 1 of the proof follows.
STEP 2: Next we prove that the map (il).: KA(F°)° -+ KA(F)° is an
isomorphism. To that end, observe that the embedding it : F° --+ F is built
out of embeddings (Ei )° -+ Ei where j = 1, 2,... , n. Fixed points of the a-
action on the affine bundle Ei clearly form an affine subbundle. Resticting
the bundles to a connected component of X° we may (and will) assume in
addition that this is an affine bundle of constant rank.
Let Vi be the vector bundle with a linear A-action associated to the
affine bundle Ei. Consider an A-equivariant vector bundle embedding
(W)° °- Vi associated to the affine bundle embedding (E')° -+ V. Ob-
serve that all the eigenvalues of the a-action on the vector bundle Vil(Vi)°
are all # 1. Hence the vector bundle short exact sequence (V2)°---+Vi
-« Vi/(Vi)° is canonically split. Thus, there is an A-stable vector bundle
direct sum decomposition Vi = (V1)° ® N, where N is a vector bundle over
X° such that N° = X° (= zero-section of N).
Since E' is a principal Vi-space there is a natural action map Ei x,ra
Vi -+ V. The vector bundle decomposition Vi = (V')° ® N implies that
the restriction of this action-map yields a canonical isomorphism

(Ei)° x, N =+ Ei .

Using this isomorphism we define a map pr : Ei -+ (Ei)° as the projection

along the N-factor. The map pr makes Ei a vector bundle over (Ei)°.
296 5. Equivariant K-Theory

This vector bundle has the same fibers as N, in particular it has a linear
A-action along the fibers. Moreover, since Na = X" , the zero-section of
the bundle pr is precisely the set of its a-fixed points. Applying Corollary
5.10.4, we see that the Localization Theorem holds for the total space of
the affine bundle El. The proof of step 2 is now completed by induction on
j and the use of the five-lemma, very much the same way as in Step 1.

5.11 Functoriality
We begin with the following well-known result.

Lemma 5.11.1. For any reductive group G acting algebraically on a

smooth complex algebraic variety M the set M° of fixed points of G is
a smooth subvariety of M.

Proof. This is immediate from the Luna slice theorem [Lun] applied to
the G-orbit on M formed by a fixed point. One can also use the following
more elementary differential geometric argument.
Let Gcomp be a maximal compact subgroup of G. Since Gcomp is dense
in G in the Zariski topology, we have MG = MG- P. Thus we have to
show that the fix-point set of a compact group is a submanifold of M. To
that end choose a Gcom-invariant Hermitian metric on M. Let x E M°
be a fixed point. Then the geodesic exponential map gives a local
diffeomorphism exp : TxM =+ M. The metric being Gcomp invariant, this
diffeomorphism intertwines the Gcomp action on M with the natural linear
Goomp action on T.M. But fixed points of a linear action form a vector
subspace, hence, a submanifold. This completes the proof.

From now on let A be an abelian reductive group. Let M be a smooth

quasi-projective A-variety. An element a E A is called M-regular if MA =
Ma. This generalizes the notion of a regular semisimple element in a maxi-
mal torus, whose powers are dense in the torus.
We may interpret M-regularity in terms of the normal bundle, N =
TMAM, of MA in M. Since A acts trivially on MA, the A-action on M
induces a linear A-action along the fibers of the normal bundle N. Thus,
there is a weight space decomposition N = ®«ESpN Na . Then a is M-
regular if and only if a(a) 34 1 for each weight a E SpN,
Introduce the following element

(5.11.2) AA = E(-I)'. A'N" E KA(MA) = R(A) ® K(MA).

Corollary 5.11.3. Let i : MA ti M be the natural inclusion. Then the
composite i'i, : KA(MA) --+ KA(MA) is given by multiplication by )AA.
Moreover, if a is M-regular then the induced map of the localized groups is
 5.11 Functoriality 297

an isomorphism
AA : K, (MA)a =+ K; (MA)O.
Proof. First claim is a special case of Proposition 5.4.10. Second claim
follows from Proposition 5.10.3 applied to the normal bundle N = TMAM.

Fix an M-regular element a E A and consider the evaluation homomor-

phism ev : R(A) --+ C, f ' -+ f (a). The evaluation homomorphism gives
rise to a 1-dimensional R(A)-module Ca. It is defined as the vector space C
equipped with the action (f, z) - ev(f) - z. Observe that C. extends to an
R,,,-module in a similar way, where Ra is the localized representation ring,
see 5.10.1.
For an algebraic variety X, write KK(X) for C ®z K(X). Let as denote
the image of the class AA, see (5.11.2), under the composition

(5.11.4)KA(MA) = R(A) ® K(MA) ev®d C ® K(MA) = Kc(MA).

Explicitly, let MA M = ®a Na be the weight decomposition of the normal
bundle. For any weight a E SpN, we have the complex number a(a). Then,
using the multiplicativity property of the class see Corollary 5.4.11,
we find (Na stands below for a vector bundle with the trivial A-action)

A. = ® I E\ (-a(a))` A'Nav)
aESpN i

Observe further that the class (aa)-' E Kc(MA) is well-defined by

Corollary 5.11.3, and recall the embedding i : MA c .. M. We define a map
resa : KA(M) --+ Kc(MA) as follows:
resa :Y '-i (,\a)-1® ev(i`.F) E Kc(MA) .
Explicitly the map resa is defined by the composition
")
KA(M)-' KA(MA) = R(A) ®K(MA) Kc(MA) Kc(MA).
By construction the map resa factors through C. ®R(A) KA(M).
Lemma 5.11.5. Let a be M-regular and assume that the Localization
Theorem holds for M. Then the map resa gives an isomorphism
resa : Ca ®R(A) KA(M) - Kc(MA).
Proof. We will explicitly find the inverse of resa. From the Localization
Theorem we have the isomorphism
(5.11.6) i.: KA(MA). Z KA(M)a.
298 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Tensoring both sides of (5.11.6) with C. yields an isomorphism

i : KA(MA) _ C. ®R(A) KA(MA) -- C. ®R(A) KA(M) .

Now compose i; with i', the pullback, so that we have i'iC : KA(MA) --
Kc(MA). We know that i"i is the same as multiplication by \A, which is
an invertible morphism by Corollary 5.11.3. Now composing with the map
" ev" we see

ev o i'i. = multiplication by \a, see (5.11.4).

Therefore we obtain (i.)-i = (A0)-1® ev o i', , where it is understood that

(,\a)-' denotes the morphism given as multiplication by (Aa)-1 E KA(MA).

Now we prove an analogue the Lefschetz fixed point formula. We con-

tinue to let A be an abelian reductive group, and fix a E A.

Theorem 5.11.7. Let f : X -+ Y be an A-equivariant proper morphism

of smooth A-varieties. Assume that a is both X-regular and Y-regular and
that the localization theorem holds for X and Y. Then the following diagram
commutes:

KA(X) f . ' KA(Y)

I-- I ream

Kc(XA) f Kc(YA)

Proof. The diagram factors as follows:

A
KA(X) KA(Y)
ca®I ca®I

ream I

Kc(XA)
f
Ca ® KA(X) -> C. ® KA(Y)
ream I

Kc(YA).

The top square of the diagram commutes for trivial reasons. Hence it
suffices to prove that the bottom square commutes. To that end, observe
that the assumptions of the theorem imply, by Lemma 5.11.5, that the map
resa is the inverse of i, where i stands for embeddings of the corresponding
fix point sets. Thus we are reduced to showing that the left diagram below,
 5.11 Functoriality 299

whose vertical maps are isomorphisms, commutes:

Ca ®KA(X) - -1 C. ® KA(Y) X ---> Y

reso ! =i. I rest" =t.
Kc(XA) _ J+ ' Kc(ZA) XA ------ 0. YA

But this is immediate from the functoriality of the pushforward homomor-

phism and commutativity of the diagram on the right.
The above theorem reduces in a special case to a Lefschetz type fixed
point formula, as explained in the following
Remark 5.11.8. Let X be smooth and compact, and Y a point. Then the
above theorem implies that for any X-regular a E A and any equivariant
vector bundle V E KA(X) (viewed as a coherent sheaf) there is an equality
(5.11.9)
D-1)i Tr (a; H'(X, V)) = D-1)` Tr(a; H°(Xa, (.>)-' ®VX-))
where "Tr" stands for the trace of the natural a-action on the vector space
Hi(X, V).
We are now in a position to establish a relationship between localization
at fixed points and convolution in K-theory.
Suppose that M1, M2 are smooth A-varieties, and Z is a closed, A-stable
subvariety of M1 x M2. We have a commutative diagram of A-equivariant
morphisms

ZrA C

M; X MIA -- M1 x M2
We emphasize once again that it does not matter here that ZA is not
smooth, since we never use direct restriction from Z to ZA. Rather we will
always restrict from M1 x M2 to Mi x Mz and take supports into account.
Fix a E A, which is both Ml-regular and M2-regular. We are going to
define a morphism ra : C. x KA(Z) + Kc(ZA) as follows. Let Al and
A2 be, respectively, the images of AA in Kc(M') and Kc(MM) under the
composition (5.11.4) for the normal bundles to the corresponding fixed
point sets. We know that the class A2 is invertible. We define ra as the
composition (here i* stands for restriction with support in Mi x M2 A)
1®-
Ca ®R(A) KA(Z) -' C. ®R(A) KA(ZA) -- Kc(ZA) Kc(ZA).
300 5. Equivariant K-Theory

Note the asymmetry of the definition. If we had defined the "correction"

in the last map here to be (Al 1 ® A2') instead of (10 \2'), then this map
would simply be resa.
Now assume our standard convolution setup. Let Z12 C Ml X M2,
and Z23 C M2 xM3 be A-stable closed subvarieties, and as usual write
pi; : M1 x M2 x M3 --+ Mi x M3 for the projection to the (i, j) factor.
The following result should be thought of as a "bivariant version" of the
Localization Theorem (for singular varieties).

Theorem 5.11.10. The map ra commutes with convolution.

Proof. The proof will follow from a direct computation. Let F12 E Ca 0
KA(Z12), _F23 E Ca ® KA(Z23). Let Ai be the classes in Kc(M,A) defined by
(5.11.4) for i = 1, 2, 3, respectively. Then

(ra112) * (ra.'F23) _ (p,3)» (1717 r.112) ® (p;3 ra123)

OMi xh, xA1A

®A21 ®
_ (p,3)» ((OM,
A31)
®(i'112 ® Z»123)
OMB XM3XM3

Now note that OM, 0 A21 ®A3 _ (p13(A1 ® OM3)) ® (Aj 119 X21 ® \31).
Therefore continuing we have

(p,3)» ((p;3(Ai ® '0A ® z»123)

OMA XM3xM3
by the projection formula

= ('A1 ®OM3) . (p,3)» (Ar' ®a21®a31) ®(i*1i2 (9 i»123)

OMixM3xM3
by Theorem 5.11.7

= (A1 0 OM3) (9 (Al 1 ® )131) (p,s)»(i»112 ® i»-F23)

nMixM3xM3

This proves the theorem.

We now turn to the relationship between the Chern character map and
convolution. The relation is modeled by the Riemann-Roch Theorem, and
involves some Todd classes.
 5.11 Functoriality 301

Let Z C M1 x M2. We have for F E K(Z) the Chern character

class ch..F E H.(Z). Also, let TdM E H`(M) denote the Todd class
of a manifold M. Then we introduce the bivariant Riemann-Roch map
RR : K(Z) - H.(Z) to be defined by the assignment
RR:.F -+ (1®TdM2) U ch..F, F E K(Z),1®TdM, E H`(Mj x M2).
Note the asymmetry of the definition (no TdM,-factor is involved) which is
very similar to what we have observed in the definition of the map r. in
the Bivariant Localization Theorem above.

Theorem 5.11.11. (Bivariant Riemann-Roch Theorem) The map RR

commutes with convolution.

Proof. The proof is entirely similar to that of the Bivariant Localization

Theorem. Let MI, M2, M3 be smooth complex varieties and let Z12 C
M1 x M2 and Z23 C M2 x M3. For 712 E K(Z12),-F23 E K(Z23) we must
show

RR(.F12) * RR(.F23) = RR(.F12 *.F23)

Writing Tdti for TdM; we have

RR(.F12) * RR(.F23) _ (p,:,) (pi3 RR(F12) (9 p;, RR(F23))

((1®Td2 9 Td3) ®(ch.(p72F12) 0 ch.(p23F23))
= Tdi 1 ((Td1®Td2 0 Td3) (9 ch.(p;,.Fl2 ®p;,.F23))
= Tdi 1 (Td1® Td3) ch. ((p ) (p;,Yi2 ®p2*, F23))
= RR(F12 * .F23) by singular Riemann-Roch.

The second equality follows because the Chern character commutes with
tensor product. We have also used the equality

pi, (10 Tdi 1) ® (Td1® Td2 ®Td3) = 1 Z Td2 ®Td3 .

This concludes the proof.

We will be frequently using in the next chapters the following "extreme"

case of the Bivariant Riemann-Roch Theorem, which is geometrically most
explicitly clear. Keep the notation of the proof above so that MI, M2, M3
are smooth complex varieties and Z12 C M1 x M2 and Z23 C M2 X M3
(possibly singular) closed subvarieties such that Z13 := Z12 o Z13 is defined.
Recall the r-filtration, see §5.9, on K-groups.

Proposition 5.11.12. For any p, q > 0 convolution in K-theory takes

1'pK(Z12) 0 K(Z23) into rp+q_-K(Z13), where m = dim M2. Further-
302 5. Equivariant K-Theory

more, the following diagram commutes

rpK(Z12) 0 FgK(Z23)
supp ®supp I
sn Jftheory
0 rp+9-mK(Z13)
supp

cony
H2p(Z12) 0 H2q (Z13) in homology H2(p+q-m)(Z13)

Proof. We factor convolution in K-theory map as a composition, see

(5.3.11), of the tensor product with support map

K(Z12) ® K(Z23) -' K(p12 (Z12) n p23(Z23)),

and the proper direct image map (p13)*. It is easy to see that the proper di-
rect image preserves r-filtrations. The first claim of the proposition follows
now from an analogous result for tensor products with supports proved,
e.g., in [SGA6] using an alternative description of the r-filtration in terms
of A-rings.
To prove commutativity of the diagram of the proposition, let F12 be
a sheaf on Z12 with p-dimensional support, and F23 a sheaf on Z23 with
q-dimensional support. By Lemma 5.9.13 for (i, j) = (1, 2) or (2,3) we have
RR(F1;) = [supp.';,] + r,j , r12 E ® H2,(Z12), r23 E ® H26(Z23),
3<p s<9

whence by Theorem 5.11.11 we calculate

RR(F12 * F23) = /R(R(F12) * RR(F23)

= ([suppF12] + r12) * ([suppF23] + r23)
= [supp.F12] * [supp F23]
+ r12 * [suppF23] + [suppF12] * r23 + r12 * r23
All three terms in the last row are of degree less than 2(p + q - m) by 2.7.9.
On the other hand, Lemma 5.9.16 combined with Corollary 5.9.17 applied
to the class 712 * F23 show that

RR(F12 * F23) = [supp(,F12 * F23)) + r13,

where r13 E ®k<p+q-mH2k(Z13) Comparing the RHS of the two equations
above yields the result.
 CHAPTER 6

Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and

Harmonic Polynomials

6.1 Equivariant K-Theory of the Flag Variety

In this chapter we study some further properties of general complex
semisimple groups. Most of the results of the chapter play a crucial role in
the representation theory of semisimple groups and Lie algebras. We have
tried to assemble and give complete proofs for all those results that are, on
the one hand, considered "too advanced" to be included in elementary text
books on Lie algebras and, on the other hand are regarded as not part of
representation theory itself. These latter results are generally assumed as
prerequisites-not to be explained-in any advanced book on representation
theory.
We will use the results and the notation of Chapter 3. In particular,
write G for a connected complex semisimple Lie group with Lie algebra g.
Given a Borel subgroup B C G, with Lie algebra 6, write [B, B] for the
unipotent radical of B. One has the following "group" analogue of Lemma
3.1.26 (with identical proof).

Lemma 6.1.1. For all Borel subgroups B C G, the quotients B/[B, B] are
canonically isomorphic to each other.

We let T denote this universal quotient B/[B, B]; we have Lie T = $, the
universal Cartan subalgebra. The abstract Weyl group (W, S), a Coxeter
group, acts naturally on 55 and on T.
Recall that R(T) = KT (pt) denotes the representation ring of the torus
T. Any irreducible representation of T being 1-dimensional, the ring R(T)
is isomorphic canonically to Z[Hom aIg (T, C*)], the group algebra of the free
abelian group of characters of T. Recall also that C ®z R(T) = C[T]. We
will extensively use the following Pittie-Steinberg theorem whose proof can
be found in [Stl].

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_7,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
304 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Theorem 6.1.2. (a) C[b] is a free graded C[.fi]w-module and there is a

W-equivariant isomorphism
C[b] C[b]w
®c C[W].
(b) If G is simply connected then R(T) is a free R(T)w-module. Moreover,
in this case there is a W-equivariant isomorphism of free R(T)w-modules

(6.1.3) R(T) ti R(T)w ®Z Z[W].

We remark that part (a) holds without the assumption that G is simply
connected.
Given T C B a maximal torus and a Borel subgroup, there is a natural
isomorphism T -Z T obtained as the composition T `- B -i+ B/[B, B] = T.
Furthermore, one has the following "group" analogue of the Chevalley
restriction theorem for Lie algebras (see 3.1.38 for the Chevalley restriction
theorem) whose proof is similar to 3.1.38.
Theorem 6.1.4. Restriction to a maximal torus gives rise to canonical
algebra isomorphisms

R(G) = R(T)w and C[G]G ti C[T]w.

The second isomorphism above is obtained from the first by tensoring

with C over Z.
Corollary 6.1.5. If G is simply-connected then there are canonical W-
module isomorphisms
R(T) = R(G) ®Z Z[W] , C[T] N C[G]G ®, Z[W] .

Further let B be the flag variety of all Borel subalgebras in g (equiva-

lently, of all Borel subgroups in G) acted on by G by means of conjugation.
Lemma 6.1.6. There is a canonical algebra isomorphism K°(13) = R(T).
Proof. Choose a Borel subgroup B E B so that B = G/B, where the base
point 1 E G/B corresponds to Lie B E B. Then we have
(6.1.7)
KG(B) = KG(G/B) = Ke(pt) = R(B) ,., R(B/[B, B]) = R(T).
where the first isomorphism is due to the induction property (5.2.16).
Observe that the resulting isomorphism K°(13) = R(T) obtained as the
composition does not depend on the choice of B, cf. Lemma 6.1.1 and the
discussion in 6.1.11 below.
From Corollary 6.1.5 we obtain
Corollary 6.1.8. For G simply connected, K°(8) is a free R(G)-module.
 6.1 Equivariant K-Theory of the Flag Variety 305

6.1.9. CONVENTIONS. From now on the semisimple group G is assumed to

be simply connected. Let T C B C G, be a maximal torus and Borel
subgroup with Lie algebras Il and b respectively.
(i) Write X*(T) := Homajg(T,C*) for the weight lattice of rational ho-
momorphisms A : T -+ C*. Let dA be the differential of such a homomor-
phism at 1 E T, a linear map dA : h -- C. The assignment A +--+ dA yields
a group embedding of the weight lattice X*(T) into the additive group of
the vector space h*. As we have already mentioned, the representation ring
R(T) is isomorphic naturally to Z[X*(T)], the group algebra of the weight
lattice. From now on we will be using additive notation for the group opera-
tion in X* (T) which is always regarded as a lattice in 4% and the exponen-
tial notation, eA, for the element of Z[X*(T)] corresponding to \ E X*(T).
(ii) Write R+ C X*(T) for the set of weights appearing in the natural
T-action on the tangent space TbB = g/b. If g = n ®h ®n- is the triangular
decomposition, so that b = 1) + n, then we have g/b = n-. Note that R+
is the set of positive roots provided we make an unusual choice of positive
roots for (G, T) by declaring the weights of the adjoint T-action on b to
be the negative roots. We call this unusual choice the geometric choice of
positive roots determined by B (the reasons for this unusual choice will be
given later in 6.1.13). A weight A E X*(T) is called dominant if \(a;) > 0
for any simple co-root a{ , cf. 3.1.22. Thus, for G = SL2(C) we have

T z Z' 1, (0 a= (0 0) f= (01 0)
- \0 11 B- 1 *) j
,

Any weight of T is of the form diag(z, z-') '-4 zk, and such a weight
is dominant for k negative and anti-dominant for k positive. If we write
(e, h, f) for the standard basis in the Lie algebra 512, then f is a root vector
corresponding to the positive root diag(z, x-1) '-+ x-2, and e is a root vector
corresponding to the negative root.
(iii) Write p = Z EQER+ a E X(T), the half-sum of positive roots. For
any a we have (1 - e'a) = e-a/2 . (ea/2 - e-a/2). Taking the product over
all a E R+ yields the standard identity
(6.1.10) rj (1 - e-a) = e-0.0 where A = 11 (ea/2 - e-a/2) ,

aER+ aER+
the "Weyl denominator." The identity shows in particular that A E R(T),
though ea/2 does not. It is well-known, cf. [Bour] that A is anti-symmetric
under the natural W-action on R(T). To see this, pick up a simple reflection
s E W with respect to a simple root a. Then s takes each positive root
except for a into a positive root again, and s(a) = -a. Hence s acts
as a permutation on all the factors involved in A, except for the factor
ea/2 - e-a/2 whose sign gets changed. Thus we obtain s(0) _ -0.
306 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

6.1.11. G-EQUIVARIANT LINE BUNDLES ON B. To any rational character

A E Horn (T, C*) one associates in a canonical way a G-equivariant line
bundle LA on B. We first give a "ground to earth" definition of La, and
then a more conceptual one. Both approaches begin as follows.
Fix A. Given a Borel subgroup B E B, identify T with B/[B, B] by
means of Lemma 6.1.1. We pull back A to B by means of the canonical
projection B --+ B/[B, B] = T, and define a 1-dimensional B-module Ca,B
to be the vector space C with B-action given by b : z H A(b) . z.
Now, in a "down to earth" approach we fix a Borel subgroup B and
identify 13 with G/B. Then put La = G XB CA,B, the induced G-equivariant
line bundle over G/B, viewed as a bundle on B. Let p : G - G/B be
the natural projection and U an open subset in G/B. By definition of
an induced bundle, a regular section s E I'(U, La) is a regular C-valued
functions on p-1(U) C G such that
(6.1.12) dgEG,bEB.
In the second, more conceptual, approach we view B as the variety of
Borel subgroups in G. Define L,\ to be the line bundle on B whose fiber at
each point B E 13 is the corresponding 1-dimensional vector space CA,B. It
is clear that this definition agrees with the previous one. It makes obvious
in particular that the "ground to earth" definition does not depend on the
choice of Borel subgroup B.
We claim further that any G-equivariant line bundle on B is isomorphic
to La for an appropriate A. Indeed, let L be such a bundle and let LAB be its
fiber over a fixed Borel subgroup B E B. Then, LIB is a one-dimensional B-
module, hence factors through B/[B, B], and therefore is of the form Ca,B
for a suitable A E Horn (T, C*). It follows that, writing B = G/B, we have
L c- Gx9CA,B=La.
Observe that the assignment A '- La extends, by additivity, to an
algebra homomorphism R(T) - KG(B), e' H LA, which is nothing but
the isomorphism of Lemma 6.1.6.

6.1.13. RELATION TO FINITE-DIMENSIONAL SIMPLE G-MODULES. Recall

that, for any anti-dominant (due to our unusual choice of positive roots)
weight A E X*(T), there exists by highest weight theory cf. [Hum], a
unique, up to isomorphism irreducible finite dimensional representation Va
of G with highest weight A. This representation is characterized by the
property that, for any Borel subgroup B C G, there is a unique B-stable
line 1B in Va on which B acts by means of the character A, i.e., 1B = CA,B
So, for an anti-dominant weight A, we may think of the line 1B C Va
as a concrete realization of the 1-dimensional vector space Ca,B introduced
earlier in 6.1.11. Observe that, since the line 1B C Va is uniquely deter-
mined, the assignment B i-+ lB gives a well-defined morphism of algebraic
 6.1 Equivariant K-Theory of the Flag Variety 307

varieties 0 : B - P(V\) . It is clear that this morphism is G-equivariant.

Furthermore, we have by definition LA = q'O(-1), where O(-1) is the
tautological line bundle on P(VA) whose fiber at each 1 E P(V\) is the line
1 itself. Note that the line bundle O(-1), hence ¢*O(-1) is negative. We
see that the line bundle LA on B is negative when A is anti-dominant and,
therefore, is positive when A is dominant. This is the reason for making our
unusual "geometric" choice of positive roots.
Furthermore let the anti-dominant weight A be non-degenerate in the
sense that it takes a strictly negative value at each simple coroot. Then
the map 0 : B - P(VA) is nothing but the Plucker embedding of the flag
manifold, considered in 3.1.13.
Assume now that A is a dominant (as opposed to the above considered
anti-dominant) weight with respect to the geometric choice of positive
roots, see 6.1.9, so that the line bundle LA is positive. Let F(B, L)) be the
vector space of its regular global sections. The space r(B, LA), being the
space of global sections of a G-equivariant vector bundle on a compact G-
variety, has the natural structure of a finite dimensional rational G-module.
Specifically, in the concrete realization of the global sections of L,\ given in
(6.1.12), the action of x E G is

(6.1.14) (xs)(g)=s(x_'.9) , V9EG.

On the other hand, let wo be the longest (with respect to the set of simple
reflections determined by the choice of B) element of the Weyl group WT;
thus wo takes dominant weights into anti-dominant weights. Recall that the
highest weight of an irreducible representation of G is anti-dominant with
respect to our geometric choice of positive roots.
Lemma 6.1.15. If \ is dominant, then the space r(B, LA) is a simple G-
module with highest weight wo(A), i.e., we have I'(B, LA) - Vu,o(A) .

Proof. Recall that we have fixed a Borel subgroup B with unipotent

radical U. Note that UwoB is a Zariski-open subset in G, the Bruhat double
coset, see 3.1.9, corresponding to wo. Therefore, any regular function on G
is completely determined by its restriction to UwoB.
Identify r(B, LA) with the space of regular functions, s, on a satisfying
equation (6.1.12). The equation shows that the restriction of s to UwoB
has the form 11(u wo b) = \(b)-' s"(u wo). It is clear that there is at most
one such function which is left U-invariant. Moreover, if s is left U-invariant
then, for any t E T, u E U, we find
(tsi)(uwo) = sII(t-luwo) = s`(t-Iu t . r'wo) = 9(t-I wo) = s(wo I . of-Iwo I)
= \(Wot-Iwo I) s1(wo) = (woa)(t-I) .1(wo)
= (wo,\)(t)--I . 9(uwo) .
308 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

We see that i is a weight-vector for the left B-action, see (6.1.14), with
weight w°a. The theory of highest weight modules, cf. [Huml], thus shows
that I'(B, La) if non-zero, is an irreducible G-module with highest weight
w°A.
To prove that r(B, L)) is non-zero, one applies (a "weak" version of) the
Borel-Weil-Bott theorem, see [Bt). It says that, for A dominant, the higher
cohomology groups H4 (15, La) vanish for all i > 0. (This is clear if A is
non-degenerate, since in this case the line bundle La is ample and Kodaira
vanishing, see [GH], applies.) The non-vanishing of H°(B, La) then follows
from the non-vanishing of the RHS of formula 6.1.18 to be proved below.

6.1.16. WEYL CHARACTER FORMULA. We now show that, assuming the

above mentioned higher cohomology vanishing, the Weyl character formula
for irreducible G-modules is a mere corollary of a Lefschetz type fixed point
formula. Indeed, the former computes the character of the natural T-action
on r(B, L,,). By the higher cohomology vanishing, this amounts to comput-
ing the virtual character of the natural T-action on E(-1)'H'(B, LA). Ob-
serve that from the K-theoretic point of view, we have E(-1)4H'(B, La) =
p.L), E R(G), the direct image of [La] E KG(B) to a point. The latter may
be found by means of the fixed point formula (5.11.9).

Corollary 6.1.17. The class of [Link] E R(G), i.e., the virtual character of
the T-action on [Link] is given by the "Weyl character formula":
(6.1.18) E(-1)'H'(B, La) =A-' E (-1)e(w)ew(a+a)
WE W

Here 2(w) is the length of w E W, and the RHS above is understood as an

element of R(G) = R(T)w.
Proof. By continuity, it suffices to verify the equality for a regular ele-
ment a E T. In 5.11.7 put X := B. Then Ba = BT so that a is T-regular,
and Ba is equal to the set of Borel subalgebras containing LieT. Moreover
these Borel subalgebras 6w := w(6), w E W are in natural bijection with
the elements of W. Now we compute using 5.((11.9 and notation therein

(-1)t Tr (a; Ht(B, LA)) _ (-1)' Tr \a; Ht(Ba,) 1 ®LAI5'))

cTr (a; H°(Ba, )dal ®L.\18.)) ,

where the last expression involves only the zero-cohomology, since B" is a
finite set. The "conceptual" definition of the line bundle La shows that in
R(T) we have Lad{y,.} = ew(a). Further, the tangent space to B at the point
6w is isomorphic to g/6w and the cotangent space is isomorphic to nw, the
w-conjugate of n. Recall that by our geometric choice of positive roots, the
 6.1 Equivariant K-Theory of the Flag Variety 309

weights of the adjoint action on n are the negative weights, whence one
finds AOl{b,,,} = HaER+(1 - e-w(c))(a), where "(a)" means the expression
evaluated at a. Then we obtain
1:(-1)'Tr(a;H'(13, LA)) = Tr(a; HO(13a, ) 1 0 La
A_
Tr(a; LA l{bw})
wEW
ew(A)
_E faER+(1 - e (a).
WEW

It remains to put this in the form of (6.1.18). To do this apply w to both

sides of the identity 6.1.10. We get
11 (1 - e_'') = e-w(P)w(0) = e-w(P) (_1)e(w) . Q,
QER+

since z is skew-symmetric. Thus we find

ew(A) ew(')
7
11aER+(1 - ew(a)) w' (-1)e(w) . e-w(P) . 0
wE4y
_ Q-1 (_1)e(v)ew(aiP)
WEW

This completes the proof.

We can now prove the following Kenneth formula for flag varieties, cf.
5.6.1.
Proposition 6.1.19. (a) Externel tensor product KG(13) ® KG(13) -
KG(B X B) induces canonical isomorphisms
KG(B x B) = KG(B) ®R(,) KG(B) R(T) ®R(a) R(T).
(b) The convolution in K-theory yields an algebra isomorphism
KG(l3 x 13) .Z End R(G)KG(13).
Proof. (Following [KL4, prop. 1.6]). We first show that the canonical
pairing ( , ) : KG(5) x KG(B) -+ R(G) is non-degenerate. Under the iden-
tification KG(G/B) = R(B) = R(T), see 5.2.16 and 5.2.18, the canonical
pairing (5.2.26) becomes, due to Corollary 6.1.17, the pairing
(6.1.20)
(,) : R(T) x R(T) -- R(G), P, Q'-' A-' . > (-1)") . w(P . Q) . ew(P).
wEW

Set m = #W. In [Stl) Steinberg constructs a basis {es}yEW of the free

R(T) w-module R(T) with the following special property. The m x m-matrix
310 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

A= IIw(ev)ll(w,v)EwXW
with entries in R(T) has
(6.1.21) detA = detllw(ey)ll = Am/2.
To prove the non-degeneracy of the pairing ( , ), it suffices to show that
the following Gramm matrix is invertible in R(G), and more specifically we
prove

det ll (ev, ev') II (v.v')E W X W = ±1

To that end, we use formula (6.1.20) for the pairing to obtain
(er, ev,) = A` E(-1)!(ti')w(ev)w(ey,)w(eP).
The RHS is an entry in a matrix which is the product A D At of three
m x m matrices with entries in R(T). The first matrix is A = IIw(ey)II,
the third matrix, At, is its transpose, with entries w(ey'), and the matrix
D in the middle is diagonal with entries z _1(-1)i(w)ew(P). Observe that
the sum EwEW w(p) is a W-fixed element in X'(T), hence zero. Therefore,
detD = l((-1)1(w)O-1 exp w(p)) = ±A-m . exp(Ew w(p))
w
Thus we find using (6.1.21)

det II (ey, ey,) II = detA detD detAt

2
= () . (±A_) = ±1.
_ (detA)2 detD(Am/2
This proves the claim.
Further, we will see in the next section that KG(B) is a projective R(G)-
module of rank m = #W, cf. Theorem 6.2.8, and that KG(B x B) is a
projective R(G)-module of rank m2. Thus the theorem follows from the
Kiinneth Theorem 5.6.1(d) and the non-degeneracy of ( , ).

The next result we are going to prove says that G-equivariant K-theory
may be recovered from T-equivariant K-theory and the Weyl group action
on the latter. Specifically, let N(T) C G denote the normalizer of the
maximal torus T so that W = N(T)/T. For any G-variety X, the induced
N(T)-action on X gives rise to a W-action on KT(X).
Theorem 6.1.22. If G is simply connected, then the natural restriction
map KG (X) -+ KT (X) gives rise to the isomorphisms
(a) R(T) ®R(G) KG (X) 2 KT(X),
(b) KG(X)-'KT(X)W.
Proof. Note that KT see 5.2.18. By the induction property
5.2.16, we have since G x B X ^' G/B x X the chain of isomorphisms
KT(X)^ KB(X)=KG(Gx8X)=KG(G/BxX)^'KG(BxX),
 6.2 Equivariant K-Theory of the Steinberg Variety 311

and claim (a) now follows from Proposition 6.1.19 and the Kiinneth theo-
rem 5.6.1(a). Now from part (a) and Corollary 6.1.5 we get a W-module
isomorphism:
KT(X) = Z[W] ® KG(X)
and claim (b) becomes clear.

6.2 Equivariant K-Theory of the Steinberg Variety

In this section G is a complex connected reductive algebraic group with a
simply connected derived group. We will define an algebraic G x C*-action
on various varieties that will play a role in the future. This amounts to
giving mutually commuting G- and C*-actions.
Let G act on the flag variety B by means of conjugation, and let C*
act trivially. Further, we let G act on T*B by means of conjugation and
let C* act by dilation along the fibers. Similarly, we let G act on Al, the
nilpotent cone of g, by conjugation and let C* act by dilation. Explicitly,
the G x C*-action on N is given by (note inverse power of z)

(9,z):x'-4 zEC*,9EG,xEN.
Recall the G-equivariant isomorphism
(6.2.1) T*B = {(x, b) E N x B[ X E b}, see Lemma 3.2.2,
where the G-action on the RHS is given by conjugation. From now on we
identify T*B with RHS of (6.2.1) so that the above defined G x C*-action
on T*13 becomes

(6.2.2) (9, z) : (x, b) '-' (z-1 .9x9-1, gbg1.

It is clear at this point that the moment map p : T*B - N commutes with
the G x C*-actions.
Further let the group G x C* act diagonally both on B x B and on
T*B x T*B. Then the Steinberg variety Z = T*B xN T*B is a G x C*-stable
subvariety of T*B x T*B with the induced G x C*-action.
Assume next that X is an arbitrary G x C*-variety. Let T be a maximal
torus in G and let A be a closed subgroup of T x C*. Fix a E A such that
a is X-regular, that is, XA = Xa.
6.2.3. Consider the following six statements about X:
(1) Ki4(X) is a free R(A)-module.
(2) H* (X A, C) is spanned by algebraic cycles, cf. Definition 5.9.6, and
the homological Chern character map (see 5.8) gives an isomor-
phism Kc(XA) .Z H*(XA,C).
312 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

(3) The Localization Theorem (see 5.10) holds for X, i.e., the localized
pushforward map gives an isomorphism
i, : KA(XA)a Z KA(X)a .
(4) The following natural map is an isomorphism
KTxc KA(X).
R(A) ®R(Txcl) (X) -
(5) KGxc'(X) is a free R(G x C`)-module.
(6) The canonical map R(A) ®R(CXc.) KGXC (X) -Z KA(X) is an isomor-
phism.
We are going to verify that the G x C`-varieties
B, B x B, T'B, T*(13 x B), and Z
all satisfy properties (1) - (6) above. We first prove

Theorem 6.2.4. The varieties 8, B x 8, T'B, T"(B x B) and Z satisfy

properties (1)-(4).

Proof. Fix a Borel subgroup B and a maximal torus T of G so that

A C TxC* C BxC*. We have B=G/B,andB=T.U,where U is the
unipotent radical.
CASE X =13: We have the Bruhat decomposition

B = UwEW B.
where Bw is the B-orbit in B corresponding to w E W = WT. Notice
that the T-action on Bw is isomorphic to a linear action on the vector
space Tw B by the Bialinicki-Birula isomorphism Bw = T,,+,, B, see Theorem
2.4.3(b). Enumerate Bruhat cells in such an order 8,132, ... , Bm = pt, that
dim B, > dim 132 > .... Set B' = Ui>1 B. Then 13 = B° D B1 D ... D Bm =
pt is a decreasing filtration on B by closed A-stable subvarieties. This way
we make B - pt a cellular fibration over a point. The theorem clearly holds
for a point. Now, properties (1) and (4) follow from the Cellular Fibration
Lemma 5.5.1, property (2) follows from Theorem 5.9.19, and property (3)
from the Localization Theorem for cellular fibrations.
CASE X = T*B: This case follows immediately using the same argument
as for X = B and the cellular decomposition
T`B = UwEW T`BIaW.

CASE X = B x B: In this case B x B = U,,, Yw, where Y. is the G-

diagonal orbit corresponding to w E W. The isotropy group of the point
 6.2 Equivariant K-Theory of the Steinberg Variety 313

(e - B, w B) E Y,, is equal to T (U fl Uw), where Uw stands for the w-

conjugate of U. Hence we have an isomorphism Yw N G/ (T . (U fl Uw)).
Furthermore, using the Bruhat decomposition G = UYEW U y T U, we get

G/(T (U n Uw)) = UYEW U . y (U/(U n Uw))

Observe that the spaces U , U fl Uw, and U/(U fl Uw) are each T-
equivariantly isomorphic to a vector space. Hence, U y (U/(U fl Uw))
is T-equivariantly isomorphic to a cell.
Now the same argument as in case X = B works here, using the cellular
fibration 13 x B - pt.
CASE X = T*(13 x 13) : is entirely similar to the previous one.
CASE X = Z: Recall the decomposition (3.3.4) Z = Uw T;. (B x B).
Enumerate the strata Y,,, in such an order: Y' , Y2,. .., Y,,, that dim Yl >
dim Y2 > . . > dim Y,,,. Note that there is a unique G-orbit in B x B
of lowest dimension, the diagonal 13o C B x B. Thus, Y,,, = 13o is the
last stratum. Set Z' = U,>j TY,(B x B). Then Z = Z° D Z' 3 ... D
Z"' = Tae (13 x 13) is a decreasing filtration on Z by closed G x C*-stable
subvarieties. Moreover, we have Z'\Z3+1 = TY,(B x B). We define a map
p : Z -. 5 as the composition
p:Zt-+T*(13xB) P-='+ T'.B -+ B,
where pr 2: T*13 x T*13 -+ T*B is the second projection. Explicitly, the map
p sends a triple (x, b1, b2) E Z to b2 E B. Write B for the Bruhat cell
in B corresponding to w E W and the Borel subgroup attached to b. The
following result is clear.

Lemma 6.2.5. For any w E W, the restriction p : T% (B x 13) -+ B is an

affine bundle with fiber Ta,*13 over a point b E B.

The proof of the theorem in the case X = Z is now completed by the

Cellular Fibration Lemma applied to the map p and the above defined
filtration Z = Z° D Z' D D Z' in view of Lemma 6.2.5.
Recall that (5) = R(T) [q, q-1]. The Cellular Fibration Lemma for
KGxc

the fibration p: Z -+ 13 also implies the following

Corollary 6.2.6. KGxc* (Z) is a free KGxc* (13)-module with basis

{O w
(Bxe) ).
Let Zo = T;, (13 x 13) be the stratum of smallest dimension in the
stratification of Z used in the proof of the case X = Z above. Then
we have a G x C*-equivariant isomorphism Zo T*B, hence a natu-
ral isomorphism KGxc* (Zo) R(T)[q, q-1]. Moreover, the above proof
314 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

shows that the natural embedding Z. - Z maps KGXc* (Zo) isomorphi-

cally to the R(T)[q,q'I)-submodule of spanned by the base vec-
tor [OTTo(8x5) . Thus, we get

Corollary 6.2.7. The natural homomorphism is injec-

tive.

Theorem 6.2.8. Property (5) holds for X = 13, L3 x 5, T*8, T*(13 x 5),
and Z.

Proof. CASE: X = B. Then

KGXc* (8) = KTxc' (pt) = R(T) [q, q-1]

by the induction theorem. Now, R(T) is a free R(G) ^! R(T)W-module by

Theorem 6.1.2 (we are using the fact that G is simply connected).
CASE: X = T*B. Property (5) follows from the case X = B and the
Thom isomorphism 5.4.17.
CASE: X = 13 x B. The decomposition 13 x B = UWEW Y. is a cellular
fibration over 13 with fibers isomorphic to the cells 13v,. We may now apply
the Cellular Fibration Lemma 5.5.1 and use the result for 13 that has been
proved already.
CASE: X = T* (13x13). Property (5) follows from the Thom isomorphism
Theorem 5.4.17 and the result for 13 x B.
CASE: X = Z. We use the same cellular decomposition Z -, 6 as in
the proof of Theorem 6.2.4, and the cellular fibration Lemma 5.5.1, and the
result for B.

Corollary 6.2.9. The free R(G x C*)-module KGXc (Z) has rank (#W)2.

Proof. Combine Corollary 6.2.6 and Theorem 6.1.2.

Theorem 6.2.10. Property (6) holds for X = l3, B x B, T*B, T*(13 x B),
and Z.

Proof. Recall that we have fixed a maximal torus such that A C T x C*.
We factor the map in question into two steps with TxC* as an intermediate
KcXc*(X) = R(A) KGXc*(X)
R(A) R(T x C*)
- R(A) KTXc* (X) 10
, KA(X).
The map 0 here is obtained by applying R(A) to the isomor-
phism of Theorem 6.1.22 (one should replace G and T by respectively
G x C* and T x C* in that theorem). Hence, 0 is an isomorphism. The
 6.3 Harmonic Polynomials 315

map b is an isomorphism due to the Cellular Fibration Lemma 5.5.1(c),

since we have explained above how to present X as a cellular fibration in
all the cases X = 13, !3x13, T*B, T*(13 x 8), and Z.

6.3 Harmonic Polynomials

Let V be a finite dimensional complex vector space with a linear action of
a not necessarily connected complex reductive group G. Let V := D(V) be
the algebra of constant coefficient differential operators on V, a commuta-
tive algebra. There is a natural G-action on D. Let Dc be the subalgebra
of G-invariant operators. One has the following fundamental result which
will not be used in the rest of the book.
Theorem 6.3.1. For any reductive group G, the algebra DG is finitely
generated.
We refer the reader to [Wey] for a short proof based on the "unitary
trick."
Let D+ be the augmentation ideal in Dc formed by the invariant opera-
tors without constant term, i.e., by operators killing the function 1.
Definition 6.3.2. A polynomial P E C[V] is called G-harmonic if DP = 0
for any DED+.
We will be mainly interested in two special cases. In the first, studied
in this section, we put V = , a Cartan subalgebra and G = W is the
associated Weyl group. In the second, studied in section 6.7, we let G be a
connected semisimple Lie group and V = Lie G, acted on by G by means of
the adjoint action.
In general, let 71 denote the space of G-harmonic polynomials. Clearly 7
is a G-stable graded subspace of C[V]. We will prove the following theorem,
also proved by Wallach [Wa].
Theorem 6.3.3. Assume that G is reductive and that the algebra C[V] is
a free graded C[V]G-module. Then the multiplication map in C[V] gives the
G-equivariant isomorphism of graded vector spaces
N ® C[V]° = C[V].
We begin with some general remarks. Let V be a finite dimensional
complex vector space. Let SV and SV* be the symmetric algebras on V
and on V*, the dual of V. Both are graded algebras: SV = ®;>0S'(V), and
SV* = 6)1>oS'(V*). The algebra SV* is canonically isomorphic to C[V] so
that, for each i > 0, the homogeneous component S'(V) gets identified with
the space of homogeneous polynomials of degree i on V. Similarly, there is a
canonical algebra isomorphism S(V) -Z D which assigns to v E V = S' (V )
316 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

a first order differential operator 8,,, the derivative in the direction v. Thus,
the algebra of differential operators acquires a grading D = ®i>a V' induced
from the one on SV.
Recall the notation (SV)* _ ®i (SVi)* for the graded dual of SV, see
above (2.2.21). We are going to define a natural graded space isomorphism
(6.3.4) S(V*) = (SV)*.
Given D E D and P E C[V] define a pairing
(6.3.5) (,):V x C[V] -i C, by (D,P) '-i (DP)(0).
If D E Di and P E C'[V] are homogeneous elements of the same degree,
then the function DP is clearly constant, hence equal to its value, (DP)(0),
at the origin. If i # j, then for any D E Di and P E C [V], we have
(DP)(0) = 0, so that the spaces S'V and Si(V*) are orthogonal with
respect to the pairing (6.3.5). This way, using that S'V = Di and Si(V*) _
C'[V], we get a perfect pairing
(6.3.6) S'V X S'(V*) --i C
which induces the isomorphism (6.3.4).
Now let G C GL(V) be a reductive group of linear transformations of
V. The G-action on V naturally induces a G-action on V* in such a way
that for any g E G, v E V and v* E V*, we have (g v*,g - v) = (v*,v).
Further, the action on V gives rise to a degree preserving G-action on each
of the algebras S(V), S(V*), D(V), and C[V] by algebra automorphisms.
NOTATION: If A is one of the above algebras, we write AG for the graded
subalgebra of G-invariants and A+ for the augmentation ideal in A° (that
ZA
is, A+ = ®i>o A?). Finally, we write for the ideal in A generated by the
set A+, i.e., we have 1A = A A. Thus IA is a G-stable graded ideal in A.
Lemma 6.3.7. A polynomial P E C[V] is G-harmonic if and only if
P E (ZD)l, that is, if and only if for any differential operator D E
we have
(D, P) = (DP) (0) = 0.
Proof. If P is harmonic then uP = 0 for any u E D+, and the above
equation is clear. To prove the opposite, assume u E D. Then, for any
D E D, we have D u E Z'; hence, by the assumption of the lemma,
(Du(P))(0) = 0 for all D E D. Then the derivatives at 0 of any order of the
polynomial uP vanish. Hence uP = 0 by the Taylor formula, and we are
done.
Fix a maximal compact subgroup K in our reductive group G. Then,
each connected component of G has a non-empty intersection with K,
 6.3 Harmonic Polynomials 317

see [Mos], and moreover we have Lie G C ®R Lie K. It follows that

K is Zariski-dense in G; hence, for any algebraic G-action, the groups
G and K have identical subspaces of invariants. In particular, we have
(SV)G = (SV)".
NOTATION: We always write S(V*)G for G-invariants in the symmetric
algebra on V*, not to be confused with the symmetric algebra on (V*)G.
Arguments below will be based on the "unitary trick" first exploited by
H. Weyl in the mid 30's.

Lemma 6.3.8. The space SV is a free graded (SV)G-module if and only if

S(V*) is a free graded S(V*)G-module.

Proof. Following H. Weyl, we choose and fix a K-invariant positive def-

inite hermitian, see Chapter 2, inner product (-, -) : V x V -+ C. The
assignment 0: v H(-, v) gives a skew-linear isomorphism V a- V*, i.e.,
an R-linear isomorphism such that ¢( T v) = -vf--l 0(v), Vv E V.
This isomorphism clearly commutes with the K-actions. We extend 0 by
multiplicativity to an R-linear map

(6.3.9) 0: SV -+ S(V*), v1, ... , vn - O(v1) ' ... ' O(vn)-

The equations

O(V 1 ' v1) ' O(V2) _ -Vr-1 . O(VI) ' O (V2) = q5(v1) ' 0(v -1 ' vz)
show that this is a well-defined map (of symmetric algebras over C) and
is a skew linear K-equivariant ring isomorphism. Therefore, we have (since
K-invariants= G-invariants):

(6.3.10) 0((SV)G) = S(V*)G, and 4(1sV) = I"".

The first equation clearly implies the lemma.

Lemma 6.3.11. There is an equality of Poincard sermes

P(x) = P(C[V]/Tc,v,)
Proof. The second formula in (6.3.10) shows that the map (6.3.9) yields
a skew-linear graded space isomorphism

C[V]/Z`,v" = SV/Tsy.
Therefore, we have
(6.3.12) P(C[VJ/f") = P(SV/Ts").
318 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

On the other hand, Lemma 6.3.7, combined with the general properties of
the Poincare series, yields
P(1) 6.3.7 2.2.11
P((f )1) p((SV/ZSV)*)
6.3.12 P(C[V]IZ`'V'),
P(SV/ZSV)

where the third equality follows property (c) of Lemma 2.2.23.

Proposition 6.3.13. There is a G-stable graded direct sum decomposition

C[V) N N ®2 I.
Proof. We check first that

(6.3.14) fn2`'V'=0.
By Lemma 6.3.7 we have f = (1D)l; hence we must show that
(6.3.15) (1D)1 n -c'V' = 0.
To prove this we use the skew-linear isomorphism (6.3.9). The C-linear
pairing SV x SV* -p C given by (6.3.5) gets transported under isomorphism
(6.3.9) to a hermitian inner product on SV given by

(6.3.16) (31,32) = (31,0(32)).

Explicitly, formula (6.3.9) shows that, for each i > 0, the restriction of
this inner product to SWV equals, up to a positive constant factor, the
natural hermitian inner product on SW induced from that on V. The latter
being positive definite, it follows that the inner product (6.3.16) is positive
definite. By formula (6.3.10), equation (6.3.15) gets transported, by means
of the isomorphism 0, to the equation
(1")1 n ZSV
(6.3.17) = 0,

where the "1" on the left is now understood to be the annihilator in SV

with respect to the inner product in (6.3.16). Since the inner product on
SV is positive definite, so is its restriction to ZSV , whence (6.3.17), and
(6.3.15) follows.
To complete the proof of the proposition, consider the natural maps
(6.3.18) W-.C[V] -» C[V)/fIV'.
The composite of these maps is a grading preserving linear map f : ?-l --
C[V]/Z" '. Equation (6.3.14) ensures that f is injective. Hence, by Lemmas
6.3.11 and 2.2.25, the map f is an isomorphism, and therefore C[V) _
7-l ® Z`' V' . The proposition is proved.
 6.3 Harmonic Polynomials 319

Proof of Theorem 6.3.3. We shall first prove by induction on k > 0

that any homogeneous polynomial p of degree k is in the image of the
multiplication map mutt : 11® C[V]G -, C[V]. This is obvious for k = 0,
since we have 1 E 7 1. Following the decomposition of Proposition 6.3.13
write

p = po + > gi zi, po E 1{, zi E C[V]+, qi E C[V],

where we assume all the polynomials to be homogeneous, so that deg po =
deg p = k and deg qj + deg zi = k, for all i. Observe that deg zi > 0 so that
deg qj < k. Hence, by the induction hypothesis we have qi = Fj pi7 zi.9
where pij E f, and zip E C[V]' are also homogeneous. Thus, we find,

p = Po - 1 + E pig zi zi,, E Image(mult)

i, j

and surjectivity follows.

To prove that mult is an isomorphism, we apply Lemma 2.2.25. By sur-
jectivity of the map mutt it suffices to show the equality of the correspond-
ing Poincare series

(6.3.19) P(l ® C[V]G) = P(C[V]).

We have by 2.2.23(a)
P(N 0 C[V]G) = P(l) P(C[V]G).
Proposition 6.3.13 implies f = C[V]/±`'v', whence

(6.3.20) P(7l (& C[V]G) = P(C[V]/Z"y') P((C[V]G).

To compute the RHS of (6.3.19) we use the assumption of the theorem that
C[V] is a free graded C[V]G-module. In other words, there exists a graded
vector subspace E C C[V] such that the multiplication in C[V] gives a
graded space isomorphism
(6.3.21) C[V] = C[V]G ®,, E.
Writing C[V]G = C[V]+ ® C. 1, we obtain a graded space decomposition

(6.3.22) C[V] = (C-[V]G (9 E) ®(1 (9 E) E.

Hence P(E) = P(C[V]) - P(f'v') = P(C[V]/Z""). Thus (6.3.21) and

2.2.23(a), (b) yield

(6.3.23) P(C[V]) = P(C[V]G) . P(E) = P(C[V]G) P(C[V]/ft") -

Comparing with the RHS of (6.3.20) completes the proof of (6.3.19), hence
the proof of the theorem.
320 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

From now on, assume that G = W is the Weyl group of a root system
on a Cartan subalgebra h, put V 4, and use the notation 1-t for the space
of W-harmonic polynomials on . Observe that the conditions of Theorem
6.3.3 hold, due to the Pittie-Steinberg Theorem 6.1.2(a). Thus, Theorem
6.3.3 applies. Furthermore we have

Proposition 6.3.24. [Still N is a finite dimensional subspace of C[(1].

Moreover, there is a W-module isomorphism h C[W].
Proof. By the Pittie-Steinberg theorem, we may put E C[W] in
formula (6.3.21). Hence, Proposition 6.3.13 (with V = h), and (6.3.22) yield
W-equivariant isomorphisms

N = C[fj]/YC1a1 _ E = C[W]

This completes the proof.

The following simple but interesting result provides an alternative char-

acterization of harmonic polynomials for any finite group W, not only for
the Weyl group.

Proposition 6.3.25. A polynomial P E C[(1] is W-harmonic if and only if

the mean value property holds, that is,

P(a) = 1 E P(a + w b),

#W wEW
V a, b E h.

Proof. Recall first that for any n > 1, the symmetric power Snh is
spanned by the monomials bn for various b E h (proof: fix bl,... , bn E ij; for
any complex coefficients tl,... , tn, the element (t1 ' bl + .. + to . bn)n belongs
to the vector subspace in Sn11 spanned by the monomials. Hence, so does
the LHS of the following expression
an
(tl b, + ... + to . bn)n

I41 =...=e _n = n! bl .... bn

at, ... atn
and the result follows). Using W-averaging, we see that the subspace
Sn(h)W of W-invariants is spanned by the expressions EwEW (w b)n, b E h.
It follows, due to the isomorphism S((j) ^' D, that Dn , the space of
W-invariant operators of degree n, is the span of operators of the form
[[
Law
Now, writing the Taylor expansion of a polynomial P we obtain

P(a+w-b) ri, ([Link])(a))

w w

E
n>0
n>O

n! .
rr
w
[[
L nl
n>0
. ( w
P) (a).
 6.4 W-Harmonic Polynomials and Flag Varieties 321

Thus we see that the mean value property holds if and only if E. 8w.b P
= 0 for any n > 1 and any b E h. The latter is equivalent, by the discussion
of the first paragraph of the proof, to the equation Dn P = 0, Vn > 1,
which is the definition of harmonic. This completes the proof.

6.4 W-Harmonic Polynomials and Flag Varieties

We now look at harmonic polynomials from a different point of view,
inspired by Harish-Chandra and worked out by Steinberg in [St2].
Recall that D' is the algebra of W-invariant constant coefficient dif-
ferential operators on the Cartan subalgebra Ij. This is a commutative
algebra canonically isomorphic to S(Ij)w = Therefore we have
SpecmD' ^_- lj"/W, and we write D F-+ X(D) E C for the character given
by the corresponding point of Specm D'.
Following [St2], given X E Specm D', we are interested in the eigenvalue
problem

(6.4.1) Th,b = X(D) 0, VD E D"'.

Let SoIX be the vector space of holomorphic functions 0 on h that are
solutions to (6.4.1). One can show (e.g. [St2]) that, for any X E SpecmDW,
the space Sol, has dimension #W (we will prove a slightly weaker result
below).
Given a linear function, A, on lj write e' for the corresponding exponen-
tial function on lj. For any h E we have 8he' = A(h) - e', where 8h is
differentiation in the h-direction. It follows, by multiplicativity, that

(6.4.2) Des` = D(A) eX, VD E Du' = C[fj*]w,

where D(A) denotes the value at A E 1) of D, viewed as a polynomial on

fj. We see that 0 = ea is a solution to (6.4.1) if and only if A is a point of
x E b*/W viewed as a W-orbit in Ij'. Thus, the space W. spanned by the
functions {eA, A E x} is contained in Sol,.
Assume that x is regular, i.e., the corresponding W-orbit in lj` consists
of exactly #W distinct points. Then the functions {ea, A E x} are linearly
independent, hence form a basis of l-lX. We see that dim xX = #W. As re-
marked above, the space of solutions to (6.4.1) is always #W-dimensional.
Hence, for regular X, we have Sol, = 7-1., cf. Proposition 6.4.5(ii), so that
the functions {e', A E X} form a basis of Sol,.
We will be mainly concerned with the opposite, most degenerate, case
x = 0, or rather with the behavior of the family SolX as X approaches zero.
It turns out that the family behaves nicely so that the spaces SoIX may be
thought of as fibers of a vector bundle on Specm D'. Observe that any W-
harmonic polynomial is a solution to (6.4.1) for x = 0. Since we know that
322 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

dim 1-l = #W the space Solo is in fact nothing but the space of harmonic
polynomials.
We proceed to a more detailed analysis. Fix a W-orbit X, and a linear
function \ E X. For any function:

R= E cew(\) E xx, c,,, E C,

wEW

its Taylor expansion at the origin has the form R = Ei>o 1R, where

(6.4.3) Ri = cw (wa)i.
wEW

Proposition 6.4.4. [Jo2) (i) Let i = E'o V), be the Taylor expansion
at the origin of a holomorphic solution to (6.4.1), and let d be the lowest
among the integers i such that 0, 0. Then ?/id is a W-harmonic polyno-
mial.
(ii) Given \ E 1)' and a collection {cw , w E W j of complex numbers,
let d be the lowest among the integers i such that the polynomial Ri
EWEW Cw - (wA)i is non-zero. Then Rd is a harmonic polynomial.

Proof. (i) Let D E D+' be a homogeneous W-invariant differential opera-

tor of degree k > 0. Differentiating the Taylor expansion of Vi term by term
and using equation (6.4.1) we get

E z Dpi; =Dpi=X(D)' X(D)V),

i>o i>o

The first non-zero term on the RHS occurs in degree d, while the polyno-
mial D-id on the left is of degree d - k < d. This forces D11Gd = 0 and part
(i) follows.
Part (ii) is immediate from the inclusion R. C SoIX, formula (6.4.3)
and part (i).
We introduce a decreasing filtration F' on the vector space Sol, (and
the corresponding induced filtration on ?{X) by the order of vanishing at
the origin, as follows. Write the Taylor expansion ip = Ei>o 0, of an
element z' E Sol.. We put
FdSol{iP =0foralli<d}.
Thus, for all b E FdSolX, we have b = 1,0, + id+lii 0,,+, + , where Od is
a harmonic polynomial, due to Proposition 6.4.4(i).
Proposition 6.4.5. (i) Assigning the first non-zero term of the Taylor
expansion to an element of FdSolX yields a W-equivariant embedding
grF fX -+ f, where grF xX stands for the associated graded.
 6.4 W-Harmonic Polynomials and Flag Varieties 323

(ii) If X E I / W is regular then Solx = 1 x and the embedding in (i)

gives an isomorphism grF R. -Z ,,H.
(iii) Any harmonic polynomial on h may be written in the form (6.4.3)
for an appropriate choice of the coefficients {cu,, w E W}.

Proof. Part (i) is clear. If X is regular, then dim fix = #W since the
functions {e", A E X} are linearly independent. Hence, dim grF fx =
#W = dim fl. Therefore, the embedding grF RX ' H arising from (i) must
be an isomorphism. Furthermore, since grF xx C grF Solx C H and the
two extreme terms are equal, we get grF ?lx = grF Solx. It follows that
Solx = ?-lx, and part (ii) is proved. Part (iii) is a reformulation of the fact
that for regular X the map grF xx - H is surjective (which we know by
(ii)).

Let T be the torus corresponding to the Lie algebra 4. Thus, the Weyl
group W acts on both T and b and we have a W-equivariant holomorphic
(but not algebraic) exponential map exp : ll - T. Let C[T] be the algebra
of regular functions on T, and C[[h]] the formal power series algebra on ll.
The pullback by means of the exponential map, combined with the Taylor
expansion at the origin 0 E 4, gives an injective algebra homomorphism
exp* : C[T] `- C[[h]]
Let C[T]K' and C[[b]]w denote the algebras of W-invariants. There are
natural augmentations C[T]W -4 C, resp. C[[ll]]w - C, given by evaluation
at 1 E T, resp. 0 E t . Write C[T] Y and C[[4]]+ for the kernels of the
corresponding augmentation and I``Ti C C[T], resp. I`"" C C[[4]], for the
ideals in the corresponding ambient algebras generated by the kernels. We
have the following natural diagram of embeddings

(6.4.6) C[T] [Link]* C[h] '-' n,

where the second map is the inclusion of the space of polynomials into the
space of formal power series. Observe that the map exp' takes 2"T' into
IcuJJ

Lemma 6.4.7. The above maps induce W-module isomorphisms

" C[4]/1°`"'
a: C[T)lI``T' - C[[h])/f' ?1.

Proof. We have shown in the course of the proof of Theorem 6.3.3 that
part (i) of the Pittie-Steinberg Theorem 6.1.2 yields a W-module direct
sum decomposition
(6.4.8) C[b] ^-' 1"111®Cpl.
324 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

A similar argument involving part (ii) of the Pittie-Steinberg theorem yields

a W-module decomposition

(6.4.9) C[T] = ZCITI ®C[W].

Observe that in formula (6.4.8) both the vector space C[W] and the alge-
bra C[C1]W have a finite number of generators (as a vector space and as an
algebra, respectively) and, moreover, those generators can be chosen to be
homogeneous polynomials. It follows that the direct sum decomposition on
the right of (6.4.8) breaks up into an infinite sequence of direct sum decom-
positions, one for each homogeneous component. Hence, a similar decompo-
sition holds for formal power series instead of polynomials. Comparison of
the direct sum decompositions for C[T], C[[ll]] and C[lj] shows that the quo-
tients C[T]/ZcIT', C[[411/1"'" and C[h]/Zdlhl are each isomorphic to C[W],
and, moreover, the maps (6.4.6) induce isomorphisms

C[TJ/Ic'T' C[[h]]/f"' -- C[h]/Zc1b]

Finally, the rightmost isomorphism of the lemma follows from Proposition

6.3.13 (with V = lj).

We now apply algebraic K-theory to relate harmonic polynomials to the

homology of the flag variety. In the rest of this section we assume that all
K-groups are complexified and write K for any group G.
Recall also that KT (pt) = C ®z R(T), the complexified representation ring
of T, may be (and will be) identified with the ring C[T] of regular functions
on T. We return to the notation of section 6.1. In particular, T is a maximal
torus of a connected, semisimple group G, and 8 is the corresponding flag
manifold.
We have canonical algebra isomorphisms

(6.4.10) KC (8) = C ®Z R(T) = C[T], and R,(G) = C[TJW.

These yield a chain of isomorphisms (subscript "+" stands for "augmenta-

tion ideal")

Kc(8)I Rc (G)+ . K,,(H) C[TJ/C[T] ' . C[T] = C[T]/Z"7"

= C[T]w.
Applying property 6.2.3(6) to the case A = {1} we thus obtain canonical
isomorphisms

(6.4.11) Kc(B) -- Kc(8)/Rc(G)+ . KG(B) C[T]lf'T'

Using the maps of Lemma 6.4.7 and the cohomological Chern character
map of Theorem 5.9.19, we form the following natural diagram of isomor-
 6.4 W-Harmonic Polynomials and Flag Varieties 325

phisms
C[T]l1cIT) 6. - ' KG(B)/R(G)+ - KK (ti)
(6.4.12) 116.4.7

Borel isomorphism 13
x
The composition all along the way from 1i to H` (B) is usually called the
Borel isomorphism

(6.4.13) Q : H' (B, C) -Z 1{

defined originally by Borel in a slightly different but equivalent way. Ob-

serve that the vector spaces on each side of (6.4.13) have natural gradings.
We will show below that the map fl is doubling degree: /3(W) C H2i(B),
although some of the intermediate objects in (6.4.12), e.g., KK (B), have no
natural grading at all.
Remark 6.4.14. All the objects in diagram (6.4.12), except f, have natu-
ral algebra structures and the morphisms between them are in fact algebra
homomorphisms.
Next we are going to study the Weyl group actions on all the ob-
jects in (6.4.12) to see that all the maps in the diagram are actually W-
isomorphisms.
6.4.15. THE W-ACTION ON H5(B) AND Kc(13). Recall that, cf. Example
3.6.14, the projection
G/T 4 G/B _ B,
makes G/T isomorphic to an affine bundle over B, hence, is a homotopy
equivalence. This induces the isomorphism on cohomology
p" : H* (B) = H`(G/T)
and likewise the Thom isomorphisms, see 5.4.17, on K-theory
p' : K(B) -2+ K(G/T), and p' : KG(B) = KG(G/T).
Further, N(T), the normalizer of T in G, acts naturally on the space G/T
on the right. This action factors through the finite quotient by the identity
component N(T)° = T, giving an action of W = N(T)/T on G/T. There-
fore KG(G/T), K(G/T) and H'(G/T) have natural W-module structures,
and the Chern character map KC(G/T) - H'(G/T), see §5.8, being a
natural transformation, commutes with these structures. The isomorphism
p' transports the W-action to KK(G/B) and H`(G/B) respectively. Thus,
each of the groups KK(B), Kc(B) and H'(B) acquires a W-action. The
326 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

actions so defined will be referred to as "standard." Further we have the

following commutative diagram

KG (G/T) Kr (G/T) H"(G/T)

KG (I3) Kc (B) `h- H* (13)

Here the top arrows and the three vertical arrows are W-module maps.
Hence the bottom horizontal arrows are also W-module maps.

We proceed with a more explicit description of the maps in diagram

6.4.12. View X* (T) = Homaj9(T,C*) as a lattice in ll'. If the group algebra
C[X`(T)] is identified with C[T], see 6.1.9, then the isomorphism C[T]
KG(B) reads, see 6.1.11,

(6.4.16) eA s + [La], A E X"(T).

Therefore, following diagram (6.4.12) along the top and down the right side
yields the map

(6.4.17) C[T]/f" -+ H*(B) , -, ec,(L,)

where cl(LA) E H2(B) is the first Chern class of the line bundle La.

Lemma 6.4.18. The map (6.4.17) is a W-equivariant algebra homomor-

phism.

Proof. W-equivariance is immediate from formula (6.4.17), since w E W

takes to ew(A) and La to Lw(,\). Furthermore, the formula

ci(L.+i,) = cl(LA (9 Lµ) = cl(L.) +el(L,)

yields
ect(La+v) = eh(La)+ci(L,) = eci(L.\) . eei(La)

Therefore, the map (6.4.17) is an algebra homomorphism.

Proposition 6.4.19. (i) All the maps in diagram (6.4.12) are W-module
isomorphisms.
(ii) The map,3 in (6.4.13) takes W to H21(li).

Proof. It follows from the lemma that the top row of diagram (6.4.12) is
formed by W-equivariant maps. This implies the first part of proposition.
 6.4 W-Harmonic Polynomials and Flag Varieties 327

To prove the second claim, replace the weight A in (6.4.17) by n A where

n is an arbitrary integer. We have power series expansions in n:

e =
n'

i!
a i
,
ee,(L.\) _
-
n'

T
c1(La)'

These equations being true for an arbitrary integer n, it follows that mor-
phism 6.4.17 maps the first expansion into the second expansion term by
term. Thus we get At '-- cl(LA)', and the claim follows.

Next, choose x E X*(T)/W and fix a representative A E X in h*. Recall

the vector space spanned by the exponential functions eu (X), w E W,
viewed as holomorphic functions on Cl. Define a linear map 71, -+ K,(13) by
the assignment:
ew(a) f-, E cW [L.(,\)]
77 : E Cw
Recall the increasing filtration r, on KC (B) given by dimension of sup-
port, introduced in section 5.9, and the decreasing filtration F* on lX given
by the order of vanishing at 0, introduced before Proposition 6.4.5. Set
n = dimct3. The second part of the following result is (implicitly) contained
in the work of Kostant-Kumar [KK].
Proposition 6.4.20. If A is regular then the above defined map rl is a W -
equivariant isomorphism. Moreover, it is "Poincare dualizing," i.e., for any
d one has

rl(FdfX) = rn-dKc(8)
Proof. Let a be the map C[T] taking e' H e-. We have the
following W-equivariant diagram of natural maps

7JXC C[[4]]/fumu

C[T] P
(6.4.21) cI a 0
.

KK (Ii) Kc(B) ch* H' (13)

In this diagram the maps p and 7r are the natural projections, j is the
isomorphism of Lemma 6.4.7, p is the Borel isomorphism (6.4.12), the
map ch* is the cohomological Chern character, the left vertical map a
is the canonical isomorphism (6.1.6) and the map a in the middle is the
isomorphism induced from the previous one by means of diagram (6.4.12).
We have by definition
(6.4.22) 77 =iroaoe:HX -'Kc(8).
We will verify the following.
328 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Claim 6.4.23. For any d > 0, we have li(Fd9-lx) C r'n-dKc(L3).

The claim implies that 77 induces the well-defined associated graded map
grF
gr(rl) : xx - grr Kc (R),
and proving the proposition it suffices to show, by Proposition 2.3.20(ii),
the following
Claim 6.4.24. The map gr(t) is an isomorphism.
Proof of Claim 6.4.23. Compose the homology Chern character map ch.
with Poincare duality D : Hi(8) =+ Hen-i(fi). Using Proposition 5.9.7 one
finds
(6.4.25)

ch*(r,,_kKc(8)) = Do ch.(r,,-kKK(R))
®H2i(13)
H2i(13))
= D ((@ _ .

i<n-k i>k

Further, write f xi for the decomposition of the space of

harmonic polynomials into homogeneous components. We know that
3(H2i(l3)) = R', for all i. Hence, from formula (6.4.25) and diagram
(6.4.12) we deduce

(6.4.26) a-1(I'n-dK(R)) = j(®f') ,

i>d

where j was defined in (6.4.21). Using (6.4.22), the equation it o a = a o p

in diagram (6.4.21), and (6.4.26) we see that proving Claim 6.4.23 amounts
to showing that
(6.4.27) p o e(Fdxx) C j (®x')
i>d

To check this, pick R E Fd1(x. By definition of the filtration the Taylor

expansion of R at the origin is of the form R = d, Rd + (d+1)i Rd+1 + ...
where Ri is a homogeneous polynomial of degree i. We now use the graded
direct sum decomposition C[Cl] = x ®2"141, see Proposition 6.3.13, to write,
for each i > d,
Ri=Pi+Qt, PiEN', QiEI"",
(Qi is also homogeneous). Observe that since N is a finite dimensional
vector space, we have xi = 0 for i >> 0. Hence, Pi = 0 for i >> 0. Therefore,
the sum Ei>d Pi is actually finite. Moreover, if R is viewed as an element
of C[[C)J] using its Taylor expansion, then we get
2c(Nfl)
R - E Pi E 1Cpb]) hence R = > Pi (mod .

i>d i>d
 6.5 Orbital Varieties 329

Therefore, we can write

(6.4.28) poe(R) = poE(>Pi) = i(EPi)

i>d i>d

and (6.4.27) follows.

Proof of Claim 6.4.24. Formula (6.4.27) shows the map j o p o c takes
Fdfx into ®i>d?li. Further, equation (6.4.28) gives an explicit formula for
the corresponding associated graded map

(6.4.29) gr(j-1 o p o e) : FdxxIF+d+171X xd, (classR) H d! Pd

Next, Proposition 6.4.4 says that Rd, the first non-vanishing term of the
Taylor expansion of R, is a harmonic polynomial. Hence, we see that
Rd = Pd and Qd = 0 (notations of the proof of Claim 6.4.23). Formula
(6.4.29) then yields

(6.4.30) gr(j-1
o p o e) (classR) = d Rd E ?ld.

But this map is, up to the d! factor, nothing but the map of Proposition
6.4.5 which is an isomorphism, due to the proposition (since X is regular).
Hence, gr(j-1 o p o e) is an isomorphism.
Finally, formulas (6.4.25) - (6.4.27) show that proving the claim is equiv-
alent to checking that gr(j-1 o p o e) is an isomorphism.

6.5 Orbital Varieties

In Chapter 3 we have associated with a connected semisimple group G the
nilpotent cone N C g and the Springer resolution µ : N - J V. Recall
that N = T*B and also Z = N xN N, the Steinberg variety. Finally,
the convolution algebra H(Z) spanned (over C) by the top dimensional
components of Z is isomorphic, see Theorem 3.4.1, to the group algebra of
the Weyl group

(6.5.1) C[W] ^_- H(Z, C).

Given x E N we write B. = µ'1(x) and d(x) = dim,B. (note that in

Chapter 3 the notation d(x) was used for dimRBX, the real dimension of B.
We changed the notation to emphasize that the real dimension is even so
that the top homology of B. is concentrated in degree 2d(x) = 2dimcBx).
The isotropy subgroup G(x) C G acts on the Springer fiber By. This action
induces an action of the finite group C(x) = G(x)/G(x)° on homology.
330 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Moreover, we have shown in Chapter 3 that there is a natural Weyl group

representation in homology, and that H2d(x)(Bx)c(x) is an irreducible W-
module. That module corresponds to the trivial representation of the group
C(x), hence occurs in H2d(x)(Bx) with multiplicity one, see (3.5.4).
The fiber B. may be identified with the set of Borel subalgebras con-
taining x, hence, is embedded naturally into B. The embedding gives rise
to a homology morphism H.(Br) -+ H.(B). Although this morphism is not
necessarily injective, we have the following result (cf. claim 3.6.23).

._+
Theorem 6.5.2. (a) For d(x) = dimcBx, the map H2d(x)(BxPx)

H2d(x)(B) is injective.
(b) The morphism H. (Bx) -+ H.(B) commutes with the W -action com-
ing by (6.5.1) from the convolution H(Z)-action on each side.

Proof. We prove the injectivity statement first, assuming the morphism

is W-equivariant. We know that H2d(x) (BY' is an irreducible H(Z)-mod-
ule. Hence, injectivity amounts to showing that the map H2d(x)(Bx)c(x) .
H2d(x) (B) is non-zero. But the sum of fundamental classes of complex
subvarieties of a compact Kahler manifold gives a non-zero homology class.
Indeed the integral over such classes of the volume form arising from the
Kahler form is strictly bigger than 0, hence the sum cannot be homologous
to zero. Since B is a Kahler manifold (see 2.4.17, or [GS2], [AuKo]), the
injectivity claim follows.
To prove part (b) write the map B. --+ B as the composition

Bx = u-'(x) '.+ T*B -+ B

of the natural inclusion j and the cotangent bundle projection 7r. Let
i : B-+ T*B be the zero section. The set-theoretic equations
Z014-'(x) =µ''(x), ZoT*13=T*B, Z o B = B,

give a convolution H(Z)-action on the ordinary homology groups of

Bx, T*B and B respectively, see 2.7. The homological version of Lemma
5.2.23 (see also (2.7.15)) implies that the maps
Hord(Bx) -+ Hord(r!+*B) M±._ H}rd(B)

commute with convolution. But the map i. on the right is an isomorphism

whose inverse is a. (both it and i are homotopy inverse equivalences). Hence
ir. commutes with convolution. Thus the composition
Hard(B.) [Link](T*B) f4 [Link](B)
 6.5 Orbital Varieties 331

commutes with convolution. It remains to note that since both 5 and 13

are compact, we have
H."d(Cix) = H.(13-.) and H.''d(5) = H.(13).
This completes the proof.
Recall next that the Weyl group representation in H2i(B, Q) has a
positive-definite W-invariant form, hence is isomorphic to its contragredi-
ent module H2i(B, Q)v -- H2i(B, Q), see Remark 3.6.12. The complex co-
homology H2`(13,C) is isomorphic as a W-module to the space of degree i
harmonic polynomials, H2i(13, C) ^_- V.
The proof of the following result relies on intersection cohomology meth-
ods and will be given in 8.9.
Proposition 6.5.3. The W -module H2d(x) (fir, C) does not occur in ? t` for
every i < d(x) and there is a single copy of that module occurring in lid(x)
We now fix a point (x, b) E N. Thus b is a Borel subalgebra with
nilradical n, and x E n. Let 0 = G x be the adjoint orbit of x, so that
µ'1(O) C N. Thus we have a fibration µ-'(O) - 0 with fiber 13x. On
the other hand, the vector bundle projection p = T*13 -- B makes
A-'(0) a fibration over B whose fiber over 6 E 13 clearly gets identified
with 0 fl n. Let G(x) denote the isotropy group of x. Writing 0 = G/G(x)
and B = G/B, we thus obtain two isomorphisms
(6.5.4) G xc(x) fix µ-'(0) = G xB (O fl 6).
These isomorphisms yield a natural identification between the following two
diagrams
(6.5.5)

A-1(0) e p-1(O)

0 13 G/G(x) G/B.
This double fibration is a special case of the more general construction
in symplectic geometry explained in section 1.6. Namely, view the nilpotent
orbit 0 as a coadjoint orbit in g' with the canonical symplectic structure
on it, see Proposition 1.1.5. Let the Borel subalgebra 6 run through the
set of all Borel subalgebras in g, and write Ab for the regular locus of the
corresponding intersection 0 fl 6 (of course 0 fl 6 = 0 fl nb, where nb
denotes the nilradical of b, since 0 is nilpotent). This way we get, due to
Theorem 3.3.7, a lagrangian family {Ab, 6 E 13} on the symplectic manifold
0 parametrized by points of B. Thus, Theorem 1.6.6 yields the following
result.
332 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Proposition 6.5.6. (i) µ-'(O) is a coisotropic cone-subvariety of T*13;

Moreover diagram (6.5.5) is nothing but the resolution of the lagrangian
family {Ab} described in Theorem 1.6.6.
(ii) The 0 -foliation on µ-'(O) coincides with the fibers of the map
µ : µ-' (O) - O.
Next, fix a Borel subalgebra b with nilradical n, and 0, an irreducible
component of µ-'(O). Clearly O is a G-stable subvariety of R. Observe
that the cotangent space Ty B becomes identified naturally with n = bl, so
that the set A := O fl Tb 13 gets identified with a subset in o nn. We leave
it to the reader to verify the following result which is almost immediate
from definitions.
Lemma 6.5.7. (a) A is an irreducible component of o fl n, moreover
(b) The cotangent bundle projection ®-+ B induces a G-equivariant
isomorphism ®- G x. A.
We would like to parametrize the irreducible components O of the vari-
ety IL-1(0) in two different ways, using respectively, the two different pro-
jections in diagram (6.5.5).
To that end, fix x E 0 and let C(x) = G(x)/G°(x) be the component
group of G(x). Note that G(x) acts naturally on Bx, and G°(x) preserves
each irreducible component of B. Thus there is a natural C(x)-action on
the set of irreducible components of B. Furthermore, the LHS of (6.5.4)
shows that, for any irreducible component 0 of A-1(0), the intersection
µ''(x) n d is a single C(x)-orbit in the set of irreducible components of
Bx

Claim 6.5.8. The assignments ®H®nT613and

respectively give rise to natural bijections:
(6.5.9)
Components m Components I o I C(x)-orbits on irreducible
{ of O n n } 1 of p-' (O) components of Sx
Proof. We will use another way to define the same bijections (6.5.9) as
follows. Given X E O n n, introduce the set S = {g E G ( gxg-' E n} (this
set has been already used after equation (3.3.10)). We will demonstrate the
following bijections:
(6.5.10)
Components Components C(x)-orbits on irreducible
{ of on n } H { of S } { components of 6
By the definition of S, the assignment g ' gxg-' gives a bijection
S/G(x) -Z O n n. This shows that irreducible components of S/G(x) =
 6.5 Orbital Varieties 333

O n n are in natural bijection with the C(x)-orbits on the set of components

of S arising from G(x)-action on S by right translation. On the other hand,
using the definition S = {g E G I x E g-'ng}, we may express the set of
Borel subalgebras that contain x as
Bx={b' E1316'=g-'6g, g E S}.
Therefore the map g H g-' bg , g E S, gives a bijection B\S =+ Cix , where B
is the Borel subgroup of G corresponding to b. But the projection S -+ B\S
is a fibration with fibers equal to B. Since B is connected this shows that
the connected components of S are in natural bijection with the connected
components of B\S = 13x. To a component of 8x associate the inverse
image of this component in S.

Definition 6.5.11. Let E be the closure of µ-1(O) in N. The irreducible

components of E are called the orbital varieties associated to the orbit O.
By 6.5.9 these orbital varieties are in bijective correspondence with
C(x)-orbits on components of the fiber 13x.
Lemma 6.5.12. All orbital varieties associated with 0 have the same
(complex) dimension: dim E = 2dim 13 - d(x).
Proof. We have a natural projection E -+ O with fiber Sx over x.
Hence the restriction of the projection to an orbital variety has generic
fibers of dimension dim Bx, since 13x is equi-dimensional. We find that
dim E = dim O + dim Ax. Now, by the dimension identity (3.3.25) we have
dim O + 2dim CBx = 2dim B, hence dim O + dim B. = 2dim B - d(x). The
claim follows.

Recall the Steinberg variety Z C N x Si, and observe that one has
Z o IA-'(0) = IA-'(0). It follows that Z o E = E . Hence, convolution
in homology makes the top homology group H(E) an H(Z)-module. By
Lemma 6.5.12 the space H(E) is the span of the fundamental classes of all
irreducible components of E.
Proposition 6.5.13. The H(Z)-module H(E) is isomorphic to the irre-
ducible H(Z)-module H2d(x)(3x)C(x) in such a way that the fundamental
class of each component of E goes, under the isomorphism, to the sum over
the corresponding by Claim 6.5.8 C(x)-orbit of the fundamental classes of
irreducible components of Bx.
Proof. We choose a small open neighborhood U of x and a local trans-
verse slice S to 0 through x, see 3.7.1 , so that there is a local isomorphism
U 0 x S. For any variety X we write X2 = X X X. Put
Uµ-'(U) , Eu=EnU , S=µ-1(S) , Zu=ZnU2 ,
ZS XS s,
334 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

and let OA be the diagonal in O2. Then we have the following isomorphisms

(6.5.14) U N (on u) x U2 N O2 X S2,

Eu(0nV)xBy, Zuc_(oanV)xZs.
It is clear that intersecting with U gives an injective map res1, : H(E) -
H(E n U). Observe that an irreducible component of E restricts over x
to a C(x)-orbit on the set of irreducible components of the fiber 13x, due
to (6.5.4) and (6.5.8). It follows that the image of res,, can be described,
in terms of the isomorphism E n U = (0 n U) x Bx, see (6.5.14), as
[On U] ® H(B,,)C(x). Finally, by base locality 2.7.45, the map
res commutes with the H(Z)-action by convolution. Thus, we may restrict
our considerations to U.
Next, using the isomorphisms (6.5.14) we define bijections i : H(Zu) -
H(Zs) and i : H(Eu) --+ H(13x) by taking restriction over S. Consider the
following diagram whose vertical maps are given by convolution-action in
the ambient spaces 0, S , and U, respectively (from left to right).
"i ixid
H(Zu) X H(Eu) H(Zs) x H(13x) H(Zu) x H(fx)

.1 *1 *1
Id
H(E) H(13x) H(BB)

Since Oo is the identity correspondence in 0 x 0, the Kiinneth formula for

convolution, see 2.6.19, implies that each of the two squares of the above
diagram commutes. Hence the horisontal arrows in the diagram, which are
clearly bijective, intertwine the vertical convolution-map on the left and the
vertical convolution-map on the right. This proves the proposition. This
type of argument will be frequently used in the future where it will be
simply referred to as "the Kunneth formula for convolution."

Remark 6.5.15. Note that the fundamental class of any cone-subvariety

C C T*B is non-zero: its projective completion PC C 1P*B := 1PT*B
(section 2.3.10) is a non-zero class in H.(lP'13), due to the argument given
in the Proof of Theorem 6.5.2(a), and the map H.(T*B) -- H.(P'13) is
injective, since 1P*13 is a cellular fibration over 13, cf. 5.5. Thus the class
[E] E H.(T*B) is non-zero.

Put n = dimc13 and d = dimc8y so that dimRE = 2(2n - d). Write

i : 13 .- T*B for the zero section and D for the Poincare duality on a smooth
complex variety. The natural diagram E ' N = T*13 4' 8 yields the
following maps
 6.6 The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial 335

(6.5.16)

H(E) = H2(2,-d)(E) -'*-+ H2(2.-d)(T"H) L ' Hen-2d(H) -' H2d(13).

Let a be the composition of all the maps in (6.5.16) followed by the
canonical isomorphism H2d(B) N Rd (= degree d harmonic polynomials).
Composing further with the isomorphism of Proposition 6.5.13 we get a
linear map
(6.5.17)
H(Bx)c(x) -4 1{d

We will prove later in Chapter 7 that this map commutes with the W-
action, hence is injective by the argument used in the Proof of Theorem
6.5.2(a). Furthermore, we will give an alternative interpretation of this map
in terms of equivariant Hilbert polynomials, objects to be studied in the
next section.

6.6 The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial

We introduce a polynomial which is a generalization of the Hilbert polyno-
mial playing an important role in algebraic geometry, cf. [AtMa].
Let T be a complex torus and X'(T) = Homaz9(T,C') the weight
lattice. Let V be a finite dimensional vector space with an algebraic linear
T-action. The action of T on V being diagonalizable, we have the weight
space decomposition
V=®Vµ , pEX*(T).
Write SpV for the set of µ E X*(T) such that Vµ :A 0. We suppose through-
out this section that the T-action on V is contracting in the following sense:
the set SpV lies in an open half-space of the real vector space R ®z X*(T).
We fix such a half-space V D SpV and let C((T)) be the vector space
formed by (possibly infinite) formal series:
f= E c
,UEv(f)+V+
e'` , for somev(f)EV,cNEC.

Observe that multiplication of formal series is well-defined on C((T)) (one

may take v(fg) = v(f) + v(g)) and makes C((T)) into a ring that contains
C(T) as the subring formed by the finite series.
Example 6.6.1. The case we are mainly interested in is: B = T U is a
Borel subgroup of a semisimple group and V = LieU, equipped with the
adjoint T-action. Then
Sp (Lie U) = R- =negative roots (cf. 6.1.9).
The action is contracting as is immediate from the axioms of a root system.
336 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

A finitely generated C[V]-module M is called T-equivariant if there is

an algebraic T-action on M (in particular, the T-orbit of any rn E M is
contained in a finite dimensional subspace of M) such that
tET ,pEC[V] mEM.
The T-action on M being algebraic, hence semisimple, there is a weight
space decomposition

M=®Mµ, pEX`(T).
The condition that SpV C V+, together with the assumption that M is
finitely generated, imply that there exists a vector v = v(M) E R ® X'(T)
such that the weight space Mµ is non-zero only if p E v+V+ and, moreover,
each weight space M,, is finite dimensional.
We define the formal character of M with respect to T by
chTM = E (dim M,,) eµ E C((T)) .

Example 6.6.2. Let T = C*. Then X*(T) = Homai9(C",C*) = Z, and

C((T)) = C((z)) is the ring of Laurent power series in one variable. Further,
the weight space decomposition M = ®Mµ on a C*-equivariant C[V]-
module reduces to a grading

M=®M1,1 mEZ=X"(T)
mEZ

such that z E C* acts on Mm by means of multiplication by z'". Thus

the function chT M reduces in this case to the ordinary Poincare series, cf.
2.2,22:

P(M)(z) = E (dim Mm) - z'.

m

In the special case of V = C, acted on by C* by dilations, a C'-equivariant

C[V]-module is just a Z-graded module over the polynomial ring in one
variable.
We return to the general setup of an arbitrary torus T.
Example 6.6.3. Let M be a T-equivariant coherent Ov-sheaf. Then M =
I'(V, Jai), the space of regular global sections, is a finitely generated T-
equivariant C[V]-module, and it is clear that every T-equivariant finitely
generated C[V]-module arises in this fashion since V is an affine variety.
Lemma 6.6.4. In the ring C((T)) we have the equality chT C[V] _
nµESpV (1 - eµ)-1, where each weight p is taken in the product as many
times as it occurs in the weight space decomposition of V.
 6.6 The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial 337

Proof. If V is one dimensional then there is only one element in SpV

and the lemma is clear. If dim V > 1, then write V = ®V , note that
ch T(C[Vl (DV2]) = chT(C[V,]) ' ch T((C[V2]) , and proceed by induction.
Corollary 6.6.5. Let M be a free T-equivariant rank one C[V]-module
with generator m), of weight A. Then
ea
chT M-ch T a TT /
IiMESpv(l - eµ)

Proposition 6.6.6. For any finitely generated T-equivariant C[V]-module

M there exist finitely many A E X`(T) and na E Z such that we have
e`
(6.6.7) chT(M) = ).
! lµEE v(1 eµ

Proof of Proposition. Observe that the assignment M -+ chT M is

additive on short exact sequences. Hence it descends to an R(T)-linear
homomorphism KT(V) -+ C((T)). By the Thom isomorphism, see 5.4.17,
KT (V) is a free R(T)-module with generator Ov. But r(V, Ov) = C[V],
and therefore the result now follows from Corollary 6.6.5 by linearity.
Let XM = Ea naeA be the numerator of (6.6.7) viewed as an element
of R(T). We may interpret the assignment M -+ X,,, in the language of
equivariant K-theory as follows. Let M = Ov ®clvl M E KT (V) be the
T-equivariant sheaf on V associated to M, and
i' : KT(V) --+ KT({0}) = R(T).
the pullback with respect to the zero embedding i : {0} --+ V.
Claim 6.6.8. The map i` : KT (V) -+ R(T) sends M E KT (V) to
(6.6.9) i.(M)
= X.
Proof. Pulling back a free sheaf by means of i is nothing but restricting
to {0}. Thus i`Ov = 1 E R(T). Now i' is an R(T)-module homomorphism,
so

i*(nj,e'Ov) = naeai'OV, ea E R(T).

The Thom isomorphism 5.4.17 says that each M E KT (V) can be written
as a i-linear combination E naeaOv. This implies that i*M = E naea,
which, examining the proof of Proposition 6.6.6 is precisely the numerator
of chT(M).
Now let M be a T-equivariant C[V]-module with the formal character

(6.6.10) chT(M) = XM = Enaea E C[X*(T)]

nµespv(1- eµ)'
338 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

We regard X,,, as a regular function on T, and pull this function back to

h = Lie T by means of the exponential map. Taking the Taylor expansion
of the resulting entire function at the origin, we get

exp" XM = P° + Pl + P2 + ... , where P' _ na A'

i. a

is a homogeneous polynomial on 4 of degree i.

Definition 6.6.11. The first non-vanishing term P' of the above expan-
sion is called the equivariant Hilbert polynomial of the module M, to be
denoted P(M).
In the special case of T = C` acting on V by dilations, this definition
boils down to the standard definition of a Hilbert polynomial.
Given a T-equivariant coherent sheaf M we write, by abuse of notation,
P(M) for the equivariant Hilbert polynomial of the module r(V, m) of
the global sections of M. In particular, let X C V be a T-stable closed
subvariety. We let PX denote the Hilbert polynomial of the structure sheaf
OX, that is the Hilbert polynomial of the coordinate ring C[X]. The next
result shows that, essentially, all Hilbert polynomials are obtained in this
way.
Theorem 6.6.12. Let M be a T-equivariant coherent sheaf on V and let
d = dim (suppM) be the complex dimension of the support of M. Then
(i) P(M) is a homogeneous polynomial of degree
deg P(M) = dim V - d
(ii) If S1, S2.... S, are the d-dimensional irreducible components of
suppM then
P(M) r
_ mult(M; Si) - Psi.
i=1

An elementary proof of this fact by induction on dim (supp M) is given

in [BoB]. We will give a different proof based on the geometric lemma
below. Our proof is a bit longer but is, in a sense, more direct.
Let X be a smooth projective variety and G a line bundle on X such
that the first Chern class c = cl (G) E H2 (X, C) is represented by a
Kahler 2-form on X (this is the case, e.g. if C is the pullback of the
line bundle 0(1) by means of a projective embedding Then, for
any closed algebraic subvariety Y C X of dimension k we get a number
(ck, [Y]) = fy... ck, and we let (ck, [Y]) be zero if dimY < k, by definition.
Given a coherent sheaf F on X we write [suppF] = E mult(F, S;) [Si], see
5.9.2, for the support cycle of F and X(F) = E(-1)'dimHI(X,.F) for the
Euler characteristic of Y. Also, for any i E Z, set F(i) := F 0 C®'.
 6.6 The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial 339

Lemma 6.6.13. Assume that F is a coherent sheaf on X, and k =

dim,(supp.F). Then we have a formal power series identity
zn = (Ck, [s (1 )Z+1 fk(z)
n>O r1

where fk(z) is a polynomial of degree < k such that fk(1) = 0.

Proof of Lemma 6.6.13. Let Td,, E H`(X) be the Todd class of X. The
Riemann-Roch theorem for the sheaf .F ®G®n on X yields

(6.6.14) X(.F(n)) = J en', ch..F TdX,

where f stands for the direct image in homology with respect to the con
stant map (supp.F) '- pt, and ch..F E H.(supp.F) is the homological
Chern character of F. The direct image in homology being degree preserv-
ing, only the degree zero component of the class exp(n c) ch..F Td,
makes a non-trivial contribution to the RHS of (6.6.14). To compute the
degree zero component, we write using Lemma 5.9.13 (and formulas in its
proof),
(6.6.15)
ch..F TdX = [[Link] + sk-1 + ... + so , s; E Hz, (supp .F) .

Writing further the expansion exp(n c) yields

Je'.[Link] = (ck, [suP T!

+ (ck-1, sk-1) k 1)! + ... + (1, so).
(k
Substituting this formula into (6.6.14) we obtain

nkxn
(6 616) E X(.F(n)) . zn== (c k, [supp F}) ' +
n>O n>0 k
nk-1xn
+ (Ck-1' sk-1) 1)' + ... + (1, 80) .Zn.
nG o (k . n>0

We now use the following standard arithmetical result whose proof will be
postponed until the end of this section.

Lemma 6.6.17. For any k = 0,1, ... , one has a power series identity
1
n kxn = zk + pk(Z) ,
k!n>o (1 - x)k+1

where pk is a polynomial of degree < k such that pk(1) = 0.

340 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Using the lemma we can rewrite the RHS of (6.6.16)( as follows

(ck, Isupp F]) , (l + p) (+) + (Ck-1, Sk-1) . zk pz)k (z) + ... + (1's)
(1
Clearing the denominators we get the expression

(ck, fk(z)
(1 - z)k+l
where fk is a polynomial of degree < k such that fk(l) = 0. This expression
for the RHS of (6.6.16) yields Lemma 6.6.13.

Lemma 6.6.18. Let M be a finite dimensional C*-equivariant C(V]-

module with weight space decomposition M = ®mEZMm (see 6.6.2).
Then the C*-equivariant Hilbert polynomial, P(M), is a polynomial on
Lie C* = C of the form

P(M) : t i- dim M J1 mdim M,,,) , tdim V

mEZ

Note that dim Mm = 0 for all but finitely many m's so that the expres-
sion on the right is well-defined.

Proof. We have
chi, (M) = > (dim Mm) z'
MEZ

is a polynomial in z. By (6.6.7) we can write this polynomial in the form

ch . (M) = X. (z)
T7
flmESpV(1 - Zm)

where XM (z) = chc. (M) - f mmESpV (1 - zm) The Hilbert polynomial, P(M),
is by definition obtained by changing the variable z = el and taking the
first non-vanishing term of the Taylor expansion of the function t ' -+ XM (et)
at t = 0. Note that the function t'-4 ch,. (M)(et) takes the value dim M at
t = 0 so that ch,. (M)(et) = dim M + 0(t). Since 1 - em't = m t + o(t) we
find that

XM(et) = ch,.(M)(et) II (1-em't) = mdimMm).tdimV+...,

mESpV 'EZ
where the dots denote terms of degree > dim V.

Proof of Theorem 6.6.12. STEP 1: REDUCTION TO THE CASE T = C*.

Write X*(T) := Homaig(C*,T) and let y" E X*(T). Call y" dominant if
(y", µ) is greater than 0 for each it E SpV.
 6.6 The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial 341

Let y" E X.(T) be dominant, and let C* act on V by (z, v) -+ y"(z) v.

Then all the eigenvalues of the C'-action on V are positive so the action is
contracting. Therefore we may apply the above machinery to this C*-action
on V. In particular for any finitely generated T-equivariant C[V)-module
M, one defines ch ry" (M), the character of M viewed as a C'-module by
means of y". We have
naz(a.7")
V
(ch.,"M)(z) = [(y")*chTM] (z) = f1µeSPV(1
- z(µ,'r"))

where the characters ch T and ch.," are viewed as formal power series on t =
Lie T and C = Lie C* respectively and (y" )' is the pullback on functions.
Call y" generic, if y" is not divisible by an integer in X. (T) so that the
homomorphism y" : C* y T is injective. Explicitly, if T = C' x ... x C*
then y" takes the form z -* (zml, ... , x'"-) , and such y" is generic if and
only if the integers ml, ... , m, are mutually prime.
It is clear from the above formula that the proposition holds for a T-
equivariant sheaf M, provided it holds for M, viewed as a C'-equivariant
sheaf by means of any generic homomorphism y" : C' - T. Hence, it
suffices to fix a generic y" and prove the proposition for the corresponding
C'-action. Thus, we may (and will) assume in the remainder of the proof
that T = C'. Moreover, we assume, since the above y" is generic, that the
C'-action on V\{0} is free.
STEP 2: REDUCTION TO A WEIGHTED PROJECTIVE SPACE. The C'-
action on V\{O} being free, the orbit space
lF,, := (V\{0})/C'
is a well-defined variety. This variety P. is called the weighted projective
space, since it depends on the weights ml, ... , m,. of the C'-action on V.
The space P. is a projective variety because all the weights are positive,
since the action is contracting. Moreover, the singularities of P. are rather
mild, since the C'-action on V\{0} is free. In fact any weighted projective
space is known to be the quotient of an ordinary projective space modulo
a finite group action. The ordinary projective space being smooth, such a
quotient is rationally smooth. In particular, there is a well-defined class of
the virtual tangent bundle to IPc. in the rational K-group Q ® K(IPc. ), and
the ordinary (not singular) Riemann-Roch theorem holds on IF.. Further,
the projection

(6.6.19) p : V\{0} - 1Pc.

defines a line bundle on Fc.. We write 0(n) for the n-th tensor power of
the dual bundle (= invertible sheaf) on P , . Thus one has by construction
342 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

a graded algebra isomorphism

(6.6.20) C[V] = ® r(]P, O(n)).
n>O

Now let M be a C'-equivariant coherent sheaf on V and MIv\{o} its

restriction to V\{0}. By the equivariant descent property (5.2.15), there
is a uniquely defined coherent sheaf M on P. such that
p',M = MIv\{o}
We write M(n) := .M ®oP , O(n) and form the Z-graded vector space

M=® r(P.,M(n))
nEZ

The natural pairing O(m) ® M(n) '- M(m + n) makes M a graded C[V]-
module, by means of (6.6.20). Further, for any n > 0, an element of degree
n component of r(V, m) gives rise, by restriction to V\{0}, an element of
r(IP,,,? (n)). This way we get a grading preserving C[VJ-module map
F:r(V,M)-'® r(1P.., M(n)))
nEZ

The natural 4-term exact sequence

associated to F yields the following equation in the Grothendieck group of

graded C(V]-modules
(6.6.21) [r(V, .M)] = [M] + [Ker F] - [Coker F].
Further, we can decompose M into the direct sum M = M+ ® M_, where
EJ)
n>0,resp. <0

Though the decomposition M = M+ ® M_ is not C[V]-stable, the isomor-

phism (6.6.20) shows that M+ is a C[V]-submodule in M. Hence, M_ has
a C[V]-module structure induced by the equality M_ = M/M+. Therefore
in the Grothendieck group we get [M] = [M+] + (M_], and (6.6.21) yields
(6.6.22) [r(V, m )l = [M+] + [M_] + [Ker F] - [Coker F].
Claim 6.6.23. The C[V]-modules M-, Ker F , Coker F on the RHS of
(6.6.22) are all finite dimensional.
Proof of Claim. Recall that 0(i) is an ample line bundle on Pr.. There-
fore, for the coherent sheaf M on )P, we have
r(iP, M(n)) = 0 for all n << 0.
 6.6 The Equivariant Hilbert Polynomial 343

This proves that M_ is finite dimensional as it is a finite direct sum of finite

dimensional vector spaces.
Observe next that the kernel of the map F is formed by the sections
m E r(V, M) such that [Link]\{o} = 0. Therefore, KerF is the submodule
of all the sections of M that are supported at the origin 0 E V. Those
sections form a coherent subsheaf of M supported at the origin. Since any
such sheaf has a finite dimensional space of global sections, it follows that
KerF is finite dimensional.
To prove the claim for Coker F , recall the general fact (cf. [Ha]) that,
for any coherent sheaf F on Pr., the space ®n>o P(Pc.,.1(n)) is a finitely
generated ®n>o r(P,O(n))-module. Hence, M+ is a finitely generated
C[V]-module, due to (6.6.20). Since dim M_ < oo and M/M+ = M_,
it follows that M is finitely generated over C[V] again. Thus we have
M = r(V,M') for a certain C'-equivariant coherent sheaf, M', on V.
Moreover, the map F is induced by a sheaf morphism M -+ M' on V
so that

Coker F = I'(V, Coker(M --+ .M')).

But it is clear from the construction that the morphism M - M' becomes
an isomorphism when restricted to V\{0}. Therefore, Coker(M -- M') is
a coherent sheaf supported at the origin. Hence, its space of global sections
is finite dimensional and thus Coker F is finite dimensional. That completes
proof of the claim.
STEP 3. F o r each j = 0,1, 2, ... , dim P,,. , define the following graded
space

H'=®H'(P.,X (n))
n>O

Observe that H° = M+. For j > 1, the space Hi has a similar C[V]-module
structure. Moreover, since 0(1) is ample, for fixed j > 0 we have

H'(1P,:,, )N(n)) = 0 for all n >> 0.

Hence, Hi is finite dimensional whenever j > 0. Thus, in the Grothendieck

group of graded C[V]-modules we have

(-1)' [H'] = [M+] - [Hodd] + [He"],

i>0

where [H°dd] = [H1] ® [H3] ® ... and [H2] ® [H4] ® ... are
finite dimensional C[V]-modules. Taking formal characters (i.e., Poincare
polynomials, cf. example 6.6.2), the above equation in the Grothendieck
344 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

group yields

(-1)' chi. HJ = chc. M+ - chc. Hodd + chc. H.

i>o
The LHS of this equation can be computed by means of Lemma 6.6.13.
Applying the lemma to the sheaf . ' _ .M on X = IPc. we find

(ck, [suPPM])zk + A(z) =

X(M(n)) = ch C. M+ - ch C. Hodd + ch C. H
(1 - z)k+1 n>O

Expressing the character of M+ from this equation and inserting it into

(6.6.22) we obtain

(6.6.24) ch,. r(V, M) _ (ck, [suPPM])zk + fk(z)

(1 - Z) k+1
+ chc. (He1) - chc. (Hodd) + chc. (M_) + chc. (Ker F) - chc. (Coker F).

To complete the proof of Theorem 6.6.12, assume first that supp M =

{0}. Then r(V, m) = Ker F is a finite dimensional module. Hence, Lemma
6.6.18 applies. It says that the Hilbert polynomial P(M) has degree dim V,
proving part (i) of the theorem in this case. Part (ii) of the theorem follows
from the observation that the assignment M i- P(M) is additive on the
subcategory of C*-equivariant sheaves supported at the origin.
Assume finally that suppM 0 {0}. Then dim (supp M) = d > 0,
since the origin is the only C"-stable 0-dimensional subset in V. Hence,
MIv\{o} # 0 so that M # 0. The fibers of the projection V\{0} -
Pc. being purely one-dimensional, we see that dim(supp,M) = d - 1 >
0. We now apply formula (6.6.24). Each formal character, in this
formula is of the form (6.6.10). The equation for the X's, the corresponding
numerators, arising from (6.6.24) reads (taking into account that k = d-1)

(6.6.25) (Cd-1, [suppM])zd-1 . 11mESPV(1 - Zm)

(1 - z)d +
11mES1 m
V x)d z +
+ fd-1(z)
+ XH.. (z) - XN,,,d ('z) + X. W + X...' (Z) - XC.k.r . (z).
To compute the Hilbert polynomial we must put z = et and compute the
first non-vanishing term of the expansion of the function t ,-4 X(et). Since
1 - zm = (1 - z)(1 + ...) the first non-vanishing term of the expansion of
the function
11mESpV(1 - em t)
t H fd-1(et)
(1 - et)d
 6.6 The Equivariant Hilhert Polynomial 345

occurs in degree > dim V - d, since fd_ 1(1) = 0 by Lemma 6.6.19. Observe
further that all the C[V]-modules that occur in the last line of equation
(6.6.25) have been shown to be finite dimensional. Applying Lemma 6.6.18
to these modules, we see that the expansions of the corresponding functions
X begin in degree dim V. Finally, the factor (cd-1, [supp J R]) in the first
term on the RHS of (6.6.25) is non-zero, and the remaining factor has zero
at z = 1 of order (dim V - d). Hence, the first non-vanishing term of the
corresponding expansion occurs in degree (dim V - d). That proves part (i)
of Theorem 6.6.12.
To prove part (ii) write formula (6.6.25) for the structure sheaves OS;
instead of M. Comparing terms on the RHS of (6.6.25) for both M and
the OS;'s, yields the result. That completes the proof of the theorem.
Proof of Lemma 6.6.17. We have
E n(n - k + n(n - k +
n>0 n>k

n>0

(6.6.26) = zk dzk(l + z + z2 + )

k dk 1 _ Zk k!
z
dzk (1-2 (1-z)k+l'
where we have used that
d' = k!
(-1)k (-1) (-2) ... (-k) (1 - z)-(k+l)
( 1-z ) =
1
dx k (1-z)k+1
One now proves the lemma by induction on k. For k = 1 the result amounts
to the geometric progression formula. To prove the induction step we use
the obvious identity
k-1
n(n-1) (n-k+1)zn = Enkzn+Ect(k) (En tzn), ct(k) E Z.
n>O n>0 1=0 n>0

By the induction hypothesis, the second sum on RHS of this identity has
the form
k-i
cl(k) 11 zt +pi(z)
t=0 (1 - z)t+l
where pt(z) is a polynomial of degree < 1. The LHS of the identity has been
computed in (6.6.26) above. Thus, the identity yields
1 _ zk (z - 1) p(z)
klnjOnkzn (1 - z)k+l (1 - z) k+1

where p is a polynomial of degree < k - 1. The lemma follows.

346 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings

The results of this section play a crutial role in the infinite-dimensional
representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras. It is especially important
in the theory of so-called Harish-Chandra modules, cf. [Di], and in the
relationship between g-modules and D-modules, see [BeiBer]. However no
complete account of these results were, at the time of this publication,
available in the literature, except for the original paper of Kostant [Ko3]
which exploited references to some non-trivial facts from Commutative
Algebra. Such a complete account is provided below.
Let G be a complex connected semisimple algebraic group with Lie al-
gebra g. We will be concerned with the structure of the algebra embedding
C[g]G c C[g]. By the Chevalley Restriction Theorem (3.1.38) this can be
viewed as an embedding, cf. discussion before diagram (3.1.41):
C[S5]w
4 C[g]G `-' C[9],
where 5, is the "abstract" Cartan subalgebra. Geometrically, studying the
embedding amounts to studying the induced morphism of affine algebraic
varieties:

(6.7.1) P g- /W.
The algebra C[Sj]w is known [Bourl, chapter 8] to be a free polynomial
algebra on r = rk g generators, in particular we have an isomorphism
$/W . Cr. Let pl,... pr be the elements of C[g]' corresponding to those
generators by means of the Chevalley isomorphism 3.1.38. Then we have
C[g]° = C[pl,... ,pr] so that the morphism (6.7.1) can be written in the
following concrete form
p : g - Cr, P : x'-' (PI (X), ... , Pr(x)) E Cr.
Thus, the fiber Vx := p-1(X) over a point X = (Xl, , Xr) E Cr = $/W is
the level set of the polynomials pl, ... pr:
Vx={xEg
Put N := dim n; the triangular decomposition g = it ®C) ® n- shows that
dim g = 2N + r. The main results of this section are summarized in the
following three theorems, all due to Kostant [Ko3].

Theorem 6.7.2. (Geometric properties) The map p : g - S5/W is a

surjective morphism with 2N-dimensional irreducible fibers; moreover, for
each X E S1/W, the fiber Vx has the following properties:
(i) Vx is a G-stable closed (possibly singular) subvariety of g consisting
of finitely many G-conjugacy classes;
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 347

(ii) For each X, regular elements, see 3.1.3, in V,r form a unique open,
dense conjugacy class VXe9 C VX of dimension 2N.
(iii) For each X, semisimple elements in VX form a unique conjugacy
class VX' C VX ; this class has minimal dimension among all conjugacy
classes in Vx, and is the only closed conjugacy class in V,,.
(iv) The zero-fiber of p is equal to the nilpotent cone, i.e., Vo = p_'(0) _
N;
(v) The fiber p' (X) is a single conjugacy class if and only if it contains
a regular semisimple element.
To formulate the next theorem it is convenient to view a point X E
SpecmC[g]G = Sj/W as a homomorphism X : C[g]G -' C, and to write
Ker X for the kernel, the corresponding maximal ideal in C[g]G. More con-
cretely, if X is viewed as an r-tuple (Xi, ... , X,.) E Cr, then Ker X becomes
the ideal in C[g]G generated by the elements pi-X,,... , Pr - Xr, where the
identification C[g]G C[pl,... , is retained throughout.
Theorem 6.7.3. (Algebro-Geometric properties)
For each X E SpecmC[g]G = Sj/W we have
(i) A polynomial f E C(q) vanishes on V,, if and only if f belongs to the
ideal C[g] kerX; in other words,

O(VX) =
(ii) The ring C[g]/C[g].kerX is normal, cf. 2.2.6;
(iii) The natural restriction map O(VX) -+ O(VXe9), see 6.7.2(ii), is an
isomorphism.
Let N C C[g] be the subspace of G-harmonic polynomials on g in the
sense of definition 6.3.2. Observe that the adjoint action makes C[g] and
O(VX) into G-modules.
Theorem 6.7.4. (Algebraic properties)
(i) The algebra C[g] is a free C[g]G-module; furthermore, the multiplica-
tion map gives a G-equivariant graded C[g]'-module isomorphism

C[g]G ®, 7 -' CE91.

(ii) For any X E Specm C[g]G = Sj/W, the G-module O(VX) is isomorphic
to a direct sum of finite-dimensional simple G-modules. If V is such a G-
module then it occurs in O(V,r) with multiplicity = dim V (O), where V (O) is
the zero-weight subspace(= fixed points of a maximal torus) in V.
Among the three theorems, the first is most elementary while the second
theorem bears the main burden of proof. For a proof of Theorem 6.7.4(i)
similar to ours, see also [Wa]. Wallach's approach does not yield part (ii)
however.
348 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Proof of Theorem 6.7.2. We first reformulate the theorem in more con-

crete terms. To that end, choose a Cartan subalgebra lj C g and identify
fj with lj as in the Chevalley restriction theorem, cf. 3.1.38. Further write
W for the Weyl group of (g, tj) so that W acts on h. Now, the restriction of
the map p : g --' Sj/W to h gets identified with the projection h - h/W,
which is clearly surjective. Hence p is surjective. Given h E 4, write h for
its image in h/W, and set

(6.7.5) Vh = p-1(h) = fiber over h.

Let g(h) and G(h) denote the centralizer of h in g and G respectively.

Note that g(h) is a reductive Lie algebra of the same rank as g. More
precisely we have

g(h) = center of g(h) ®gder(h),

where gdtr(h) = [g(h), g(h)] is the semisimple derived Lie algebra. Let
Nh denote the variety of all nilpotents in gd,T(h) or, equivalently, in g(h),
since the center of g(h) consists of the semisimple elements alone. For any
n E Nh, elements h and h + n have the same semisimple part, h, and
commute, hence, both belong to a common Borel subalgebra. Therefore,
for any G-invariant polynomial P on g we have by Corollary 3.1.43
P(h) = P(h + n).
Thus, the set h+Nh is contained in Vh (see 6.7.5). The variety Vh is AdG-
stable, and therefore contains Ad G- (h+.Nh), the G-saturation of h+Nh
by means of the adjoint action. That is,

Ad C Vh.

We claim that Vh = Ad G (h + Nh). More precisely, observe first that the

group G(h) is acting naturally on h+Nh by conjugation. We claim that the
following G-equivariant morphism induced by the Ad G-action is surjective

(6.7.6) G XG(h) (h +Nh) -» Vh.

To prove the claim, we have to verify, in view of the inclusion above,
that
Vh C AdG (h+Nh).
To prove this it is enough to show that any x E Vh is G-conjugate to an
element whose Jordan decomposition is of the form h + n for some n E Nh.
Fix x E Vh, and write its Jordan decomposition x = s + v where s and v are
respectively semisimple and nilpotent elements commuting with each other
under the Lie bracket. By 3.1.4, the element s is conjugate to an element of
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 349

4, say h'. Therefore, for any G-invariant polynomial P on g by definition of

Vh one has
P(h') = P(s) = P(s + v) = P(x) = P(h).
This implies, by the Chevalley restriction theorem, that for any W-
invariant polynomial P on Il we have P(h') = P(h). Hence h' and h be-
long to the same W-orbit in 1y, hence, are G-conjugate to each other. Thus
x = s + v is G-conjugate to an element of the form h + n E 4 + Nh. The
claim follows.
Assume first that the element h E l above is regular. Then g(h) = 1 so
that Nh = 0 and h + Nh = {h} is a single point. Hence, Vh is the image
under (6.7.6) of the set
G xG(h) (h + Nh) = G XT {h} G/T,
where T C G is the maximal torus corresponding to ll. Hence, in this
case the map (6.7.6) is the standard bijection of G/T onto the semisimple
conjugacy class Ad G - h, and Vh = Ad G h (in fact, the map 6.7.6 is
always bijective, but we will neither prove nor use this fact). Since the
regular semisimple elements form an open dense subset of g (see 3.1.5), this
shows that the generic fiber of the morphism p has dimension dim G/T =
dim g - r = 2N.
We now prove that all the fibers of p have the same dimension. To
that end we note the dimension of special fiber is always >- than the
dimension of the generic fiber. The latter has already shown to be equal
to dim G/T = 2N. It follows that for any h E b1 W one has dim Vh >- 2N.
On the other hand, by the surjectivity of (6.7.6), we find
dim Vh < dim (G X G(h) (h + Nh)) = dim G - dim G(h) + dimNh.

But for any reductive group, G(h) in particular, one has dimG(h) -
dimNh = rkG(h). Since rkG(h) = rkG = r we obtain the opposite in-
equality
dimV,<dimG-r=2N,
and the equidimensionality of the fibers follows. Note that we have shown
also that, for any h E lj, the varieties on both sides of (6.7.6) have the same
dimension.
Observe next that G-orbits in the induced variety, G XG(h) (h+Nh) , are
clearly in one to one correspondence with G(h)-conjugacy classes in h+Nh.
The latter is an irreducible variety consisting of finitely many G(h)-orbits
(apply Corollary 3.2.9 to g(h)). Hence G XG(h) (h + A(h) is an irreducible
variety consisting of finitely many G-orbits. Hence, the same holds for Vh
due to the surjectivity of (6.7.6). That proves both the first claim and part
350 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

(i) of the theorem. Further, we know by 3.7.6 that each G(h)-conjugacy

class in N" contains the zero-point 0 E N^ in its closure. Hence, the image
of the composition

G XG(h) {h} G XG(h) (h + A(h) -» Vh

is a conjugacy class in Vh which is contained in the closure of any other

conjugacy class in Vh. Hence it is the unique closed conjugacy class in
Vh. Moreover, it has minimal dimension and consists of all the semisimple
elements of Vh. Part (iii) follows.
Now let Ch C Nh be the open dense conjugacy class of the regular
nilpotents in gdeT(h) (see 3.2.10). Then, the image

(6.7.7) vhe9
P (G XG(h) (h + ®h))

is a dense conjugacy class in Vh of dimension dim Vh = 2N. It follows

that VheQ is an open dense conjugacy class in Vh consisting of regular
elements. Moreover, it contains all the regular elements in Vh, since all other
conjugacy classes have strictly smaller dimension. This proves part (ii) of
the theorem. It follows from parts (ii) and (iii) that Vh is a single conjugacy
class if and only if the elements of the set (6.7.7) are semisimple. This is the
case if and only if ®h = Nh = gder(h) = {0}, i.e., if and only if g(h) = 1).
The latter holds if and only if h is regular, and part (v) follows. Finally,
part (iv) is equivalent to Proposition 3.2.5. This completes the proof of the
theorem.
Proof of Theorem 6.7.3. We fix a Cartan subalgebra 1) '-+ g, as in proof
of Theorem 6.7.2, and let C(9/l)] -+ C[g] be the pullback morphism induced
by the projection g -+ g/lj. The pullback combined with the multiplication
map gives rise to an algebra homomorphism

(6.7.8) C[g/h] ®e C[9]G -+ C[01-

We have the following, see [BeLu] and also [Wa].

Claim 6.7.9. The algebra homomorphism (6.7.8) is injective and the alge-
bra C[g] is a free graded C[g/l)] ® C[9]G-module of rank r.

This follows from Proposition 2.2.12 applied to V = 9, E = h and

A = C[g]G. The restriction map A -+ C[E] here is given by the compo-
sition C[g]G .Z C[b]w +C[h], hence is injective. Furthermore, by the Pittie-
Steinberg Theorem 6.1.2, the composite map makes C[h] a free C[9]'-
module of rank r. The claim is proved.
Claim 6.7.9 implies that, for any X E SpecmC[g]G, the quotient
C[g]/C[g] ker x is a rank r free C[g/lj]-module. It follows that the ring
C[g]/C[g] kerx is Cohen-Macaulay, see 2.2.9 and discussion after it.
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 351

We are now going to apply the key Theorem 2.2.11. To that end, choose.
and fix free homogeneous generators pi,... , p, of the algebra '1'lic
C[9]G.

proof of the following important result is postponed until the end of the
section.
Claim 6.7.10. The differentials dpi(x),... , dp,.(x) are linearly indepen-
dent at any regular, see 3.1.3, point x E 9.
It follows from the claim and part (ii) of Theorem 6.7.2 that, for any
X E 15/W, the differentials dpi (x), ... , dpr (x) are linearly independent at
each point x E VX°9. Thus both conditions of Theorem 2.2.11 hold for
X = Vx, and the Theorem yields O(Vx) = C[g]/C[g] ker X. This proves
part (i) of Theorem 6.7.3.
To complete the proof we recall that any conjugacy class in g, viewed as
a coadjoint orbit in g', has the canonical structure of a symplectic manifold.
In particular, any conjugacy class has even (complex) dimension. It then
follows from parts (i) and (ii) of Theorem 6.7.2 that, for any X E 4/W, the
variety Vx is even dimensional and, moreover, it contains the smooth open
subset VX°9 C V. such that
dim (Vx \ Vze9) < dim Vx - 2
At this stage, parts (ii) and (iii) of Theorem 6.7.3 follow from Theorem
2.2.11.
Proof of Theorem 6.7.4. We know by claim 6.7.9 that C[g] is a free
graded C[g]G-module. Hence, Theorem 6.3.3 applied to the adjoint G-action
on the vector space g, yields part (i).
To prove part (ii) observe that, for any algebra homomorphism X
C[G]G -+ C one has a direct sum decomposition C[g] = KerX G C 1.
Part (i) of the theorem then yields
(6.7.11) C[9] = rl ® (KerX ®C 1) = (7l (9 Ker X) 7{.

The direct summand 7 l ® Ker X on the RHS corresponds to the ideal

C[g] KerX c C[g] on the LHS. Thus we have
C[g] = C[g] KerX ®7{.
It follows that the composite map 7( ti C[9] -" C[g]/C[g] KerX is a G-
equivariant isomorphism of the vector spaces, whence part (i) of Theorem
6.7.3 yields W = O(VV). Thus, the G-module structure of O(Vx) does not
depend on X so that we may assume V. to be a regular semisimple con-
jugacy class. Such a conjugacy class is isomorphic to G/T as a G-space so
that O(Vx) = O(G/T), where T C G is a maximal torus. Further, the
pullback morphism induced by the natural projection G -+ G/T gives a
canonical isomorphism, see e.g. [Bo3], of O(G/T) with O(G)T, the space of
352 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

regular functions on G that are T-invariant with respect to right transla-

tions. To describe the latter, we use an algebraic analogue of the Peter-Weyl
theorem. It says that O(G), viewed as a two-sided regular representation of
G by means of left and right translations, has the following direct sum de-
composition

O(G) _ ® E ®E" ,
simple G-modules E

where E" stands for the right G-module contragredient to E. Thus, for any
simple G-module V we find

[O(Vx) : V] = [O(G/T) : V] = [O(G)T : V] [E ® (E" )T : V]

E
[E: V] dim (E' )T = dim (V')T = dim Vv(0) = dim V(0) .
E

This completes the proof of part (ii) of Theorem 6.7.4. The proof is now
complete modulo the proof of Claim 6.7.10, which will be given shortly.
We now state a few important corollaries.
Corollary 6.7.12. A conjugacy class 0 C g is a closed subset of g if and
only if it consists of semisimple elements.
Proof This is immediate from Theorem 6.7.2(iii).
Corollary 6.7.13. The enveloping algebra Ug is a free module over its
center.
Proof. Equip Ug with the standard increasing filtration, cf. Example
1.3.16, and put the induced filtration on Z, the center of Ug. Then, by the
Poincare-Birkhoff-Witt Theorem 1.3.17 we have gr Ug = Sg and gr Z =
(Sg)G. Using an invariant bilinear form, we may identify Sg with C[g] so
that (Sg)G gets identified with the algebra of G-invariant polynomials on
g. Hence, Theorem 6.7.4(i) implies that gr Ug is a free gr 2-module. The
result now follows from Proposition 2.3.20 (for modules of infinite rank).

Corollary 6.7.14. The nilpotent variety N is normal.

Proof. This follows from Theorem 6.7.2(iv) and Theorem 6.7.3(i)-(ii).
Corollary 6.7.15. The Springer resolution µ : T*8 --+ N, see 3.2.4,
induces an algebra isomorphism µ' : O(N) =+O(T`B).
Proof. Let Q(A) denote the field of fractions of an integral domain
A. Recall that N is an irreducible affine variety, see 3.2.8, and that the
Springer resolution is a birational isomorphism, i.e., gives an isomorphism
on Zariski open dense subsets (see Proposition 3.2.14, and the remark
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 353

afterward). Therefore the map µ induces an isomorphism Q(O(N)) =

Q(O(T'B)) of the fields of rational functions. Thus we may and will think
of O(T*B) as a subring in Q(O(N)). Clearly, we have O(N) C O(T*B).
We claim that the ring O(T*B) is a finitely generated O(N)-module. To
see this, observe that the map p being proper implies that the direct image
sheaf µ*OT.g is a coherent ON-module. Hence, I'(N, µ.OT.5) is a finitely
generated O(N)-module. But r(N, µ*OT.s) = O(T*B) so that O(T*B) is
finitely generated over O(N), hence the claim. The result now follows from
the definition of normality and Corollary 6.7.14.
Though the next result is well-known (see [Spal]), the proof given below
seems to be much less well known.
Corollary 6.7.16. For any x E N the variety I3 is always connected.
Proof. We apply a version of Zariski's Main Theorem (see [Mum3]),
which states that if f : X' -+ X is a proper, birational morphism with
X normal, then for each x E X, the fiber f -1(x) is connected in the Zariski
topology (hence, also in the ordinary complex topology, see [Mum2]). This
yields the corollary for X' = T*8, X = N and f = Springer resolution.

Proof of Claim 6.7.10. Fix a Cartan subalgebra fl and let W denote

the corresponding Weyl group. It is a well known result about reflection
groups (see e.g. [Bourl, chapter 8]) that the subalgebra C[h]w C C[h)
of W-invariant polynomials is itself isomorphic to a polynomial algebra
freely generated by r = dim 4 homogeneous invariant polynomials of certain
degrees d 1 , . . . , dr. The integers d1, ... , dr are called the exponents of the
corresponding semisimple Lie algebra, cf. [Kol]. Recall that is the
length function on W with respect to the choice of simple reflections.
Proposition 6.7.17. The following identity holds

(6.7.18) C- tl(w) = r 1- td:

11
wEW i=1 1 - t

Proof. We will use the formalism of Poincare series, cf. 2.2.20. Write
P(V, t) = E t' dim V for the Poincare series of a graded vector space
V = ®i>oVi. If, for instance, V = C[p] is the graded polynomial ring
generated by an element p of degree m, then we have

P(C[p], t) = 1 + t'" + t2m +... = 1/(1- tm).

More generally, for the graded polynomial algebra C[p1,... , Pr] freely gen-
erated by homogeneous elements p1i ... , Pr of degrees m1, ... , Mr respec-
tively, one has an isomorphism of graded algebras
C[ 1 , ... , pr] -^' CLp1] ® . .. (8)
354 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

It follows that
(6.7.19)
1
P(C[p1, ... , A-110 = P(C[pl], t) .... - P(C[pr], t) - tmt
ti=1

In particular, we have

(6.7.20)

where d
P(C[h], t) =

d rr
(1-t)=1-
1 r, and P(C[h]w, t) _

the exponents of h Now let I"" be the ideal in C [h]

1 ta+'

generated by all non-constant W-invariant homogeneous polynomials. Since

C[h] is a free C[h]"'-module by the Pittie-Steinberg Theorem 6.1.2, we find
from (6.3.23)

P(C[h]d", t) = P(C[h], t) _ n 1
, td:
(6 . 7 . 21)
P (C[IJ W, t) - t_1 1-t

On the other hand, C[4]/Zc141 - H29(B) by the Borel isomorphism (6.4.12).

Thus
, t) = P(H2i(B), t) _ dim H2'(B) t'.
P(C[h]/Ian

The sum on the right of this expression can be computed using the Bruhat
decomposition. The decomposition contributes one 21(w)-dimensional (real)
cell for each w E W. Hence dim H' (B) eqals the number of w E W such
that 1(w) = i. Therefore,
E dim H2i(B) . t` _ tiiwl.
wEW

Comparing with (6.7.21) completes the proof.

In the future we will only need the following corollary of Proposition
6.7.17. Let N = dimcB or, equivalently, N = number of positive roots in
the root system of our semisimple Lie algebra.
Corollary 6.7.22. E;=1(di - 1) = N.
We give two proofs of this identity. The first is immediate from the prop-
osition above while the second, though more lengthy, is purely algebraic and
is independent of any topological considerations like those involved in the
proof of Proposition 6.7.17.
First Proof of 6.7.22. We study the behavior of each side of the identity
(6.7.18) as t --+ oo. Recall that the length of an element w E W has an
interpretation as the number of positive roots taken to negative roots by the
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 355

action of w on the root system of g. It follows that l(w) < N, which is also
clear geometrically, because we have l(w) = dim,Bw < dim,B = N. We see
that, as t --+ oo, the main contribution to Ewe w t'iw> comes from the term
corresponding w = wo, the unique element in W of maximal length which
takes all positive roots to the negative roots. Thus we see immediately
d
tt-)
LHS of 6.7.18 = t^' (1 + E1(t)), and RHS = (H (1 + E2(t)),

where 61(t),62(t) --+ 0 as t -+ oo. Hence, the proposition yields

t =LHS=RHS=t
and the corollary follows.
The second proof of the corollary is based on the following three general
lemmas which are quite useful in their own right.
Lemma 6.7.23. For any linear endomorphism a : V -i V of a finite-
dimensional vector space V one has the following formal power series
identity
1 _ to Tr(a, SnV).
det(1 - t a) n>O

Proof. Assume first that V is 1-dimensional, so that the map a is given

by multiplication by a complex number a. Then we have

-[Link](a,S"V).
n>O

Assume now that V is arbitrary, and let a = s + n be the Jordan decom-

position of a, where s is a diagonal operator and n is nilpotent. It is clear
that replacing s + n by s affects neither the LHS nor the RHS of the iden-
tity. Thus we may assume a = s is diagonal. Let V = ® V; be a direct
sum decomposition of V into 1-dimensional eigenspaces for a. It is clear
that the characteristic polynomial of a equals the product of the character-
istic polynomials of the restrictions acv,. Therefore, the LHS of the identity
is multiplicative with respect to such a decomposition V = ®V ;. But the
RHS is easily seen to be also multiplicative, due to a canonical graded space
isomorphism

Thus the identity is reduced to the 1-dimensional case, which has been
already proved.
356 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Lemma 6.7.24. Given a finite dimensional representation of a finite group

W with #W elements on a vector space E, one has the following formula
for the subspace Ew of W-invariants
#W
1
dim EW = E Tr(w, E).
wEW

Proof. The operator #w w clearly takes each vector in E to a W-

fixed vector and furthermore acts as identity on Ew. Hence it is a projector
to Ew. The trace of such a projector equals the dimension of its image.
The last fact that we will use is a result from invariant theory of finite
group actions.
Lemma 6.7.25. Let W be a finite group with #W elements acting linearly
on a finite dimensional vector space V. Then the Poincare series of C[V]w,
the graded algebra of polynomial invariants, is given by the Taylor expansion
of the following rational function in t:
1 1
(6.7.26) P(C[V]W, t) =
#WwE
Proof. We have C[V] = SV*. Applying the previous lemma to E _
S"V*, for each n = 0,1, ... , we get

P(C[V]W, t) = E to dim (SnV*)W = E tn. 1 E Tr(w, SnV*))

n>O n>O \\#W WEW
The result now follows by changing the order of summation on the RHS,
and using Lemma 6.7.23.

Second Proof of 6.7.22, cf [St5]. Write r = dim b and observe that if

to E W is a reflection across a wall, then to has eigenvalue (-1) with
multiplicity one, and eigenvalue +1 with multiplicity r - 1. Observe further
that if w is not a reflection then it has eigenvalue +1 with multiplicity
< r - 1. Thus, we obtain
(6.7.27)

(1-t)r ifw=1
det(1- t w) = (1 - t)r-l(1 + t) if to is a reflection
Q = polynomial not divisible by (1 - t)'''1 otherwise.

Taking into account that the reflections in W correspond bijectively to

positive roots so that there are exactly N reflections in W, one finds
- 1

w, det(1 - t - w)
_ 1 1

(1 - t)* + N (1 - t)'-1(1
1

) + non-reflections Q(t)
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 357

We can now apply Lemma 6.7.25 to the special case of the Weyl group W
acting on h to obtain
(6.7.28)

yy 1 1 1
P(C[h] 't) _ #W (1 - t)r + N(1 - 0-1(1 t)
+ ) .

non-reflecE tions Q(t)

But the Poincare series on the LHS has been computed in the second
formula in (6.7.20). Equating the two expressions we get

' 1 _ 1
+ N(1
1

- tdi - #W ((1 - t)r - t)r-l(1 + t) +non-reflections Q(t)

Notice that since each polynomial Q here is not divisible by (1 - t)''-1, see
(6.7.27), the rational function (1 - t)r/Q(t) has at least a second order zero
at t = 1. Hence, multiplying each side of the above equation by (1 - t)' we
obtain, by the geometric progression formula

11(l
T
+t+ ... +t di -
l) = 1
(1+N 1-t
1+t +(1+t) 2 f(t))
#W
where f is a rational function in t regular at t = 1. We now differentiate
this equation once and then put t = 1. This yields E(dt - 1) = N.
From now on we fix a non-degenerate Ad G-invariant bilinear inner
product g x g - C on our semisimple Lie algebra g. The inner
product on g induces a non-degenerate inner product on every exterior
power, A'g*, and also gives rise to a canonical volume-form vol E Adi"'9g'
Further, using the inner product, one defines a Hodge-type star-operator
* : Atg* -+ Ad1m9-`g' determined by the equation
(a, Q) vol=an(*,6), Va,,QE A'g'
Let SZaig(g) _ C[9] ® be the C[g]-module of polynomial differential
forms on g. Extending the *-operator by C[g]-linearity we get a C[g]-module
isomorphism SZaig(g) = Slaig a-'(8)
Motivated by the construction, see 1.1.5, of the symplectic structure on
coadjoint orbits, for each point a E g, define a skew-symmetric bilinear form
SZQ on g by the formula

(6.7.29) SZa : x, y'--+ (a, [x, y]) , x, y E g.

The assignment SZ : a '-+ SZa gives a polynomial differential 2-form on g
invariant under the adjoint action. Let Ell = SZ n ... A SZ be its N-th exterior
power, where N is the number of positive roots.
Lemma 6.7.30. A point a E g is regular (see 3.1.3) if and only if SZa 0.
358 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Proof. Fix a E g. Identify g" with g by means of the inner product.

Then the adjoint action gets identified with the coadjoint action, due to
invariance of the inner product. View a as a point of g' and let 0 = G -a be
the coadjoint orbit of that point. Note that G(a), the isotropy group of a,
equals the centralizer of a in G. Furthermore, there is a natural projection
it : g -* T00 with kernel g(a) = Lie G(a). By the very definition of the
canonical symplectic 2-form, w, on the coadjoint orbit 0, writing wa for its
restriction to Ta®, we have 7r'wa = 11. E A2g*, see 1.1.5. Recall also that
dim g = r + 2N, due to the triangular decomposition g = n ®C) ® n-. Thus
we obtain

(6.7.31) 7r'(Awa) = Afla = 0' E Adimp-rg*, N = (dimg - r)/2.

Recall further, see [Sel, ch. 3], that r is the minimal possible dimension of
the centralizer of an element of g, and a is regular whenever dim g(a) = r.
Hence, a is a regular point of g if and only if the coadjoint orbit G - a has
dimension N = (dim g - r)/2. By the non-degeneracy of the symplectic
form w this happens if and only if A wa 0 0. The lemma now follows from
equation (6.7.31).
Next, we choose homogeneous generators of the free polynomial algebra
C[b]' and let pi,... , pr be the elements of C[g]o corresponding to those
generators by means of the Chevalley restriction Theorem 3.1.38. Thus,
pl, ... , pr are homogeneous generators of C[g]G of degrees dl, ... , dr, the
exponents of g. For each i = 1,... , r, the differential, dpi, is an invariant
polynomial 1-form on g. Claim 6.7.10 clearly follows from Lemma 6.7.30
and the following result relating the symplectic form on coadjoint orbits to
G-invariant polynomials on g.
Theorem 6.7.32. Up to a non-zero constant we have
(6.7.33) * (S1N) = const dpl A ... A dpr .
Proof. Both sides of equation (6.7.33) are polynomial 2N-forms on g
invariant under the adjoint action. By continuity, it suffices to prove the
equation on the dense subset gar C g of semisimple regular elements.
Furthermore, any element of ger being conjugate to an element of a Cartan
subalgebra lj C g, it suffices, by G-invariance, to verify the theorem only
at the points of (r = h fl gST.
We proceed in several steps. Write 0 = Ad G a C g for the adjoint
orbit through a E b. First we claim that, at any point a E Cjr, we have:
the radical of the restriction to Tag of the differential form on each side of
equation (6.7.33) contains Ta := TaO (the tangent space to 0), that is the
differential fom on each side vanishes on any polyvector vl A ... A yr such
that v1 E Ta for at least one j.
 6.7 Kostant's Theorem on Polynomial Rings 359

This is clear for the RIIS. Indeed, all the polynomials p, E C[g)o are
constant on the conjugacy class O. Hence, their differentials dpi vanish on
the tangent space T, = T.O. To prove the claim for the LHS, observe that
dimO = 2N and equation (6.7.31) implies that Rad(f)a) = Rad(f2,) _
g(a) = h . Observe further that ll is the othogonal complement to T. with
respect to the inner product, i.e., T. 14, and g = T, ® ll. The claim now
follows from the easily verified property of the *-operator
Rad(*a) = (Rad a)1, Va E A'g*.

As the next step, restrict equation (6.7.33) to a E ll', so that each side
becomes a skew-linear form on g. The claim above insures that the skew-
linear form on each side of equation (6.7.33) descends to a well-defined r-
form on g/Ta. The quotient g/Ta may be identified with h by means of the
orthogonal decomposition g = T, ® ll. Thus, it suffices to prove (6.7.33)
for a running over ll, and for each side of (6.7.33) being now viewed as a
polynomial r-form on ll, not on g. Clearly, any such form can be written as
Q -,r where Q is a polynomial on h and r is the volume form on 11 induced
by the inner product ( , ) restricted to h. Write QL T and QR - r for
the forms arising from the LHS and RHS of equation (6.7.33) respectively,
where QL and QR are certain polynomials. Proving the theorem amounts
to showing that QL = QR, up to a constant factor. To that end we study
the behavior of the polynomials QL and QR under the action of the Weyl
group W.
Observe first that the action on ll of any reflection changes the volume
form r by a factor of (-1). Hence, we have w*r = sign(w) - T, for any
w E W. On the other hand, both sides of the equation (6.7.33) being G-
invariant, the resulting forms QL - r and QR r on h are clearly W-invariant.
It follows that
(6.7.34) W*QL = sign(w)QL, W*QR = sign(w)QR, Vw E W W.

Next we claim that deg QL = N = deg QR. Computing deg QR is easy: in

euclidean coordinates x1i ... , x.. on g relative to (,), for any homogeneous
polynomial p, one has

dxj.
j
We see that in coordinates x1, ... , x,,, the coefficients of the 1-form dp are
homogeneous polynomials of degree deg p - 1. In particular, the coefficients
of dpi are of degree di - 1 where d, is the corresponding exponent. Us-
ing Corollary 6.7.22 we find that the coefficients of the differential form
dpl A . A dp, are homogeneous polynomials of degree
(d, - 1) + ... + (d,. - 1) = N, see Corollary 6.7.22.
360 6. Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

Therefore the coefficients of its restriction to Ij C g are also of degree N,

and we get deg QR = N. To compute deg QL, we observe first that the
coefficients of the 2-form St are linear functions in coordinates xl,... , xm.
Hence, the coefficients of 0 are degree N homogeneous polynomials. The
same holds for the form *cZN since the *-operator acts on a p-form f as
follows:

f =EL Adxj -, *f = 1:ff, . Adxj , f, E C[O],

J jEJ J jEJ

where the summation goes over all p-element subsets J C { 1, ... , dim g} ,
and j denotes the complement of J in Ill... , dim g}. This formula shows
that the coefficients f, are unaffected by the *-operator, hence their degree
is not changed. Thus deg QL = N.
Proof of Theorem 6.7.32 is now completed by the following result.
Lemma 6.7.35. Any W -anti-invariant polynomial on 11 of degree N is of
the form const A, where 0 = MER+ a is the product of positive roots.
Proof. Let Q be any W-anti-invariant polynomial on 4. For any positive
root a E h`, the polynomial Q changes sign under the reflection with
respect to the hyperplane Ker a. Therefore Q vanishes on Ker a, hence, is
divisible by a. Since C[h] is a unique factorization domain, it follows that Q
is divisible by A, the product of all positive roots. The number of positive
roots being equal to N, we must have deg Q > N. Hence the assumptions
of the lemma imply deg 0 = N = deg Q, and it follows that Q = 0 up to a
constant factor.
 CHAPTER 7

Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

7.1 Affine Weyl Groups and Hecke Algebras

From now on fix a complex torus T. Let P = Homat9(T,C*) denote the
weight lattice and Pv = Horn al9 (C*, T) the coweight lattice. Both P and
Pv are free abelian groups of rank dim,T. There is a natural duality
pairing
(, ):PxPv- z
defined as follows. Let a E P and a E Pv. Then the composition C* -4
T --°+ C* is an algebraic group homomorphism C* -> C*, hence is of the
form z H z", for a certain n = n(a, a) E Z. We set (a, a) := n(a, a). The
pairing is perfect, i.e., induces natural group isomorphisms
Pv = Hom(P, Z), and P = Hom (Pv, Z).
Let R C P be a reduced (not necessarily finite) root system as defined,
e.g., in 3.1.22. There is a slight difference with 3.1.22, since now we are
working with lattices instead of vector spaces. This makes axiom 3.1.22(3)
superfluous. Thus it is assumed only that, in addition to the above data,
a subset Rv C Pv, called the dual root system, and a specified bijection
R Rv , a H a are given such that the following three properties hold.
(1) (a,a)=2 foranyaER;
(2) For any a E R the transformation s,, P --s P (resp. s& : Pv . Pv)
given by the formula sa(x) = x-(x, d) a (resp. s&(y) = y-(a, y) a)
preserves the subset R C P (resp. Rv C Pv).
(3)
Throughout this chapter we view W, the Weyl group of the root system
R, as a Coxeter group with respect to the set of simple reflections corre-
sponding to a fixed choice of simple roots S C R. Later on, R will be the
root system of a complex semisimple group G. In this case T and W will

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_8,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
362 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

become the "abstract" maximal torus and the "abstract" Weyl group of G
introduced in Section 3.1.22. Abusing the notation we will write W instead
of W in this chapter.
Let w E W. A factorization w = s. .. s,., Si E S, is said to be a reduced
expression if it has a minimal possible number of factors. Although the
reduced expression of a given element is by no means unique, all reduced
expressions have the same number of factors, to be denoted 8(w). We put
1(1) = 0, where 1 E W is the identity element. The function f : w -' £(w)
on W is called the length function.
We can now introduce
Definition 7.1.1. The Hecke algebra of the Coxeter group (WS) is a
7G[q, q-'J-algebra Hw with generators T,, s E S subject to the following
defining relations, cf. (3.1.24)-(3.1.25):
m(a,,6) factors;
(ii) (T,, + 1)(T,a - q) = 0.
These relations specialize at q = 1 to the relations (3.1.24)-(3.1.25) in
the group algebra of the Weyl group. Thus, one may think of Hw as a q-
analogue of Z[W]. The definition above will not be used in this book, since
it is typically rather difficult to verify the braid relation 7.1.1(i) in practice.
Instead, we will use the following result, proved e.g. in [Sour, Chap. IV, sec.
2, Ex 34], that provides a very convenient "characterization" of the Hecke
algebra. This `characterization' is most useful in applications, so that we
will sometimes refer to it as a "definition."
Proposition 7.1.2. The Hecke algebra H = Hw associated to W, has a
free Z[q, q''J-basis IT,,, I w E W} such that the following multiplication
rules hold:
(a) (T, + 1)(T, -- q) = 0 ifs E S is a simple reflection.
(b) Tv - T. = 2'vw if e(y) + £(w) = 1(yw) .
Note that (b) implies T. = T ... T,,, if w = 81 ... sk is a reduced
expression for w. It then follows that the rules above completely determine
the ring structure in H. Thus, any algebra satisfying the properties of the
proposition is isomorphic to the Hecke algebra Hw.

We next define the affine Weyl group associated to the quadruple

(P, P", R, R") to be the semidirect product W,,f f = W x P where the
group W acts naturally on the lattice P by group automorphisms.
Remark 7.1.3. The group Wa f f as defined above is not a Coxeter group.
Classically, the affine Weyl group has been defined as the semidirect prod-
uct W x Q, where Q is the subgroup in P generated by the set R, the
root lattice. The group W x Q is indeed the Coxeter group associated to an
 7.1 Affine Weyl Groups and Hecke Algebras 363

affine root system. This group is a normal subgroup of finite index in Wa f f,

since Q is clearly a W-stable subgroup of finite index in P.
Definition 7.1.4. Call a root system (P, R) simply connected if the coroots
R" generate the lattice Pv.
The following claim, whose proof is left to the reader, may be taken as
an alternative definition of a simply connected root system (P, R).
Claim 7.1.5. If (P, R) is a simply connected root system with simple roots
{a1, ... , a basis e1,. .. , e of the lattice P such that
(e1, a) = 6+,.
Remark 7.1.6. Let G be a connected linear algebraic group over C. Let
T C G be a maximal torus; let P = Hornal9 (T, C*), and let R C P be the
roots of (G, T). Then if G is simply connected in the sense of Lie groups
then (P, R) is simply connected in the sense of root systems.

For the rest of this chapter we will assume that all the semisimple groups
and all the root systems under consideration are simply connected.
Recall that the group algebra Z[P] is isomorphic to R(T), the represen-
tation ring of the torus T. We write e' for the element of Z[P] = R(T)
corresponding to a weight A E P.
The natural group embeddings P '--+ Wa f f and W - Wa f f induce the
corresponding group algebra embeddings

(7.1.7) R(T)`-'Z[WWff] and Z[W]tiD.[Waff],

and the multiplication map in Z[Waf f] gives rise to a Z-module (but not
algebra) isomorphism

(7.1.8) Z[Waff] = R(T) ®z Z[W).

We now define the affine Hecke algebra associated to the simply con-
nected root system (R, P). The algebra presented below was introduced by
J. Bernstein (unpublished; relation 7.1.9(d) first appeared in [Lu3]), and is
isomorphic to the so-called Iwahori-Hecke algebra of a split p-adic group
with connected center, see Introduction. The latter was discovered by Iwar
hori and Matsumoto, see [IM].
Definition 7.1.9. The affine Hecke algebra H is a free Z[q, q-1]-module
with basis {eA T,, I W E W, A E P}, such that
(a) The {T} span a subalgebra of H isomorphic to Hw.
(b) The {e\} span a Z[q, q-1]-subalgebra of H isomorphic to R(T)[q, q-11.
(c) For s = s, E S with (A, a,) = 0 we have T,ea = eAT,.
(d) For s = s, E S with (A, a,) = 1 we have T,e'(a)T, = q ea.
364 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

Conditions (c) and (d) together are equivalent to the following more
general formula which will be useful in some later calculations.
Lemma 7.1.10. Let a be a simple root and sa the corresponding simple
reflection. Then for A E P,

(7.1.11) T,,ea.(A) - e'T,a = (1 - q) ea1 --e'a(a)

e-a
Proof. Note that if (7.1.11) holds for A and A' then it clearly holds for
nA + A', n E Z. Therefore it is enough to prove the equality for any set of
generators of P. But claim 7.1.5 yields a set of generators e1, ... ) e (n =
rank R) such that, e.g., (el, a) = 1, and (e2, a) = 0, i > 1. Thus it is enough
to prove (7.1.11) for elements \ E P such that (A, a) = 0 and (A, a) = 1.
Now if (a, a) = 0, then Definition 7.1.9(c) implies T,oeA = e"T,a. Thus
[Link].(,\)
- e"T,,, = T,Qe" - eAT,v = 0.
But then the RHS of (7.1.11) is equal to
ea - e'°0)
-(q - 1) 1 - e-a 0,

proving the lemma for this case. Suppose now that (A, a) = 1. Then
Definition 7.1.9(d) says
(7.1.12) T,oe'°(A)T,a = q ea.
From 7.1.2(a) we immediately compute that T,.-' = q-' T,,. + (q-1 - 1) .

Thus, T,.e'°(') = q e\ T,-' = eAT,o + (1 - q)e". Rewriting we have

T,,e'°('\) - e\T,Q = (1 - q)eA.

Evaluating the RHS of (7.1.11) in the case (a, a) = 1 we see

ea-e'a(' e"-ea-a
(1 - q) 1- e-a = (1- q) 1 - e-a - (1 - q)e''
and the lemma is proved.

By properties (a) and (b) in Definition 7.1.9, there are canonical algebra
embeddings

(7.1.13) R(T)[q, q-'] c-+H and Hw '-+H.

Furthermore, multiplication in H gives rise to a Z[q, q-']-module (but not
algebra) isomorphism

H = R(T)[q,q-'] ®Z(q,q >

Hw
which is a q-analogue of (7.1.8).
 7.1 Affine Weyl Groups and Hecke Algebras 365

It is rather important to know the center of H. To that end, view

R(T)w C R(T), the subring of W-invariants, as a subring of Z[Wa f f) by
means of the embedding (7.1.7). One verifies easily that R(T)w is in fact
the center of the algebra Z[WW f f]. The following q-analogue of this result is
due to J. Bernstein (see [Lu5]).

Proposition 7.1.14. The algebra R(T)W[q, q-1] , identified with a subset

of H by means of (7.1.13), is the center of the algebra H.

Proof. For A E P let W A be the W-orbit of A. Then let

(7.1.15) z(e") = el

be the corresponding W-invariant element in R(T). We will prove that the

z(e')'s belong to Z, the center of H. We then show that Z is a free Z[q, q-1]-
module with base {z(ea)}.
A direct calculation using (7.1.11) yields

(7.1.16) T,a (e'°l"1 + e') _ (e'' ) + ea)T,,,, A E P, a E R.

Set zl(ea) _ Ewew ewi'i, and fix sa E S, a simple reflection. Let W' C W
be the set of w' E W such that e(sa,w') =1(sa)+t(w'). Write W" = W \ W'.
Using the bijection
w'4-dsaw',
we may write the sum >wE W e'°(A) in the form

zl(eA) = > (e' (a) + e'°w,(,\))

w' E W'

Thus by (7.1.16) we get zl(e')T,e = T,,zl(e,\), for any a E R,A E P, and

therefore by 7.1.2(b) zl(eA)Tw = Twzl(e-') for each to E W.
To prove that the element (7.1.15) is central, observe that zl(ea) _
k z(ea) where k is the order of the stabilizer of A in W. Since the algebra
H has no Z-torsion it follows that
0 = zl(e")Tw - Twzl(ea) 0 = z(e')T,,, - Twz(ea).
Furthermore, each z(e'') clearly commutes with each eµ, u 1E P. Since the
T. and the eµ generate H, we deduce that z(ea) E Z.
We next use a specialization argument due to Lusztig [Lu4] to show
that the z(ea)'s form a Z[q, q-1]-basis of Z. Mapping q -, 1 defines a
specialization homomorphism of Z[q, q'1]-modules
(7.1.17) sp: H -- Z[WaffI.
366 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

This map is surjective and its kernel is the two-sided ideal in H generated
by m :_ (1 - q), the principal ideal in Z[q, q-1] with generator 1- q.
Write R for the Z[q, q'11-span of the z(e')'s. Clearly R is a subring in Z
isomorphic to R(T x C*)'. To show that R = Z recall that the center
of Z[Wa»] is known to be isomorphic to R(T)w. Therefore specializing
q --+ 1 defines a ring homomorphism sp: Z -» R(T)w. Observe further
that if a E H is such that (1 - q) - a E Z then a E Z. This implies that
Ker[Z 3P* R(T)w] _ (1-q)Z, and one gets an exact sequence of R-modules

(7.1.18) 0-+mZ-.Z-5P+ R(T)w-40.

Let Rm be the local ring obtained by localizing R at the maximal ideal M.
Since the localization is an exact functor the short exact sequence above
yields an isomorphism of Rm-modules Zm/mZm ^- R(T)w. On the other
hand, obviously we have an isomorphism Rm/mRm R(T)w. Thus

(7.1.19) Rm/mRm Zm/mZm .

Observe further that R R(T x C*)w is a polynomial ring (see [Bour])

and hence noetherian. By the Pittie-Steinberg Theorem 6.1.2 we know that
H is a finitely generated R-module. Hence Z is finitely generated over R
as a submodule of the finitely generated noetherian R-module H. It follows
that Zm is finitely generated over Rm and the Nakayama Lemma applied to
isomorphism (7.1.19) yields Rm = Z..
We see that every element z E Z can be written as a finite linear com-
bination of z(ea)'s with coefficients possibly in the localization Z[q,q-1]m.
Since z E H the coefficients must be in fact in Z[q, q'1]. Finally, the z(ee`)'s
are clearly independent. This completes the proof.

7.2 Main Theorems

We return now to our basic geometric setup, so that G is a complex
semisimple simply connected group with Lie algebra g, B is the flag variety
of G, H is the nilpotent cone in g, and u : N - N is the Springer
resolution and N = T*8.
Let Zo C N x H be the diagonal copy of H. Recall that the variety Zo
gets identified, under the isomorphism
NxH^_-T*(13xB)
(cf. the sign convention as in section 3.3.3), with T;, (B x 13), the conormal
bundle to the diagonal 13o C 13 x B. This yields the following canonical
isomorphisms of R(G)-algebras
(7.2.1) KG(ZZ) = KG (TQ,(13 x 13)) = KG(BA) R(T),
 7.2 Main Theorems 367

where the second isomorphism is the Thom isomorphism 5.4.17, the last
one is the canonical isomorphism (6.1.6), and algebra structures are given
by the tensor product in K-theory, see (5.2.12). Here and below T and
W stand for the `abstract' maximal torus and the abstract Weyl group
associated to G.
Further, let Z = N xN C T' (B x 13) be the Steinberg variety. Clearly
Zo C Z. Furthermore, we have Zo o Zo = Zo, and Z o Z = Z. Hence, the
K-groups KG(ZA) and KG(Z) acquire natural associative algebra struc-
tures by means of convolution, and KA(Zo) is a subalgebra in KG(Z). Note
that by Lemma 5.2.25 the convolution product on KA(ZA) coincides with
the ring structure introduced in the preceding paragraph, by means of ten-
sor product in K-theory. Thus, the leftmost term of (7.2.1) may be viewed
as a convolution algebra. Moreover, the natural map KA(Z&) - KA(Z) is
injective, see Corollaries 6.2.6 - 6.2.7.
The first main result of this chapter is the following equivariant K-
theoretic counterpart to Theorem 3.4.1.

Theorem 7.2.2. There is a natural algebra isomorphism KG(Z)

making the following diagram commute

KG(Za) _ KG(Z)
(7.2.1)1
1
R(T) <<
' Z[Waij)

We now introduce an extra variable q. To that end note that any irre-
ducible representation of the group C' is an integral tensor power of the
tautological representation q : C* - C' given by the identity map. There-
fore we have the natural ring isomorphisms
(7.2.3) R(C') = Z[q, q-') and R(T x C') R(T)[q, q-') .
For the rest of this book we put A := G x V. In §6.2 we have defined
natural A-actions on T'B, T'B x T'B, Z, and Zo = Tgo(B x B). There is
the following "A-counterpart" of isomorphism (7.2.1):

(7.2.4) KA(ZZ) = KA(Tso(13 x B)) ^_, KA(Bn) ,,, R(T) [q, q-'] .

Here is the second main result of this chapter which is the q-analogue of
Theorem 7.2.2 above.

Theorem 7.2.5. There is a natural algebra isomorphism KA(Z) = H

368 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

making the following diagram commute

KA(ZZ)C---> KA(Z)
(7.2.6) (7.2.4)11
1
R(T)[q, q-']' H
Remark 7.2.7. Note that Theorem 7.2.2 follows from Theorem 7.2.5 by
setting the parameter q equal to 1. We will, however, give a separate proof
of 7.2.2 along the lines of the proof of the analogous theorem for the finite
Weyl group. Though the two theorems look very similar Theorem 7.2.2 is
far more elementary than Theorem 7.2.5.
We now discuss the role of the center of H from the geometric point of
view. Observe first that
(7.2.8)
6=.4 R(T)W
R(A) = R(G x C') = R(G) ®Z R(Ct) = R(G)]q,q-1] [q, q-'].

Next, recall that for any A-variety X there is a natural homomorphism

R(A) = KA(pt) f- K A(X)

induced by the constant map p : X -+ pt. The image of R(A) is formed by
trivial vector bundles on X with possibly non-trivial A-actions. Tensoring
with those vector bundles makes KA(X) an R(A)-module.
For the Steinberg variety Z, the R(A)-module KA(Z) has its own alge-
bra structure by means of convolution. From the convolution point of view,
tensoring with a representation E E R(A) amounts to taking convolution
with the sheaf E ®c Oz, supported on the diagonal Zo. Thus, the diagram
of Theorem 7.2.5 can be supplemented by the following natural commuta-
tive diagram.

R(A)S" KA(ZZ)
(7.2.9) 11(7.2.6) (7.2.4)11

R(T)W(q, q-1]C-, R(T)[q, q-1]

Observe that, for any F, F' E KA(Z) and E E R(A), one has
(7.2.10) E0(F*.7')=(E®.F)*.F'=F*(E(9 7).
Equation (7.2.10) shows that the natural homomorphism R(A) -+ KA(Z)
given by the composition of the top rows of the diagrams (7.2.6) and (7.2.9)
maps R(A) into the center of the algebra KA(Z). Looking now at the
bottom rows of the diagrams and using Theorem 7.2.5, we see that the
 7.2 Main Theorems 369

image of the composition

R(T)w[q, (7+3)
q-1] `' R(T)[q, q-1] H
belongs to the center of the algebra H, which is nothing but Proposition
7.1.14. Thus, Theorem 7.2.5 gives a geometric proof of an essential part
of Proposition 7.1.14, and conversely the proposition says that the whole
center of the algebra KA(Z) is given by the representation ring R(A).
We also mention the following result, which indicates somewhat why we
require G to be simply connected.

Lemma 7.2.11. The algebra H is a free R(T)W[q,q-1]-module of rank

(#W)2.
Proof. By Theorem 6.1.2 which applies since G is simply connected,
R(T) is a free R(T)W-module of rank #W. Let rw,w E W be a basis for
that module. Then the elements {rw Ty I w, y E W} form a free basis of H
viewed as a R(T)W[q,q-1]-module.
Let
f ')
denote the ideal in R(T) generated by all W-invariant func-
tions vanishing at 1 E T. The results announced in this section may be
summarized in the following commutative diagram of algebra homomor-
phisms:
(7.2.12)
forgettingKG(Z) forgetting K(Z) support
C' -action G-action cycle
H(Z)
7.2.6 7.2.2 3.4.1

pr°'k Z[W]
H Z[Waff] x (R(T)/fR`T') T -. Z[W)
where H(Z) stands for the top Borel-Moore homology group of the Stein-
berg variety and the square on the right commutes due to the bivariant
Riemann-Roch Theorem 5.11.11.

7.2.13. QUANTIZED W-ACTION AND DEMAZURE-LUSZTIG FORMULAS.

Recall that the restriction to the Steinberg variety Z C T*(B x B) of either
of the two projections T* (B x B) - T' (13) is proper. Thus, the general
procedure of section 5.4.22 yields a KA(Z)-module structure on KA(T`13).
Recall that we have KA(T*13) = KA(13) = R(T)[q,q-1J by (7.2.4), and
KA(Z) = H by Theorem 7.2.5. Hence, there is a natural action of the al-
gebra H on the polynomial ring R(T)[q,q-1] arising from the convolution-
action. This action can be written out explicitly. Its restriction to the finite
Hecke algebra Hw C H is especially interesting and is given by the so
called "Demazure-Lusztig" operators, which we now describe.
370 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

We begin with the special case q = 1. Thus we forget about the G'-
action and replace the group A = G x G' by G everywhere. By Theorem
7.2.2 we have an isomorphism C[Waff] = KG(Z). Hence, the natural em-
bedding W Wa f f makes Z[W] a subalgebra of KG(Z) and hence makes
K°(T'13) a W-module.
Proposition 7.2.14. The W-action on K°(T'C3) by convolution with
K°(Z) gets identified, by means of the canonical isomorphism K°(T'C3) =
R(T) of (6.1.6), with the W-action on R(T) induced by the standard W-
action on T.
Corollary 7.2.15. The composition
2.2 3.4.1
Z[WJ' G-1 K(Z)support
Z[Woff) - 7 KG(Z) cycle
H(Z) -=-- Z[W],

is the identity map.

The situation is more complicated if q 0 1. Recall that the finite Hecke
algebra Hit. is generated, as an algebra, by the elements T,a, one for each
reflection with respect to a simple root a E R.
Theorem 7.2.16. The T,o -action on KA(T't3) arising from convolution
with KA(Z) gets transported, by means of the canonical isomorphism
KA(T*13) = R(T)[q,q-1], to the following map T-,. E End t RT
-i :

ex - eea(a) ex - e$.(a)+a
(7.2.17) ea e-+ -q
ea - 1 ea-1
This formula was discovered by Lusztig in [Lu6], and it was the starting
point of the K-theoretic approach to Hecke algebras. Observe that if q = 1
the RHS of (7.2.17) reduces to e'°(a) in accordance with Proposition 7.2.14.
The expression e e; in the first term of (7.2.17) was introduced much
earlier by Demazure [Dem] in his study of the K-theory of the flag variety
(cf. [BGG) for a similar formula).

7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument

In this section we prove Theorem 7.2.2 following the lines of the proof
of Theorem 3.4.1, which is based on a deformation argument. Recall the
notation of the proof of Theorem 3.4.1 and a basic diagram

INc--- 9I
.

µr
Ac
\
1µ
9
i
15
 7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 371

For any (h, b) E g, where h E 9" (= semisimple regular elements) and

b = 4 + n E 13, set gh = v-1(h) C g. Then there is a natural projection
(7.3.1) 7 9h=Gx,, (h+n)- G/B=13
making gh a G-equivariant affine bundle over B with fiber h + n.
Recall next that the map p : g - g" is a Galois covering with Galois
group W, the abstract Weyl group. For each w E W the action of w gives
an isomorphism gh = gw(h) and we let
A,h C Bh x r(h)
P-'1
denote the graph of that action. The composition Av, gh B gives
rise to the following isomorphisms of K-groups
(w °`l)* KG(Aw),
(7.3.2) R(T) --- KG(13)

where the first map is the canonical isomorphism assigning to A E P the

line bundle LA on 8, and the second map is the Thom isomorphism, since
pr1 maps Ash, isomorphically to gh and gh --+ 13 is an affine fibration. We set
LA = (?r o pr1)*LA, a G-equivariant line bundle on At,.
Using the tensor product decomposition (7.1.8) we may write a direct
sum decomposition

Z[Waff] = ® R(T) . w,
wEW

where w on the right is viewed as an element of Z[W] C Z[Wa f f] . Given

h E g as above and w E W, define an isomorphism of R(T)-modules

(7.3.3) ©h : R(T) w 2 KG(Auh,) , ea . w -+ LA.

Lemma 7.3.4. The following diagram, whose first row is induced by mul-
tiplication in Z[Wa f f] and the second row is induced by convolution, com-
mutes for any w, y E W:

R(T) w®R(T) y->R(T) - wy

ehoehI
ehI
KG(A ,) ® KG(Ay (h)) KG(Awy)

Proof. Note that, for any R1, R2 E R(T), the map of the top row of the
diagram sends (R1 w) ® (R2 y) to (R1 RZ) wy, where R' stands for the
action of w on R2. The result follows now by a straightforward computation
using the definition of convolution and the fact that A , o Ay (h) = and
that all the intersections involved in this composition are transverse.
372 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

With this lemma in hand, to prove 7.2.2 we can just copy the proof
of Theorem 3.4.1 step by step. First fix a regular semisimple element h,
introduce the line I = C h, and set 1' = C' - h. Then we have a locally
trivial fibration g1 = v`1(1) -- 1. Letting in the previous construction
the element h vary within 1*, we obtain in particular, for each w E W,
the graph variety Aw* fibered over 1*, and an R(T)-linear homomorphism
0' : R(T) w --+ K°(A;;,) satisfying an analogue of Lemma 7.3.4.
We now extend Aw to a closed subvariety A'w as in the proof of Theorem
3.4.1 and observe that
A, n (v-1(O) x v-1(0)) = Z = Steinberg variety.
Hence, there is a well defined specialization map in equivariant K-theory
limh-»o : KG(Aw) - KG(Z).
Form the composite

(7.3.5) O°'h : R(T) ' w em KC(Aw) IImh

K'(Z).
Proof of the following analogue of Lemma 3.4.11 will be postponed until
after the end of the proof of the theorem.
Claim 7.3.6. The above map 00'h does not depend on the choice of h.
In view of the claim we drop the superscript 0 h from the notation
and write 0 instead of O°'h. Assembling the homomorphisms (7.3.5) for all
w E W we get a map
(7.3.7) 19: Z[Wa11] = ® R(T) to - KG(Z).
wE W

Lemma 7.3.4 combined with the fact that the specialization homomorphism
limh.° commutes with convolution (see 5.3.9) implies that the map (7.3.7)
is an algebra homomorphism.
It remains to show that that map (7.3.7) is bijective. We need some
preparations.
We enumerate G-diagonal orbits on B x 5 in some order pt = Y1, Y2, ... ,
Y,,,, so that dim Y1 > dim Y2 > . > dim Y,,,, cf. proof of Theorem 6.2.4.
This way we get a total linear order on the set W by declaring y < to if
Y. goes after Yw in our enumeration. It is clear that, for i = 1, 2, ... , m,
the sets Uj>, Y; are closed in B x B. Thus, our total linear order extends
the Bruhat order on W, a partial order given by the closure relation of the
G-diagonal orbits.
7.3.8. CONVENTION. For the rest of this chapter we will fix such a total
linear order on W and use the notation "s" for this order, and not for the
 7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 373

Bruhat order. Thus an expression such as y < w, y, w E W will always be

with respect to this total order.
We now define certain filtrations analogous to those used in the proof of
Theorem 6.2.4. For each w E W set

Z<w[WaffI = ® R(T) y and Z<w[WaffI = ® R(T) y.

y<w y<w

The submodules Z'<w[Waff) form a filtration on Z[Waff) by the totally

ordered set W and there is an obvious isomorphism

grw Z[Waff] Z<w[Waff]/Z<w[Waff] ,,, R(T). w.

We also filter the Steinberg variety Z by G-stable closed subvarieties

Z<w := Uy<w Tyv (13 x B), and put Z<w := Uy<w T;, (13 x 8).
Clearly y:5 w implies Z<y C Z<,,,, and we have Z<w \ Z<w = T% (13 x B).
The arguments of section 6.2, based on the Cellular Fibration Lemma, yield
the following result.

Lemma 7.3.9. (1) For any y < w, the homomorphism K°(Z<y)

K' (Z<,,,) induced by the inclusion Z<y y Z<w is injective; in particular,
all the maps K°(Z<v) - K°(Z) are injective.
(2) For any w E W, we have a short exact sequence K°(Z<w) `-
K°(Z<w) -» KG(TTJB x B)), which gives a natural isomorphism
(7.3.10) K°(Z<w)/K°(Z<w) Z K°(7'Y,,. (B X 13)) .

By part (1) of the lemma we may view the groups K°(Z<s), y E W,

as subgroups of K°(Z). The subgroups form a filtration of K°(Z) indexed
by the totally ordered set W. The associated graded group, gr K°(Z), is
described by part (2) of the lemma; that is

grw KG(Z) = KG(Ty,.(B x 13)).

Lemma 7.3.11. The morphism O in (7.3.7) is filtration preserving.

Proof. Recall the natural projection 7r' : Aw gh x gw(h) 13x13. It

was shown in 3.4.4 that ir'(A ,) C Y. This inclusion holds for any h, in
particular for all h E 1*. It follows that 7r2(Aw) C Yw. Hence 7r2(Aw) C Yw.
Therefore the specialization at h = 0 gives a morphism
limh_ c, : KG(Aw) -' KG Z n (1r2)-1(Yw))
where 7r' : T*13 x T"13 -+ B x 8 is the projection. But it is immediate from
definitions that Zn (7r')-'(Y?) = Z<w, and the lemma follows.
374 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

By Lemma 7.3.11 the map (7.3.7) induces the associated graded map

(7.3.12) gr ®: gr Z[W0 ff] - gr KG(Z).

To describe the morphism gr 0 explicitly we let 7rw : T;. (B x B) -- Yy,
denote the bundle projection and let prl : Y,,, y B x B - B denote the map
induced by the first projection.
Lemma 7.3.13. For any w E W the composition morphism

R(T) . w grw Z[Waff] Ee gr. KG(Z) = K°'(T;.(B x B))

is given by assignment ea w 7rw o priLa , A E P.
Proof. Given (h, b) E g'r, we have the following commutative diagram,
cf., (3.4.3).

Ah c gh x gwihi P"J, ih
(7.3.14)
ff2 1
-' I Pit
YwC> Bx13- pr1 B
In more concrete terms, this diagram is isomorphic, by means of
Lemma 3.4.3 and the definition of gh, to the following natural diagram,
where nw and Bw stand for w-conjugates of n and B respectively:

C X 9n.u(!3) (h + n fl nw) "4 G X B (h + n)

(7.3.15) n2 I I

i
G/(BflBw) Pr' GIB
For A E P, we have by (7.3.3) and the commutativity of (7.3.14):
(1r2)*
(7.3.16) ®h(eA w) = prl 7r* LA = pr* LA.

Replace now h by the line I through h everywhere in (7.3.15). Observe that

for h = 0 the morphism 7r2 on the LHS of (7.3.15) gets identified with the
projection 1rw : G X en.o(8) (n fl nw) = Tyw (B x B) -+ Y,,,. Hence taking the
specialization at h = 0 in formula (7.3.16) we find
®h(ea
[hl m ' w)]IT. (8x5) = [lim(ir2)* pr1LA]IT..u (8x6) = irw pr* LA.

The lemma follows.

We see that the map of Lemma 7.3.13 equals the one given by formula
(7.3.2). Since the latter is an isomorphism, it follows that gr ® is an isomor-
phism. Hence, by Proposition 2.3.20(ii), 6 is itself an isomorphism, and the
theorem is proved.
 7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 375

It remains to prove Claim 7.3.6. We can not apply an argument of the

type used in the proof of the analogous result 3.4.11 in Borel-Moore homol-
ogy, since the argument there was not completely algebraic: in the course
of that proof we connected two lines 1 and 1' by a path built out of R-linear
segments. Instead, we will now use an algebraic homotopy construction,
which is an algebraic adaptation of the construction used in the proof of
Lemma 2.6.35 on the specialization in Borel-Moore homology. Note that
the specialization in Borel-Moore homology was defined for a smooth base
of arbitrary dimension, while the specialization in the algebraic K-theory
was only defined for a 1-dimensional base. The argument below shows that,
in some favorable situations, one can in effect define specialization in K-
theory over a higher dimensional base.
Though our proof works in greater generality, we will not attempt to
formulate it in the most general form, and will stick to the framework of
Claim 7.3.6 that we intend to prove.
Thus we fix two linearly independent regular elements hl, h2 E 55. We
must show that the two maps (7.3.5) corresponding respectively to h1 and
h2 are equal. To that end, consider the complex path

THy(r)=(1-T).h1+r.h2i rEC.
We have, y(0) = h1 and y(1) = h2. Observe further that the path y
intersects the root hyperplanes in 55 at finitely many points. Thus, there
is a finite set S C C such that, for all T E C \ S, the element y(r) E 55 is
regular. We put CS := C \ S for convenience. We would like to emphasize
at this point that a very essential special feature of the situation we are
dealing with is that the points h1 and h2 in the base of the specialization
are connected by a straight line, more precisely, by a set of the form Cs, as
opposed to an arbitrary complex curve.
Following the pattern of the proof of Lemma 2.6.35 we consider the map

Clearly, the image of 4D is a Zariski open subset in the 2-dimensional

complex vector space h c fj spanned by h1 and h2. Note also that
4D(0, Cs) = 101. Now, fix w E W, and define a variety At by

At = (9W(h) xhW Bh) n (8 xe 8),

which is obtained from formula (3.4.10) by replacing everywhere the line 1

by the 2-dimensional vector space h. Following the strategy of the corre-
sponding argument in the Borel-Moore homology case, we define a variety
376 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

X by means of the cartesian diagram

x)Ak.
(7.3.17)
j VXLI
I
CxCs k

where v is the standard map (x, b) F-+ x mod [b, 61. It is convenient
at this stage to formalize the properties of the map X - C x Cs resulting
from this construction as follows.

7.3.18. ALGEBRAIC HOMOTOPY ARGUMENT. Let C be a smooth complex

curve with base point o, and let X be a G-variety over C x Cs (with G
acting trivially on both C and Cs). We write ir : X -+ C and p : X -+ Cs
for the compositions of the map X -+ C x Cs with the projections of C x Cs
to the factors C and Cs, respectively. Set X° = it 1(0), our usual notation
for the special fiber. We assume the following holds:
(P1) The projection p : X -+ Cs is flat;
(P2) The projection p : X° -+ Cs is split, that is, there is a G-variety X
and a G-equivariant isomorphism X° = X xCs making the projection
X° --+ Cs into the second projection X x Cs ---+ Cs.
In the case we are interested in, we have C = C, o = 0, and X is the
space defined by diagram (7.3.17). Property (P1) is then clear. Property
(P2) holds because the map (D maps {0} x Cs to {0}, and the fiber of Aw
over 0 E b is Z, the Steinberg variety. We thus put X := Z in our case.
In the general case, the embedding X° ---+ X gives by property (P2) a
natural diagram

XxCs=X°c ` X 4 i X*=X\X°
(7.3.19)

{0} x Cs ( b. C X CS --- (C \ 101) X CS

Also, for any T E Cs, put Xr = p-1(T) and X,' = p -'(-r) fl x*, and let
iT : X,' '-+ X* denote the embedding. The embedding induces a well defined
pullback morphism iT : KG(X*) -+ KG(X,') , since the map X - Cs is
flat. Note finally that, for each T E Cs, the projection ir : XT -+ C has the
special fiber over o isomorphic to X x {T} = X, due to property (P2). Thus,
there is a specialization map limt..o : KG(Xr) -+ KG(X).
The key result, that clearly implies Claim 7.3.6, is

Proposition 7.3.20. (Homotopy Invariance of Specialization) If the con-

ditions (PI)-(P2) hold, then the following composite map is independent of
 7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 377

rECs:
KG(X`) ':KG(Xr) lime-0 o
KG(X).
The proof of the proposition will be based on three general lemmas.
Let (C, o) be a smooth curve and f : Y - C an arbitrary G-variety
over C (with trivial G-action on C). Let E : Y° "Y be the embedding
of the special fiber over o. Although the variety Y is not assumed to be
smooth, the restriction functor e* : KG(Y) -+ KG(YO) can still be defined
as it was implicitly done in the course of the definition of the specialization
in K-theory, see 5.3. Namely, choose a local coordinate t on C such that
t(o) = 0. We may view t as a function on Y by means of pullback. Then,
Y° = t-1(0), and for any sheaf .P E KG(Y), we put
(7.3.21) E*[F] := Tor°°0 (F, [Link]) - Tor, (F,
Coker(.F - F) - Ker(.F -` -'+ F) E KG(Y°) .
Lemma 7.3.22. The composite map e* e* : KG(YO) -+ KG(Y°) is the
zero-map.

Proof. In view of the above definition of E* by means of equation (7.3.21),

the two term complex Oy -t=+ Oy given by multiplication by t plays here the
role of the Koszul resolution of the sheaf E*Oyo. Thus, for any F E KG(Y°),
we deduce (either directly or as in Lemma 5.4.9) E*E*f = A(N) ®.P, where
N is the "conormal bundle" to Y°. We put quotation marks because Y° is
singular in general, and the bundle N is by definition given by the pullback
by means of f of the cotangent space T; C. Since C is a curve, T. *C is a 1-
dimensional vector space, and N is the trivial 1-dimensional vector bundle
on Y°. Hence A(N) = [A°N] - [A1NJ = [N] - [N] = 0, and the lemma
follows.

The second lemma is a variation of Lemma 5.3.6.

Lemma 7.3.23. In the above setting, let 4 be a G-equivariant coherent
sheaf on Y' = Y \ Yo, and G its G-equivariant coherent extension to Y,
that is, Gly. = g. Then in KG(Y°) we have limt...o[0] = E'g.
Proof. If the sheaf U is a lattice, i.e., is t-torsion free, then the equation
of the lemma is just the definition of the specialization. The point is that
we do not assume G to be t-torsion free. In this general case we argue as
follows (cf. proof of Lemma 5.3.6).
Let g,,. be the maximal subsheaf of supported on Y° and 0 =
Then limt-0[0J = E*[Q] since 0 is a lattice for 9. On the other hand, in
KG(Y) we have [G] = [0). It follows that e* [9-] = E* [CQ,°]+ E*[0] ,
since e' is a homomorphism of K-groups. Thus, it suffices to prove that
378 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

e*[9,,,] = 0. But any sheaf supported on Y° is represented in K°(Y) by

a class of the form e..F for some .F E K°(Y°). Hence, e..F, and
Lemma 7.3.21 implies e*G,,. = e*e*.F = 0.

Lemma 7.3.24. For any G-variety X and any finite set S C C, the
projection p : X x Cs -+ X induces an isomorphism p* K°(X) .Z :

K°(X X CS).

Proof. The obvious diagram X x S'-+ X x C +- X x CS gives rise to the

standard exact sequence of K-groups, see 5.2.14:

(7.3.25) K°(X x S) , K°(X x C) -+ K°(X x Cs) -+ 0.

We claim that the first map in (7.3.25) vanishes, and hence, the second map
is an isomorphism.
To prove the claim, we may assume without loss of generality, that the
finite set S consists of a single point and that this point is 0 E C, the origin.
Let E : X x {0} --+ X x C denote the corresponding embedding. It suffices
to show that the composite map a*e.: K°(X x {0}) --+ K°(X x C) --
K°(X x {0}) vanishes, since the second map e* is the Thom isomorphism.
But a*e. = 0 by Lemma 7.3.21, applied to the projection X x C -+ C, and
the claim follows.
To complete the proof of the lemma, we observe that the pullback
morphism p* : K°(X) -+ K°(X X CS) may be factored as the composition
K°(X) - K°(X X C) - K°(X X CS), where the first map is the Thom
isomorphism and the second map is the restriction map in (7.3.25), which
is also an isomorphism, due to the claim.

7.3.26. Proof of Proposition 7.3.20. Fix r E Cs and consider the following

commutative diagram of embeddings

C E* X
(7.3.27)

X xCSC

Let F be a G-equivariant coherent sheaf on X* and F its G-equivariant

coherent extension to X. Then the restriction iT.F (notation i . and Zr is
clear from (7.3.27)) is a well-defined coherent sheaf on X,., due to condition
(PI). Hence, by Lemma 7.3.23 we obtain
 7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 379

urn [.FJ = E* ' lim. [i F] = ETl°r .

Set t' = limt-o[F] E KG(X x Cs). Using the commutativity of diagram

(7.3.27) and functoriality of restriction, one therefore finds

E; i, = Z,* E* = i*rCj .
ii .0

We see that the only thing that has to be shown in order to prove the
Proposition is that the class i;g E KG(X) is independent of the choice of r.
But using Lemma 7.3.24 we can write 4 = p*9', for some class 9' E KG(X)
and p : X x Cs --+ X. Hence, for any r, we have iTG = i;p*g' = 1C'. This
proves the proposition, hence completes the proof of Claim 7.3.6.

Proof of Proposition 7.2.14. We adapt to the K-theoretic setup the

argument used in the proof of the corresponding result 3.6.17 in homology.
In the notation of the proof of Theorem 7.2.2 write O,"L E KG(A,,) for the
class of the structure sheaf of the smooth variety A. We have the following
commutative diagram, which is an analogue of (3.6.22).
standard w-action
KG (8)

KG(8h) °- KG(gwlhl P

n g w-ac son
KG(G/T)

Here the rectangle along the perimeter commutes by the definition of the
standard W-action on KG(13), see (6.4.15). The isomorphism 7 is induced
µ
by composition of the isomorphisms ph -=+ AdG h and AdG h = G/T, so
that the triangles p o ry = 7r commute. Also, the trapezoid at the bottom of
(7.3.28) commutes since Aw = Graph(w-action). Hence, it follows from the
diagram that the upper "inverted trapezoid" in diagram (7.3.28) commutes.
Now replace h by the line 1 = C h, and set Ow = limh.o 0W1". By the
proof of Theorem 7.2.2 the class Ow E KG(Z) is the image of the element
1 w E Z[W] under the composition
7.2.2

7G(W) +71,[W411] '' KG(Z)

Taking the specialization of the upper inverted trapezoid in (7.3.28) as
h -+ 0, and using the fact that specialization commutes with convolution
380 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

(see 5.3.9), we obtain the following commutative diagram

KG(B) standard w-action KG(8)

9r' a.

KG(T'5) convolution
KG(T"13)
with

Thus, convolution with O,,, transferred to KG(B) by means of the Thom

isomorphism Tr*, is the same thing as the right w-action on KG(G/T)
transferred by means of p`. This proves the proposition.
Proof of Corollary 7.2.15. We retain the notation of the previous proof.
By construction, the composition
Z[W] `_, Z[Waff] KG(Z) K(Z)
takes w E W to Ou,. Since assigning the support cycle to a sheaf intertwines
the specialization map in K-theory with the one in homology, we compute
5.9 17
[supp 0w] = supp (lli m Qw) li o[suPP Ow] = li ,[A,,] = [A.].
This agrees with the deformation proof of Theorem 3.4.1 and the result
follows.

7.3.29. SOME COMPATIBILITIES FOR W-ACTION. We complete this section

by analyzing compatibility of the various natural isomorphisms introduced
earlier in the book. These results are a bit technical and may be omitted
by the reader without much trouble.
A linear map f : Vl -+ V2 of two W-modules is said to be sign-
commuting with the W-actions if we have

f (w . vi) _ (- 1)'(w) . w f (vl), Vvl E VI, w E W.

First recall the Poincare duality isomorphism 2.6(4),

Hi(B) = Hen-'(B), 2n = dim3tB.
This isomorphism does not commute with the W-actions on homology
and cohomlogy. The reason is that the W-action does not preserve the
orientation (= fundamental) class of B, hence does not commute with the
intersection pairing (see the warning directly before 2.6.19). Specifically,
the Weyl group acts on H2n(B), hence on the fundamental class of B, by
the sign representation w ' -+ (-1)e(w). It follows that the Poincare duality
isomorphism sign-commutes with the W-action. For example, for i = 2n we
have

H°(B) - sign 0 H2n(B) = sign ® sign = trivial representation.

 7.3 Case q = 1: Deformation Argument 381

On the contrary, the Weyl group acts on G/T (on the right) by holomorphic
transformations, hence, preserves the orientation (arising from the complex
structure). It follows that the intersection pairing on G/T commutes with
the W-action. Thus the Poincare duality isomorphism

(7.3.30) Hi(G/T) N H2"-'(G/T)

commutes with the natural W-action.
We turn next to the case of the cotangent bundle 7r : T*B - B with zero-
section i : B-+T*B. In the following lemma, the W-action related to B is
always understood to be the "standard" one (see 6.4.15) and the W-action
related to T*B is always understood to be the one arising by convolution.
Lemma 7.3.31. Let n = dimCB. Then
(i) The Thom isomorphism lr* : H(B) =+ Hi+2n (T*B) sign-commutes
with the W-actions; hence, the same holds for the inverse, i*: Hi+2n(T*B)=+
Hi(B), see 2.6.43.
(ii) The Thom isomorphism 7r* : KG(T*B) -+ KG(B) commutes with the
W-actions; hence the same holds for the inverse i* : KG(T*B) -+ KG(B).
The same statement also holds for non-equivariant K-groups.
(iii) The homological Chern character map K(T*B) -+ H.(T*B) (5.8.1),
commutes with the W-actions, while the the homological Chern character
map K(B) -+ H.(B) sign-commutes with the W-actions.
(iv) The co-homological Chern character map K(B) -+ H*(B) commutes
with the Weyl group actions.
Proof of Lemma 7.3.31. (i) It suffices to prove the statement for i*.
This is a restriction with support map which is constructed by definition,
by means of intersecting in T*B with [B], the fundamental class of the
zero-section. Thus, proving the claim for i* amounts to proving two facts:
(1) convolution with H(Z) acts on [B] as the sign representation of W;
and (2) convolution with H(Z) acts on [T*B] as the trivial representation
of W. The first fact follows from Claim 3.6.17 and the remark above it.
The second fact follows from the equation [T*B] = limt.o[gt'h], since the
fundamental class of gn ^_- G/T is preserved by the convolution (cf. the
discussion leading to formula (7.3.30)).
(ii) Let LA be the G-equivariant line bundle on B associated with a
character A E X*(T) and let a*L be its pullback to T*B. The deformation
argument in the proof of Theorem 7.2.2 shows that, for any w E W,
convolution with Oh = structure sheaf of Ay takes 7r*LA to 7r*L,.,(A). Since
the standard w-action on KG(B) takes LA to Lw(A) as well, the map 7r*
commutes with the W-actions.
(iv) is clear from the construction of the W-action on H*(B), cf. 6.4.15.
382 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

(iii) Observe first that for a smooth variety, the homological Chern char-
acter is obtained from the cohomological Chern character by means of
Poincare duality. By the discussion preceding the Lemma we know that
the Poincare duality isomorphism for 13 sign-commutes with W. The coho-
mological Chern character for B commutes with W by (iv). Further, the
cohomological Chern character always commutes with restriction. But re-
striction to the zero-section in homology sign-commutes with W, by (i) and
the restriction map in K-theory commutes with W by (ii). This proves that
the homological Chern character map on T*B commutes with W.
So far, we have always used the "standard" W-action as long as the
variety 8 was concerned. There is, however, a convolution action of W on
H (13) and on K(13) arising from convolution with H(Z), resp. K(Z), due
to the set-theoretic equation Z o B = B. The two actions, the "standard"
action and the "convolution" action, turn out to be equal on the homology
of 13 due to Claim 3.6.17. This is not the case in K-theory, as is shown by
the result below.
Let eP E R(T) denote the element corresponding to the half-sum of
positive roots (recall that there is a preferred choice of "geometric" positive
roots, see 6.1.9, for the "abstract" maximal torus).
Lemma 7.3.32. The W-action on KG(13) arising from convolution with
KG(Z) is expressed in terms of the "standard" W-action on KG(13) by
w : R i--+ (-1)e(" e'' w(eP R), R E R(T).
Proof. The zero section i: B --+T'B induces the following two diagrams
in K-theory
(7.3.33)
KG(T*B)-
ws
KG(T`!) ( )
KG (T*13) onv KG(T`B)
vn n A
..

i-I c'- standard

with K°(Z) KG(8) K°(B) w'nettan' KG(13)
(8)
The diagram on the left commutes due to Lemma 5.2.23 (put M3 = pt,
Y = 13, Y = T'13 in the discussion after the lemma). The diagram on
the right commutes due to Lemma 7.3.31(ii). Hence for any R E R(T) and
w E W,
i*i*(convolution action of w on R) = w(i`i.R).
By Lemma 5.4.9 the map i'i. is given by the tensor product with the class
A(T*B). The cotangent bundle on 13 is isomorphic to G x B n, where n is the
nilradical of the Lie algebra of a Borel subgroup B. Recall that the weights
of the torus action on n are the negative roots relative to the "geometric"
 7.4 Hilbert Polynomials and Orbital Varieties 383

choice of positive roots. Hence we find

A(T-B) = fl (1 - e-*) 6.1.10

a-P. [J (e"/2 - e-alt) = e-P . 0.
a>0 «>o

We get

e-P A (convolution with w on R) = w(e-P A R) _ (-1)e(w) . w(e-P R) ,

since A is a skew-symmetric element. The ring R(T) being an integral

domain, it follows that

convolution action of w on R = (-1)e(w) eP - w(e-P R).

This completes the proof.

7.4 Hilbert Polynomials and Orbital Varieties

In this section we digress from the main theme of this chapter, as set
out in §7.2. Our aim here is to prove an important result (Theorem 7.4.1
below) relating harmonic polynomials on the Cartan subalgebra to some
equivariant Hilbert polynomials, see §6.6, and to Springer representations
of the Weyl group.
Let 0 C N be a nilpotent orbit. Throughout this section we fix a Borel
subalgebra 6 = h ® n c 9, where h is a fixed Cartan subalgebra and n
is the nilradical of b. Write E for the closure of µ-1(0) C N, the orbital
variety associated to O.
Recall next that at the end of section 6.5 we have introduced a map
e : H(E) -+ 7'ld. Let f(O) denote the image of c, a linear subspace of Nd
with a distinguished basis formed by the images of the fundamental classes
of the irreducible components of E. The latter are, by (6.5.10), in bijective
correspondence with the irreducible components of the variety 0 fl n. Given
such a component A, write EA for the irreducible component of the orbital
variety E associated to A by means of (6.5.9), and let E(EA) E f(O)
be the corresponding harmonic polynomial. We shall now proceed to an
alternative direct construction of those distinguished polynomials.
Let T C B be the maximal torus and the Borel subgroup with Lie
algebras h C b, respectively. Clearly, A, the closure of A, is a B-stable,
hence a T-stable, closed subvariety of n which can be equivalently defined as
an irreducible component of 0 fl n. Let PA E G[I ] denote the T-equivariant
Hilbert polynomial (see §6.6) of the subvariety k C n and write Comp(O fl
n) for the set of irreducible components of 0 fl n.
Fix a point x E Ofln and put d = dim,13y. The following result plays an
important role in representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras.
384 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

Theorem 7.4.1. ([BBM],[Jo3],[Ve]) The equivariant Hilbert polynomials

{PA , A E Comp(O fl n)}

are homogeneous W-harmonic polynomials on h of degree d. Moreover, for

any A, the polynomial PA is proportional to e(EA). In particular, the Hilbert
polynomials form the distinguished basis of the vector space rl(O).

Let Cd[ll] denote the vector space of degree d homogeneous polynomials

Zany
on h, and the ideal in C[3] generated by W-invariant polynomials
without constant term. We have a natural projection
Zeal).
(7.4.2) proj :
C[h] -+ Cd[b]/(Cd[4] n
We will deduce Theorem 7.4.1 from the following two results.

Proposition 7.4.3. proj(PA) = proj (e(EA)) , for any A E Comp(O fl n).

Proposition 7.4.4. The equivariant Hilbert polynomials {PA, AE
Comp(O fl n)} span a W-stable subspace in Cd[fl].

To begin the proof, we first reformulate the results about equivariant

Hilbert polynomials proved in section 6.6 in a slightly different way.
Recall that to any T-equivariant coherent sheaf M on n (here n may
be replaced by any finite dimensional vector space with a contracting T-
action) we have associated its formal character, chT(M), which has the
form, see Proposition 6.6.6
XM
chT(M) = where XM E R(T).
llaESpn(1 - ea)
We may view XM as a function on T and pull it back to h by means of
the exponential map. Taking the Taylor expansion at 0 E 4 we get, by
additivity of formal characters, a well-defined group homomorphism:
(7.4.5) X : KT (n) -"+ C[[h][ , M '-+ exp`(XM)
This map should be rather denoted "exp* o X", but abusing the notation,
we will write X for short, thinking of the function XM in terms of its Taylor
expansion on h.
Let I C C[[4]] denote the augmentation ideal consisting of the formal
power series without constant term (not to be confused with the ideal
generated by the augmentation ideal of the subalgebra C[[ll]Jn'). On C[[4]]
introduce the I-adic filtration C[[4]] = I° D I' D J2 D ... where I', the k-
th power of I, is the ideal of the power series vanishing at 0 E 4 up to order
> k. Put n = dim n. Then, Theorem 6.6.12 clearly implies the following
claim.
 7.4 Hilbert Polynomials and Orbital Varieties 385

Claim 7.4.6. The map X takes r,KT (n) to I"-a, for any q > 0.
By the crucial dimension equality 3.3.6 we have dim (Ofln) = 1/2 dim 0 =
dim n - d, where d = dim,, 13y is the dimension of the Springer fiber. There-
fore the map X restricts by Claim 7.4.6 to a homomorphism

(7.4.7) X : KT (O fl n) --> Id.

Next, recall our basic diagram

N 5
where µ : T`B - N is the Springer resolution and 7r is the cotangent
bundle projection. Let i : 13'T'13 denote the zero-section. Let E = the
closure of µ-1(0) C T`13, be our orbital variety. The projection it : E -' B
makes E a G-equivariant fibration over 13 with fiber o n n so that we get
the commutative diagram

E^_- GxBOfln c-'>T`13^_-GxBn

(7.4.8)
of
J pt
O fl n ` ' n pt
The second row of the diagram is obtained from the first by restriction
to T613 = n, the fiber over the base point b = our fixed Borel subalgebra.
This gives the induced commutative diagram of K-groups where "res" is
the isomorphism induced by restriction:
(7.4.9)

KG(E)
KG(T*1) KG(8) 6.111 R(T)E C[M]
rea
I -.s * II II m.
K (n) ->i' KT (pt)
(I II
5.2.1 exp.
K T(O fl n) R(T) ---> C[[C7]]

Let stop, resp. 4rbot, denote the composition of maps in the top, resp. bot-
tom, row of diagram (7.4.9). The main point we need about this diagram
in order to prove Proposition 7.4.3 is the following result.
Lemma 7.4.10. (i) `ybot = X, see (7.4.5);
(ii) The image of `ybot is contained in Id.
Proof. Part (i) is due to claim 6.6.8, and part (ii) is immediate from (i)
and (7.4.7).
386 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

A few general remarks are in order. Write Z = Tc"" for short. An obvious
isomorphism Ik/Ik}1 - Ck[I ] yields

(7.4.11) Ik/(Ik+1 + Ik n z) = Ck[hl/Ck[h] nI = H211(5)

where the last isomorphism is the Borel isomorphism a, see (6.4.13). Recall
further that there is an increasing r-filtration on K-groups, the filtration
by dimension of support, defined in 5.9. By equation (6.4.25) the cohomo-
logical Chern character maps 1'n_kK(13) to ®p>k H2p(B) . Note that the
latter space corresponds to Ik/Ik n I under the Borel isomorphism.
Proof of Proposition 7.4.3. By definition, the equivariant Hilbert poly-
nomial of a sheaf M is given by the first non-vanishing term in the Taylor
expansion of the function exp*(XM). In the case we are interested in, the
polynomials PA are obtained this way from the structure sheaves of the
components of on n. Thus, in view of Lemma 7.4.10(i) and isomorphisms
(7.4.11), the Hilbert polynomials PA are the images of the corresponding
classes [OA] under the composition

(7.4.12)
KT (®n n) -+ Id -. jd/ jd+1 -, jd/(Id+1 + Id n I) , d = dimcB.,,

where the first arrow is the map `Ybot and all the others are natural projec-
tions.
By commutativity of diagram (7.4.9), we may replace the map `Ybot in
(7.4.12) by W. To study the latter, recall that dim E = 2n - d by 6.5.12.
We see that the isomorphism res : KC(E) - KT (®n n) from (7.4.9)
composed with all the maps in (7.4.12) is equal to the composition of maps
along the top row and then along the right vertical arrows of the following
diagram.

(7.4.13)
KG(E) r2n_dK(T-B) i ; rn_dK(13) `h oP>
Id/Id nI
ch. ch. ch. II p
,
r
H' (F) -'' ®
p<2n-d
-
H2p(T*H) ®
p<2n-d
-
H2(H) >D
ED

p>d
proJ proJ proJ pro)

D
H(E) ' -" H2(2n_d) (T *B) ---. H2(n-d) (B) H2d(8)

In this diagram, IID stands for Poincare duality and H(E) stands for the top
dimensional Borel-Moore homology group of E, as usual. The compositions
ch. o proj of the vertical maps in each of the three left columns are
 7.4 Hilbert Polynomials and Orbital Varieties 387

given by the support cycle map (Lemma 5.9.4). Clearly, the above diagram
commutes. Thus, two paths from the top left corner to the bottom right
corner, the first all the way down along left vertical arrows and then right,
and the second along the top row and then along the right vertical arrows,
coincide. Combining this last observation with Lemma 7.4.10(i), and with
the commutativity of diagram (7.4.9), we deduce commutativity of the left
square in the following diagram, where it and j. are as in (7.4.13):

(7.4.14)
res p
KG(E) KT (®n n)
X
Id d[ll )
aupp

H(E) E_°' ? H2d(B) prol V' P-4

Id/(Id+l + Id n 2) Cd[h]/Cd141 n I

The map p : Id --> Cd[h] = Id/Id+1 in (7.4.14) is the projection, so that

the right square of (7.4.14) trivially commutes. Thus, the whole diagram
commutes.
Observe further that if EA denotes the irreducible component of E
corresponding to A E Comp(O n n) then, for the map res in diagram
(7.4.14), we have

OA and suPP (OEn) = [EA]

By definition, for any irreducible component of A of O n n, the composi-
tion p o X in the top row of (7.4.14) sends OA to the equivariant Hilbert
polynomial PA. It follows by commutativity of the diagram that the com-
position in the bottom row of (7.4.14) sends the fundamental class [EA] to
proj(PA). Observe finally that the map e = j. o i' o D in the diagram, com-
posed with the isomorphism Hd(B) ld is exactly the map assigning to
an irreducible component of E a distinguished harmonic polynomial. This
proves Proposition 7.4.3.
Proof of Proposition 7.4.4. Let 4btop, resp. 44th be the composition of
the map 'top, resp. Wbot, in the top (resp. bottom) row of diagram (7.4.9)
followed by the projection Id Id/Id+1 = Cd[b] (thus, 4?bot equals the
composition of all the maps in (7.4.12) but the last one). We must show
that the subspace spanned by the polynomials

{1P6ot(OA) E Cd[t ] [ A E Comp(O n n)}

is W-stable. To that end, observe first that this subspace equals the whole
image of the map fibt, due to part (ii) of Theorem 6.6.12. By commutativ-
ity of diagram (7.4.9) this is the same as Image(4top).
To show that the image of I)top is W-stable, consider the Steinberg
388 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

variety Z C T*!3 x T"B, and recall that

ZoT`B=T*B, ZoE=E.
Hence, convolution in K-theory makes KG(T'B) and K'(E) into KG(Z)-
modules, in particular, into W-modules. Furthermore, the map j.:
Kc (E) -+ K' (T' B) commutes with the KG (Z)-action, by Lemma 5.2.23.
This shows that the first map in the top row of (7.4.9) is W-equivariant.
The second map is W-equivariant, by Lemma 7.3.31(ii). The third map is
W-equivariant by definition of the map, see 6.1.11. That last map, exp`,
is clearly W-equivariant. Thus, the composition (Dt,p commutes with the
W-action, and Image(obt,p) is a W-stable subspace.
Proof of Theorem 7.4.1. We have already shown in the course of the
proof of Proposition 7.4.4 that all of the maps in the top row of diagram
(7.4.9) commute with the W-actions. Therefore, the map'1t,p : K°(E) -+
CI[h] is a W-map. The map Zt,p also equals the composition of maps in the
top row of diagram (7.4.14). The map res o X in that diagram is completely
determined-due to Theorem 6.6.12(ii)-by its value on the structure sheaves
of the irreducible components of E. The latter project isomorphically onto
the basis of H(E) under the support cycle map KG(E) -+ H(E). It follows
that the map 4bt,p descends to a well-defined W-equivariant linear map
T : H(E) -+ Cd[(].
Next, we use the W-stable direct sum decomposition C[h] = 7{ ® I (see
section 6.4) and write T as the sum of two W-maps
D,x : H(E) -+ old, 4z : H(E) Cd[h) fl Z.

To analyze the map fix observe that, by definition, proj o DZ = 0, where

proj : Cd[h) -» Cd[4]/Cd[4] fl Z. Hence, proj o 4't,p = proj o T = proj o D,t.
Therefore, Proposition 7.4.3 yields proj o 4D, = proj o e. But the projection
proj restricted to the subspace 11d becomes an isomorphism. Thus we get
It. =e.
To study the map 'Z we compose it with the isomorphism ¢:
H(Bx)cfxl=+H(E) of Proposition 6.5.13, where C(x) stands for the com-
ponent group of the centralizer of x in G. This way we get a map
= 0 o' : H(8)) -+ Cd[C)] flI`141. Since the map 4D is W-equivariant,
it follows that ' is W-equivariant. Therefore, its image is a W-stable sub-
space in Cd[h]f1f ' isomorphic to the irreducible representation H(By)cW,
corresponding to the trivial representation of C(x). But the graded space
factorization C[1] C[b]' ® l shows that the simple W-modules appear-
ing in the decomposition of Cd[4] fl I are only those that occur in if, for
some i < d with non-zero multiplicity. By Corollary 6.5.3, the representa-
tion H(8)c(x) never occurs in W for i < d. Hence the map vanishes.
Thus, fiZ = 0, and we obtain T = e. The theorem follows.
 7.5 The Hecke Algebra for SL2 389

7.5 The Hecke Algebra for SL2

Before proving Theorem 7.2.5 in the general case, we consider in more
detail the special case G = SL2(C). Let T be the standard maximal torus,
the group of (2 x 2)-diagonal matrices with determinant 1, and B the Borel
subgroup of (2 x 2)-upper triangular matrices with determinant 1. The
group Hom,,g (T, C*) is isomorphic to Z with the generator chosen to be
the homomorphism

t
(7.5.1) w: (0 tol)
the dominant fundamental weight of SL2(C) with respect to the geomet-
ric choice of positive roots, see 6.1.9. We write the group Hom,,o (T, C*)
additively, so that any element of the group is of the form

A=nw: (0 toll -+t-n , nEZ.

Let X = e" denote the element of the group algebra Z[P] = R(T) corre-
sponding to w. Thus R(T) = Z[X, X'11.
The group SL2(C) acts transitively on C2 \ {0}, by linear transforma-
tions. The isotropy group of the vector (1) is the subgroup U of upper tri-
angular unipotent matrices in SL2(C). The subgroup B stabilizes the line
spanned by (o). Thus, there are natural SL2(C)-equivariant isomorphisms:
(7.5.2) G/U =C2 \ {0} , B = G/B = IF(C2) =1P1.
Observe further that there is a T-action on G/U on the right. An
element t = () E T acts by the assignment t : g - U " g t U. This
action is well defined, since the torus T normalizes U. The right T-action
clearly commutes with the standard left G-action.
Lemma 7.5.3. For any t E C*, the right (.°i)-action on G/U corre-
sponds by means of isomorphism (7.5.2) to the standard t-action on C2 \ {0}
by dilations, i.e., the action t : (z1, z2) F-+ (t x1, t x2).
Proof. Note that G-actions on G/U and C2 \ {0} are transitive and both
T-actions commute with the G-action. Hence it suffices to show that the
two T-actions correspond on a single vector, say the base vector (a). But in
that case we find
t 0
0 t- 0 0
t- (I01) -

Recall that 0(n) denotes the line bundle (invertible sheaf) on 1P1 whose
germs of sections are regular homogeneous functions of degree n on open
390 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

C'-stable subsets of C2 \ {0}. On the other hand, to any weight A : T - C'

we have associated in section 6.1.11 a canonical line bundle LA on 13 = F'.
Lemma 7.5.4. For any weight n E Z, there is a natural G-eguivariant
isomorphism L,,,,, = 0(n).
Proof. A germ of a section of L,,,,, may be viewed, see (6.1.12), as the
germ of function f on G/U such that, for any t E T and g E G, we have:

This equation translates, by means of the isomorphism (7.5.2) and Lemma

7.5.3, to the condition that f is homogeneous of degree n on C2 \ {0}.
We now discuss the Weyl Character Formula 6.1.17 for G = SL2(C).
First note that in this case we have W = Weyl group = Z/2. The constant
map p : ]P1 ---+ pt induces a morphism of equivariant K-groups: p.
KG(F') -+ K'(pt). The generator of the Weyl group Z/2 acts on R(T) _
Z[X, X-`] as the involution X «-+ X-', and we identify KG(pt) with the
subring stable under this involution. Then in our special case Corollary
6.1.17 reads
Lemma 7.5.5. For any integer n E Z we have
Xn+1 - X-(n+l)
p>G(n) R(T)E'.
X - X-1 E

Proof. Although the result is a special case of Corollary 6.1.17 it is

instructive, we believe, to give here a direct argument. Since dim,, P' = 1,
for any coherent sheaf F on F', we have H'(F1,.F) = 0, for all i > 1, see
[Ha]. Therefore, for F = 0(n) we find

H°(P', 0(n)) - H1(?', 0(n)) E R(T),

and we have only to compute the two cohomology groups on the right.
The space H°(1P1, 0(n)) consists by definition of homogeneous algebraic
regular functions on C2 \ {0} of degree n. Observe that there are no non-
zero regular homogeneous functions on C2 \ {0} of degree n < 0. To see
this, view such a function f as a holomorphic function. Then, since the
origin in C2 is a codimension 2 subset, the function f can be extended to a
holomorphic function on the whole of C2, due the the removable singularity
theorem. But clearly, a homogeneous function of negative degree cannot be
regular at the origin. Thus, we get
(7.5.6) H°(1P', 0(n)) = 0 if n < 0.
The second thing that we use is Serre duality, cf. [GH]:
(7.5.7) H'(P', Q(n))* = H°(IP',1l (9 O(-n)) = H° (1P', 0(-n - 2)).
 7.5 The Hecke Algebra for SL2 391

Formulas (7.5.6) and (7.5.7) combined together show that the group
H'(P', O(n)) vanishes for all n > 0. Furthermore, the class H°(1P', O(n)) -
H'(1P', O(n)) only changes sign under substitution n --+ -n - 2, due to
Serre duality (7.5.7). If, in particular, n = -1 then both cohomology groups
vanish. Thus everything is reduced to computing the class H°(1P', O(n)) E
KC(pt) for n > 0.
Any regular homogeneous function on C2 \ {0} of non-negative degree
is a polynomial (see [Hal or note that it is an entire holomorphic function
on C2 of polynomial growth). Hence, for n > 0, the space H°(1P', 0(n)) is
the vector space of homogeneous polynomials of degree n in two variables
z1, z2. The monomials z; zZ -' , i = 0, 1,... , n, form a weight basis of this
(n + 1)-dimensional vector space. The torus T acts on zl and z2 by means
of the weights -w and +w respectively. Hence a monomial z1' z2 -' has
weight -iw + (n - i)w = (n - 2i)w. Therefore the class of H°(1P', O(n)) in
R(T) = Z[X, X-'] is represented by the element
X -(n+l) - Xn+1
Xn + Xn-2 +... + X2-n + X-n = h,_1-X 11

From now on set P = V. There are two G-orbits of the diagonal action
on P x P. The first one is Po, the diagonal copy of F in P x F, the closed
orbit, and the second one is Y = (1P x 1P) \ Fo , a Zariski open subset in 1P x P.
Thus, the Steinberg variety Z consists of two components Zo = Tpo (P x F),
and Zy = Tf(1P x F) = TTxp(P x F) = zero-section of T*(P x P). Thus the
projection 7r,, : Zy -- F x F is an isomorphism.
Let 1pl.p/p be the sheaf of relative 1-forms along the projection to the
first factor P x P -' P. Put Q = ir,, IIPXP/p , a sheaf on Zy C T* (IP x F).
Further, for an integer n we set On = iroO(n) where 7ro : Zo -+ PA is the
natural projection.
Recall now that the affine Hecke algebra H for SL2(C) is an associative
C[q, q-'J-algebra on 3 generators, T, X and X -' subject to the relations

(7.5.8) (T+1)(T-q)=0,

X T=(1-q)X
where T is the unique generator of the subalgebra Hw, the finite Hecke
algebra.
Write c = -(T + 1) E H. Note that the set {c, X, X-' } also generates
H, and the relations (7.5.8) and (7.5.9) can be written

(7.5.10) c2=-(q+1)c, cX-' - Xc = qX - X-'.

392 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

Our aim is to construct an algebra isomorphism

(7.5.11) H Z KGXC (Z),

where the algebra structure on the right hand side is given by convolution,
see 5.2.20.
As a first step towards constructing the isomorphism (7.5.11) we define
a map
O : {c, X, X-'} K" C* (Z)
by the following assignment

X'+[0-11, X-''+(011, cs-+[qQ],

where q E R(C*) as in 7.2.3.
Theorem 7.5.12. The map O can be extended to an algebra homomor-
Phism O : H -+ KGxc' (Z) , that is, the following relations (cf. (7.5.10))
hold in the algebra KGxc* (Z):

(7.5.13) (qQ) * (qQ) = -(q + 1)qQ , and

(7.5.14) (qQ) * 01 - O-1 * (qQ) = qO_1 - 01, O 1 * 0_1 = 00.

Proof of Theorem 7.5.12. If pr2 : 1P x P - P is the second projection,

then by definition we get
Q = 7rY f2pxp/p = SlPxp/p = pr21l = Op 01lp .
It will be useful for us, in order to perform convolution computations, to
know the class of Q in the K-group of P x T'p, where Q is viewed as a
sheaf supported on the subset 1P x Tp 1P = 1P x P. To that end, write

1P .4- T*1P

for the zero section and vector bundle projection respectively. We have the
Koszul complex
(7.5.15)

given by viewing 1 i as a sheaf, sitting on the zero section of T*1P. Tensoring

with Op we obtain the resolution
(7.5.16)

The differential 5 in the Koszul complex is a linear function along the

fibers, hence is not a morphism of C*-equivariant sheaves. We may restore
C'-equivariance of the above complex by tensoring Op 0 with the
 7.5 The Hecke Algebra for SL2 393

character q-' E R(C'), normalized as in (7.2.3). This way, we obtain the

KGxc.(1P
following equality in x T'1P)

(7.5.17) OT.P.

We can now compute the convolution qQ * gQ in K-theory, using (5.2.29)

and the above equation as follows:

q OP)OP ®ir'Sl' - (OT-P, OP) - qOP ®0'

q. ([Link](-2)) (qQ) - (p.0p) qQ = -(q + 1)q Q,

where p : P --' {pt} is the projection and in the last equality we used
Lemmas 7.5.4 and 7.5.5 to find [Link](-2) = -1 and [Link] = 1. This proves
7.5.13.
To verify (7.5.14), we first transport this equation from KG"c' (Z) to a
more easily computable K-group. To that end, consider the maps

Z'+PxT*P«- 1PxP,
where it is the restriction to Z of the natural projection T'1P x T*1P "+
P x T*P and i = idx(zero-section). We now apply Corollary 5.4.34 to the
vector bundle E = T*13 and M = B. It is implicit in the statement of that
Corollary that the map
,
:= i*fr.: Kcxc (Z) Kcxc (1P x 1P),
is an algebra homomorphism. Moreover, it will be shown in the next section
(see proof of 7.6.7) that this homomorphism is injective. Thus to verify
(7.5.14) it suffices to prove the following equality in KG"c' (1P X IP):

(7.5.18) 4 (qQ) *'(01) - -t(O-1) *'(qQ) = q'(O_1) - D(OS).

This equation is much easier to handle than the original equation (7.5.14)
because we know by the Kiinneth formula that
KGXC (1P X iP)
= KcXc KGxc
(P) (P) ,
so that we have only to present explicitly each side of (7.5.18) as an element
of Kcxc'(P)
To that end, write Oa(n) for the direct image of the sheaf O(n) under
the diagonal embedding 0 : P -+ P x P. Using 7.5.17 one verifies immedi-
ately that we have
Z fr.(gQ) = qO 0 O(-2) - 0 0 0 , twir.(On) = Oo(n) , Hn E Z.
394 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

Recall the general factKcxc.

that, for a sheaf LA supported on the diagonal
Pp C P x 1P and F E (1P X P), we have the general equalities, see
Corollary 5.2.25, F * Lo = prZL ® F and LA *.F = priL ®.F, where
pri :P x P - IP stands for the projection to the i-th factor. Thus we find

(7.5.19) LHS of (7.5.18) = OA(1) - OA(-1)

= qO ® O(-1) - 0 0 0(1) - qO(-1) ® O(-2) + O(-1) ® 0.
To compute RHS of (7.5.18) resolve the sheaves OA(±1) by locally free
sheaves on P x P. For this we use Beilinson's resolution (5.7.4), which in the
special case of P =1P1 yields

(7.5.20) -+0
To get a resolution of OA(±1) we tensor the above exact sequence by
0(±1) on the right hand side and note that SZl = O(-2). Thus we obtain
exact sequences:

0 -+ 0(-1) ® 0(-2) -+ 0 0 0(-1) -+ OA(-1) -+ 0

0 -+ 0(-1) ®0 -+ 0 0 0(1) -. O,(1) --+ 0.

This yields the following equality in Kc"c' (1P x IP):

(7.5.21) qOA(-1) - Oo(1)

= qO ® 0(-1) - qO(-1) ® 0(-2) - 0 ® 0(1) + 0(-1) ® 0.
Comparing the RHS of (7.5.19) with the RHS of (7.5.21) we see that
(7.5.18) is indeed an equality in KG"c' (1P X F).
Proving the second equation in (7.5.14) is trivial and is left to the reader.
This completes the proof of the theorem.
We now prove

Theorem 7.5.22. The algebra homomorphism 0 : H --+ Kc"c' (Z) is an

isomorphism.

Proof Write Ho C H for the subalgebra of H generated by X and X''.

Then by construction we see 8(Ho) C Kc"c' (ZA). Furthermore, it is easy
to see that the map 8 is nothing but the composition of the following
natural isomorphisms, see (7.2.4)

(P) = Kcxc (Zo)

Kcxc

Ho Z R(T )[q, q-1]

where the first one sends ea i-+ a-a. Hence 0 maps Ha isomorphically onto
Kcxc (Zo)
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 395

Observe next that the Cellular Fibration Lemma 5.5 applied to Z yields
the short exact sequence of R(G x C*)-modules:
KGxc.(TT(P
(7.5.23) 0 --+ x P)) 0.

By the Thom isomorphism Theorem 5.4.17 we have the isomorphisms

KGXc* (T; (P x P)) KGXc* (Y) KGxc
(F)
By 5.2.16 and 5.2.18 respectively we have R(B x C*) = R(T x
KGXc' (P)

C*), so that it is clear that KGXc*(TT(P x P)) is a free R(T x C*)-module

with generator [OTY(pxp)J. Thus, from (7.5.23) we deduce an isomorphism
KGxc* (Z)IKGXc (Zn) ,., R(T x C*).
This shows that the induced map
(7.5.24) 0 : H/Ho -+ KGXc* (Za) .,, KG x'* (TT(P x P)),
(Z)I
KGxc

sends T to u - [OTY(p),p)], where u is an invertible element of R(T x C*).

Hence, (7.5.24) is an isomorphism (of free R(T)-modules of rank 1). Since
Ho ,,, KGxc*(ZA) we deduce, by Proposition 2.3.20(ii), that the map 0 is
itself an isomorphism.

7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem

This section is entirely devoted to proving Theorem 7.2.5, i.e., to construct-
ing an algebra isomorphism 8 : H =+ KA(Z) , where A = G x C*, and Z
is the Steinberg variety, see 3.3. As in the G = SL2(C)-case, worked out in
the previous section, we begin with defining the map O on generators. Let
S be the set of simple reflections in W, the Weyl group. Observe that the
Z[q, q-']-algebra H is generated by definition by the following set
S={e' I AEP}U{T,Iis ES} C H.
We construct a map 0 : S -+ KA(Z) as follows. The assignment e'` +-+
8(e') is given, up to sign, by isomorphism (7.2.4). In more detail, to any
A E P we have associated a canonical G-equivariant line bundle La on B.
Identify B with the diagonal BA C B x B. Let ir, Zo = Tgo (B x B) --+ Bo
be the natural projection (cf. 7.1). Set Oa = 7roLA. Thus O,A is a line bundle
on Zo which comes equipped with a natural G x C*-equivariant structure.
Thus, we may view Oa as an G X C*-equivariant sheaf on Z supported on
ZoCZ.
Next, for each s E S, let Y, C B x B be the corresponding G-orbit. We
observe that the closure, Y, = Y, U Bo, is a smooth variety, fibered over B
by means of the first projection R. '-+B x B - B with 1-dimensional fibers
isomorphic to the projective line P'. Denote by SZ1p ,. the sheaf on Y, of
396 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

relative 1-forms with respect to the first projection. Further, the conormal
bundle rr, TT* (8 x 8) - Y, is a smooth irreducible component of Z.
:

Set Q, = rreSl 5. The sheaf Q, comes equipped with a natural G x C*-

equivariant structure. We now define the map 8 : S --+ KA(Z) by the
following assignment (which agrees with the definition of 0 given in the
previous section in the special case G = SL2(C)):

(7.6.1) ea'-+ [0-A], T , ,--+ -([qQ,] + [0o]), (A E P, s E S).

Our first task is to show that (7.6.1) can be extended to an algebra

homomorphism H --+ KA(Z), i.e., that the above defined elements 8(u) E
KA(Z), u E S, satisfy all the relations that hold for the u's in H. It is
rather difficult to verify the relations among the 8(u)'s directly, as we did
in the SL2-case, so we will adopt the following strategy. We will construct
a C-vector space M and we will define an action on M of both the algebra
H and the algebra KA(Z). These actions make M an H-module as well as
an KA(Z)-module, i.e., give rise to algebra homomorphisms
pi : H -End cM , P2: KA(Z) -+ End cM.
We first show that M is a faithful module with respect to each of the
two actions, that is, the above homomorphisms are both injective. We then
prove, by a direct computation, that for any u E S, the u-action on M and
the 8(u)-action on M are given by the same operator, in other words that
pl(u) = P2(8(u)). This clearly implies, due to the faithfulness of the two
actions, that the elements 8(u) E KA(Z), u E S, satisfy all the relations
that hold for the u's themselves.
To construct the vector space M we need an
ALGEBRAIC DIGRESSION. Set e = EWEW Tw E Hw C H.

Lemma 7.6.2. (1) The assignment Tw '- ge(w) extends by Z[q, q-']-
linearity to an algebra homomorphism

e : HW -+ Z[q, q-'].

(2) For any a E Hw we have the equation a e = e(a)e = e - a.

(3) H - e is a free R(T)[q, q-'] -module with generator e.

Proof. It is immediate to check that the assigment T, +-+ q, s E S is

compatible with relations 7.1.1(i)-(ii), hence extends to an algebra homo-
morphism Hn, - Z[q, q''] . Then, for any element w E W, given a reduced
expression w = sl ... Sk we have T,, = T - ... T,k, and hence the ho-
momorphism takes T. to qk = qe(w). This is exactly the formula of part
(1).
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 397

To prove (2), fix s E S and observe that we have a decomposition

W = W' U W", where

W' = {w E W I £(w) = Q(s) + P(sw)},

W" = {v E W I £(sv) = 2(s) + e(v)}.
Thus for w E W', we can write w = sw' where w' = sw, and £(w) _
£(s) + 2(w'). Hence Tw = TTw'. Using the relation T, _ (q - 1)T, + q, see
7.1.2(a), we rewrite this as T3Tw = (q - 1)Tw + qTw,. Likewise, for V E W",
we have T,T = T,,,. Note that y E W' a sy E W". Now we calculate

T.e=T8- ETw= E T.T.+ > T. T.

wEW wEW' vEW"

((q - 1)Tv, + qTw') + E Tav

,uEW' vEW"
w=ew'

E qTw + E qTw, = q e.
wEW' w'EW"

This gives the first equality in (2). The second equality in (2) is proved
similarly.
To prove part (3), recall that the elements {eATw, , A E P, w E W j
form a Z[q,q-1]-basis for H. It follows that the elements {e' e, A E P},
are Z[q, q-1]-linearly independent. On the other hand, it is immediate from
part (2) that these elements span the Z[q, q'1]-module H e.

Let H H. e C H be the left ideal in H generated by the element e.

Thus, H - e has a natural left H-module structure. Furthermore, Lemma
7.6.2(1)-(2) implies that the map u ® 1 H u e gives rise to a well-defined
homomorphism IndHW a -+ H e, where Ind'W e = H a is the induced
module. Part (3) of the same lemma shows that this homomorphism is
bijectitive. Thus we have an H-module isomorphism

(7.6.3) H - e _ IndHW

The space H - e is the vector space M we have mentioned earlier while

sketching the strategy of the proof. The H-module structure on clearly
gives rise to an algebra homomorphism

(7.6.4) pH : H Endz[q,q-'1(H e).

The next step is to construct a K"(Z)-action on the same vector space.
Recall that the geometric meaning of the variable q was explained in 7.2.3,
so throughout we keep the convention that q E R(C*) is as in 7.2.3. The
crucial role in relating the algebraic construction above to geometry is
398 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

played by a Z[q, q-']-module isomorphism given by the composition

Th a p
(7.6.5) KA(T*13) -' KA(13) -' R(T) [q, q-1] =Z H e,
where the map Th is the Thom isomorphism, the map a is the canonical
isomorphism, cf. (6.1.6),
KA(Y) .,, Kaxc* (G/B) ,,, Ksxc' (pt) = R(T x C*) = R(T) [q, q-'],

and the map 0 is given by the assignment eA H e-A e, A E P, which is an

isomorphism due to Lemma 7.6.2(3).
Further, in the setup of section 5.4.22 put Ml = M2 = 8 and El =
E2 = T*B. Observe that the natural projection id x 7r : T*8 x T'8 -
(T*B) x B becomes a closed embedding when restricted to the Steinberg
variety (this is obvious if Z is viewed as the variety of triples, see the second
formula at the beginning of §3.3). Hence the assumption 5.4.24 holds for
the Steinberg variety Z. The construction of that section yields a KA(Z)-
module structure on KA(T*13), that is, an algebra homomorphism

(7.6.6) pT..: KA(Z) --+ EndR(A)(KA(T*B)).

We now make the following claims whose proofs will be delayed.

Claim 7.6.7. The homomorphism p,.. in (7.6.6) is injective, i.e., KA(T*8)

is a faithful KA(Z)-module.

Now, isomorphism (7.6.5) induces an algebra isomorphism

End $1q,q-,1KA(T*13) Z End yfq,q-,iH e

and we have

Claim 7.6.8. The following diagram (with the exception of the dashed
arrow) commutes:

S -H °-H --)-End afq.q-' 1(H . e)

PT-19
KA(Z) - Endzfq,q-,1KA(T*13)

From these claims we obtain the following result.

Proposition 7.6.9. The map 0 in the diagram can be uniquely extended

to an algebra homomorphism H - KA(Z) that makes the above diagram
(including the dashed arrow) commute.
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 399

Proof of the Proposition. Let T(S) be the free associative Z[q,q'1]-

algebra generated by S, that is the tensor algebra on the free Z[q, q-1]-
module with base S. The universal property of free algebras ensures that,
for any Z[q, q'1]-algebra B and any map S -+ B, there exists a unique
algebra homomorphism T(S) -+ B extending that map. In particular,
there is an algebra homomorphism 8 : T(S) KA(Z) that extends
the map (7.6.1) and a homomorphism r : T(S) -+ H that extends the
tautological embedding S--+H. The homomorphism r is surjective, since
the set S generates H. Hence, proving the existence of the dashed arrow
in the diagram amounts to showing that 8 vanishes on Ker (T(S) - H).
To that end, assume a is in the kernel of T(S) -+ H. Then r(a) = 0,
hence, o pH o r(a) = 0. By Claim 7.6.8 we obtain p,,. o 8(a) = 0. Now,
the injectivity of p,,.., ensured by Claim 7.6.7, yields 8(a) = 0 and the
proposition follows.
The proofs of Claims 7.6.7 and 7.6.8 will be postponed until the end
of this section. We first prove the following result, which is a more precise
version of the main Theorem 7.2.5.
Theorem 7.6.10. The algebra homomorphism 8 : H -+ KA(Z) con-
structed in Proposition 7.6.9 is a bijection.
The strategy of proof of Theorem 7.6.10 is quite similar to the argument
used in the proof of Theorem 7.2.2. We recall that we have fixed a total
linear order on W extending the Bruhat order, see 7.3.8. Write Y,, for the
G-diagonal orbit in 13 x 1'3 corresponding to w E W. We have an A-stable
filtration of Z indexed by the elements of W:
Z<w = Uy<w T; (B x B).
The following analogue of Lemma 7.3.9 follows from the Cellular Fibra-
tion Lemma 5.5.
Lemma 7.6.11. (1) The natural maps KA(Z<w) -- KA(Z) induced by the
embeddings Z<w `.. Z are injective and their images form a filtration on
KA(Z) indexed by the set W;
(2) For any w E W, the restriction to the open subset T% (B x 13)
- Z<w induces an isomorphism
KA(Z<w)/KA(Z<w) = KA(T%(,3 X B)).
Moreover, the RHS is a free R(T x C*) -module with generator [OT;,.iaxe)).
Similarly, on H we introduce a filtration H<w, W E W, setting H<w
to be the span of the basis elements {e'2 A E P, y < w}. Clearly
I

H<y C H<w whenever y< w and H<w/H<w is a free left R(T x C`)-
module with generator Tw.
400 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

Proposition 7.6.12. We have

(1) The homomorphism 0 : H --+ KA(Z) is filtration preserving, i.e.,
for any w E W, we have 0(H<w) C KA(Z<w); Moreover,
(2) for any w E W the induced map
o : H<w/H<w KA(Z<w)/KA(Z<w) x 13))

takes Tw to cw (OT;,,, (BxB)) , where cw is an invertible element of

R(T x C*).
We note at this point that part (2) of Proposition 7.6.12 implies that
the associated graded map gr 0: H - gr KA(Z), corresponding to the
above defined filtrations, is an isomorphism of R(T x C*)-modules. Hence
Proposition 7.6.12, combined with Proposition 2.3.20(ii), yields Theorem
7.6.10.
To prove Proposition 7.6.12 we first make a few general remarks con-
cerning composition of sets.
Let M be a manifold, and Y C M x M a subset. There are two maps
Y -i M by means of the two projections M x M p' M, i = 1, 2. Given two
subsets Y12 and Y23 of M X M one may form a fiber product

Y12 X M Y23 = {(Y12,y23) E Y12 X Y23 I P2(Y12) = P,(Y23)}.

Explicitly, writing Y12 = (ml, m2) and 1123 = (m2, m3), we have

Y12 X M Y23 = {(ml, m2, m2, m3) i m2 = m2} .

Let p;; : M x M x M -+ M x M denote the projection along the factor

not named. Then the map (ml, m2, m2, m3) i (m1, m2) m3) gives a natural
isomorphism

(7.6.13) Y12 X M Y23

p-'
(Y12) n C M X M X M.
On the other hand we have defined, see (2.7.6), a subset Y12 o Y23 C
M x M. By definition, Y12 o Y23 is the image of the projection p :
p-'(Y12) n p,-,1(Y23) - M X M. Using (7.6.13) we may view this projection
as a map Y12 X M Y23 - Y12 o Y23 . More generally, given several subsets
Y12, Y23, , Yk-l,k C M x M, we have a natural surjective map

(7.6.14) Y12 X M Y23 X M ... X , Yk_ 1,k . I Y12 0 Y23 o ... 0 Yk-l,k .

We now turn to the case M = B, the flag manifold. Fix an element

w E W and a reduced expression, cf. 7.1, w = s 1 ... a,, si E S. Recall that
each of the varieties Y,; is smooth and the fibers of Y,; - 13, with respect
to either of the projections 13 x 13 B, are isomorphic to 1P'. It follows that
Y,, x 13 Y x .. x 6 Y,, is a smooth compact variety. On the other hand one
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 401

finds, computing the set-theoretic composition (see 2.7), that

(7.6.15)

Further, one has the following well-known result [Dem].

Proposition 7.6.16. (Demazure resolution) The natural projection
(7.6.14)

s l X.B x... X.e Ye. -» Y"

p: Y" a, o 9,
Y
Y.
gives a resolution of singularities of P. (i.e., is birational and proper).
Moreover, it induces the isomorphism of Zariski open subsets
p:Y.,x6x...[Link], - Yv,.
We remark that the first claim of the proposition can be easily proved
by induction on the Bruhat order.
Proof of Proposition 7.6.12. Fix some w and choose a reduced de-
composition w = sl ... Sr. Clearly, each Tp (13 x B) is a smooth ir-
reducible component of the Steinberg variety Z. Hence, the composition
(B x B) o . o (B x B) is a closed subvariety of Z. Observe further
that the natural projection T*(B x B) -+ B x B commutes with the com-
positions of subsets in T*(B x B) and B x B, respectively. It follows easily
that, set-theoretically, we have
(7.6.17) Ty,, (B x 5) o ... o Ty, (13 x 13) = T% (B x B) U V ,
where V C Z<,,, is a closed subset. In particular, the LHS belongs to Z<,,.
Hence, in the notation of (7.6.1), we get supp (Q * * Q,') C Z<, ,
so that in K-theory one has [Q,, ] * * [Q,, ] E KA(Z<w) . Thus, for any
A E P, formula (7.6.1) yields
E KA(Z<w)
On the other hand, the multiplication rule 7.1.2(b) for the Hecke algebra
H yields T,, ... T, = T,,,, since £(sl) + + 2(s,.) = (w). The map
A : H -+ KA(Z) being an algebra homomorphism, we obtain
O(ea) * ®(T,,) E KA(Z<,,,), and part (1) of the proposition
follows.
To prove part (2) note first that by (7.6.1), we have
(7.6.18) ®(T,)IT (BXB) = Q,;
Y
is a line bundle on T* (13 x B).
52,., w,. = sl ... s,. = w. For each
Next put wl = sl , w2 = 81
1 < j < r, clearly, wj = sl ... s,, is a reduced expression for wj,
402 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

Proposition 7.6.16 shows that, for any j = 1, 2, 3,. . ., r - 1, the varieties

Yl = Y,,, and Y2 = Y,,+, satisfy the assumptions of Remark 2.7.27(ii).
Write pri,i+1 : (T*B)r+1 - T*(B x B) for the natural projection to the
(j, j + 1)-factor, and put S; = pr- I+, (T',, (B x B)). The repeated use of
Remark 2.7.27(iii) yields an isomorphism

(7.6.19) Z1nZ2n...nZr ZTy.(BxB),

and implies, moreover, that the intersections on the LHS of (7.6.19) are
transverse. Let Q,; denote the direct image of the sheaf pr; ,+, Q,, under the
embedding Z; --+ (T*B)'}1. It now follows from (7.6.18) and the definition
of convolution that under isomorphism (7.6.19) we get

[@(T.,) * e(Te2) * ... * [0,1(& ... ® [Qer]

The RHS represents the class of a line bundle on T% (BxB). This completes
the proof of part (2) of the proposition.
The rest of this section is devoted to proving Claims 7.6.7 and 7.6.8.
id xff
Recall that the projection T* (B x B) = T*B x T*B (T*B) x B becomes
injective when restricted to the Steinberg variety Z C T*(B x B). Thus we
get the following natural embeddings

Z C-1, (T*13) X B --=. B X B, (zero section) x idn

We introduce the following expanded version of the diagram of Claim

7.6.8.

(7.6.20)

PH
End (H e)

/ e - KA(Z) PT B
III
-DI-End KA(T*13) Thoa End R(T) [q, q-1]

KA(B X B) PB } End KA (B)

The maps Th, a and /3 on the right of the diagram arise from the corre-
sponding isomorphisms (7.6.5). This part of the diagram is just a more
detailed definition of the isomorphism 4i in Claim 7.6.8. The rectangle
at the bottom of the diagram comes from Lemma 5.4.27. Thus there are
three paths in the diagram starting at S on the left and ending up at
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 403

End z[9,9- -I (R(T)[q, q-1]) on the right. They are given by the compositions

(7.6.21)
'1=/3opHoincl, 'ya=[Link],
'I'3=a0,08 sj-o0.
Using the notation above, Claim 7.6.8 amounts to the equation W ='I'2
By Corollary 5.4.34 we know that the rectangle at the bottom of diagram
(7.6.20) commutes. This yields 'P2 = I3. Thus, it suffices to prove that
'I'1 = 'I'3. The strategy of the proof of this last equation is based on a
reduction from G x C'-equivariant K-theory to T x C'-equivariant K-theory.
Fix a point b E B. Let B be the Borel subgroup corresponding to b
and T C B a maximal torus. Identify 5 with G/B (using the choice of
B) and view B x B as a G-equivariant fibration over G/B by means of
the second projection. Restricting to the fiber 13 of this fibration over the
base point 1 E G/B gives an isomorphism Kc(13 x 13) KB (13), see 5.2.16.
Composing it with the reduction isomorphism KB(B) KT (B), see 5.2.18,
one obtains an isomorphism

(7.6.22) res : KG(B X B) 2 KT (B) .

Further, let B = U,,EWB,, be the Bruhat cell stratification by B-orbits.
Let Zb := UWEW TTWB C T'B be the fiber over {b} of the composition
Z f-- (T'B) x B Pr's 13.
We have the following commutative diagram
(7.6.23)

Z( ' (T'B)xBE-_Bx13 Pr'>B G/B

J
Z6 x {b}c '. J x {b} { Jpr J
x {b} --} {b} 1 . B/B
J
All the varieties in the top row of the diagram are fibered naturally over 13
by means of the second projection pr2, and the corresponding varieties in
the second row are obtained as fibers of those fibrations over the base point
b E B. The fibrations being G x C'-equivariant, the above diagram induces,
as in (7.6.22) (by the induction property 5.2.16 and the identification
B = G/B given by the base point b), the following commutative diagram
of K-groups:

KG ' ( Z) 1.°3_ Kcxc' (13 x B) KG (B x B)[q,q -1 1

(7.6.24) res II
res II res II
KTxc' (Z6) t °i' KTxc' (B) K T (B)[q'q -1 J
404 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

In this diagram one writes B instead of T first and then replaces B by a

maximal torus T C B by the reduction property 5.2.18. Thus the vertical
isomorphism res in the middle is essentially the isomorphism (7.6.22).
Proof of the Injectivity Claim 7.6.7. By 5.4.27 we have, see (7.6.20),
aoThop, 8=aop,, oi'j..
Since a is an isomorphism, it follows that

It is clear that p,,.. is injective if and only if so is Th o p,,,, , since

Th is the Thom isomorphism. Further, the Kiinneth theorem for the flag
variety 6.1.19(b) implies that ps is injective. Thus, to show that pp.8 is
injective it is enough to prove that i' j. is injective. Using commutativity
of (7.6.24) we see that proving the injectivity claim reduces to showing
injectivity of the composition

(7.6.25) i' j.: KTxC' (Zb) -' KTxc 1_4 KTxc* (B),

For this we apply the Localization Theorem in equivariant K-theory.

Choose a complex number z 76 1 and set a = (1, Z) E T x C*. Write
KTxc' for the K-groups localized at the maximal ideal in R(T x C*)
corresponding to a. The maps (7.6.25) induce the corresponding maps of
the localized groups

(7.6.26) i'j.: KTxc' (Z6)a

-=, KTxc' (T 13)a '-* r KTxc' (B)a .

Observe that each K-group in (7.6.25) is a free R(T x C')-module (this

follows from the Cellular Fibration Lemma, see 6.2.8), hence any morphism
between these modules which is injective under localization is itself injec-
tive. Thus, we must only prove that both maps in (7.6.26) are injective.
Consider the cartesian square of G x C'-equivariant morphisms given by
the left diagram below:

Z6c -'. T`5 Z6 (T"f3)°

(7.6.27) :i1 a

II'
Zb n Bc 1 (Z6 n BY B.
where the vertical map iz : Z6 n 13 `- Zb is viewed as being induced by
the embedding i : of the corresponding smooth ambient spaces
given by the other vertical arrow of the square. We apply the Localization
Theorem for cellular fibrations 5.10.5 in this situation. The theorem says
that the composite map in (7.6.26) gets identified, by means of restriction
to the a-fixed point sets, to the map i' : KTxc' (Z;). --4 KTxc' (Zy n l3°)a
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 405

The latter is the restriction with supports corresponding to the fixed-point

cartesian square on the right of (7.6.27). But the a-fixed point sets in the
four varieties are all the same:

Zb = (T*B)" =13' = Z6 n 134.

Thus, the map i* for the fixed point sets is an isomorphism, and Claim
7.6.7 follows.
We begin proving Claim 7.6.8 with some preparations that will facilitate
an explicit computation of the operators pT.o(O(u)), u E S.
Recall that we have fixed T c B c G. Compose the natural "forgetful"
morphism KG(B) -- KT(B) with the duality pairing (5.2.27) to define a
morphism "tr" as the composition

tr : KT (13) ®KG(13) _ KT (13) ®KT (13) R(T) .

The result below provides a technical tool for computing the convolution
action KG(13 x 13) ® KG(5) -+ KG(B).

Lemma 7.6.28. The following diagram, where the isomorphism res is

given by (7.6.22), commutes

KG(13x 13) (9 KG(13) --I- KG(B)

res®id II
(6.1.6) II

KT(13) 0 KG(13) `r . R(T).

Proof. Recall the isomorphisms (6.1.19)(a) and (6.1.22)(a):

KG(B x 13) = KG(13) ®R(o) KG(B) and KT (13) ^' R(T) ®R(G) KG(13)

Using these morphisms the diagram of the lemma can be written as

(KO (B) ®R(C) KG (B)) ® KG(13) --Y KG(13)

¢®id®id I1 011

(R(T) ®R(G) KG(B)) ® KG(B) `r - R(T),

where 0 is the canonical isomorphism 6.1.6. Let Ti, F2, 9 E KG(B). Writing
® to distinguish external tensor product from the tensor product in K-
theory we find:

0((Y1 0 F2) * G) _ 0(71- (y2, c)) _ O(F1) . (F2, 9)

406 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

and also
tro (i®id ®id)(.1710.P2 09)
= tr(O(.'1) . (f2 ®9)) = 0(.Fl) - tr(f2 ® 9) = O(F,) - (.F2, 9).
Thus, the two expressions are equal. (Note that the steps here are similar
to those used in the proof of Lemma 5.2.28.)
Proposition 7.6.29. For any it E X*(T) we have T3(eµ) : eA -- e_µ+-\,
and for any simple root a E R, the operator'P3(T,.) is given by formula
(7.2.17).
Proof. We keep the setup of diagram (7.6.20), choose a simple reflection
s = s,, E W, and let b be the Borel subalgebra corresponding to the fixed
Borel subgroup B. Recall that Y, = Y, U 5o C B x B is the closure of
the G-diagonal orbit of pairs of Borel subalgebras in relative position s.
The second projection pr2 : I', - B is a G-equivariant fibration with fiber
prz 1{b} = t3, F', where 8T is the set of all Borel subalgebras in relative
position < s with b. Write e : B, '-+5 for the embedding. We have defined
in (7.6.1) the sheaf Q, on T., (B x B) and, for any A E X*(T), the sheaf 0a
on the diagonal Bo C B x B.
We claim first that, in the setup of (7.6.24), the following equations hold
in KT Xc* (,C3):

(7.6.30)
res o i j.[Q,] = e«(4 [f'.] - [dg,]) , res o i*3«[Ga]
where C{b},A is the skyscraper sheaf on {b} with one dimensional fiber and
the T-action given by A and trivial C*-action. We begin proving the first
equation.
Using the commutativity of diagram (7.6.24) we find
res o i*3, [Q,] = i* j. o res (Q],
where i
: is the zero section. To compute res[Q.], note that the
embedding Zb x {b}'-Z restricted to TT«(13 x B) gives the embedding
TT,B x {b} --+T.(B x B), since (Zb x {b}) fl TY, (B x B) = TT,B B. Therefore,
it is clear that res[Q.) = 1r;12k. , where 7r, : TT,B -+ C3, is the natural
projection. Thus, we are reduced to computing i* [Link]; SZ' = i* (E o
where E and 3 are the embeddings defined in the diagrams (so, j = Eo j)
(7.6.31)
T*BI2. ( e
,. T*B

J
B.( a .B T, Br ' .T*BjB.
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 407

We apply the base change (case (b) of Proposition 5.3.15) for the cartesian
square on the left in (7.6.31) to deduce
i'j.7ra 11

Decompose the map 13, ti T'lillj, as i = j o i, where (see triangle on the

right of (7.6.31)) i, : B, TT, C3 is the zero section. Thus, we have:

i' ' 7r'SZl

a 8. = E i"~ 7r"SZl
a Q. = e.i"-'~
a.7 7r'c'
a

We first compute j' j. using Proposition 5.4.10. We have the canonical short
exact sequence of vector bundles on 8,

(7.6.32) 0 - TT,!3 ..... T581B, -- T'S, -4 0.

The short exact sequence shows that the normal bundle to Tj.6 in T*Blc;.
is isomorphic to the pullback by means of 7r, : TT,B - 13, of the cotangent
bundle T*1, on 13, Hence, applying Proposition 5.4.10 we find :
[Link].7r:!Q8, = e is7r;(A(T8.) (9 cl ) = e.(A(T13,) ®S21a,).
13

The class A(T13,) has been, in effect, computed in Section 7.5, since T133 is
a 1-dimensional vector bundle on P'. We have (see (7.5.15) and (7.5.17)):

(7.6.33) A(TS.) = Oa, - q-1TJ9

where the factor q-1 takes into account that the differential in the Koszul
complex is not C'-equivariant, see 7.5.17. Combining all the previous com-
putations together we obtain

(7.6.34)
E.[(gOs. - T,%) ®H's.] = E.(q[ 1 ] - [Da.))
This proves the first equation in (7.6.30). The proof of the second equation
is much simpler and is left to the reader.
We can now continue the proof of Proposition 7.6.29. By definition, for
a simple reflection s E W, we have

%P3(T,) = a o .o o 1s3 o e(T,) = a o pn o

Set F = ?3 (Q5) E x 13). By Lemma 7.6.28 the operator p®

K3 (B) is given by

L i-+ pn(,17)(L) = tr(res(F) 0 L).

Thus, using equation (7.6.30) and putting L = LA we see that the operator
408 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

p. o i* j* o O(T,) is given by
(7.6.35)
po o %* j* o 0(T,) : [LA] ,--, tr (e*(-gcl8, + 013, - C{bl) ® La)
= -q . [p*(f2 , (9 e*La)) +p*e*[LA]
where p : B --+ { pt} is a constant map.
To complete the proof of the proposition we must express the class in
the second line of (7.6.35) as an element of R(T)[q, q-1]. Let P. be the
unique parabolic subgroup of G of type s containing B, and let R C P,
be the centralizer of T in P,. Then R is a reductive subgroup of G, a Levi
component of P,. Let BR := R/R fl B be a Borel subgroup in R. Note that
B, P,/B ^' R/BR
is the flag manifold for R. Observe further that T is a maximal torus in
R. Therefore, we have KR"c' (R/BR) = KBRxc (pt) = R(T)[q, q'1]. We
see that in order to compute the rightmost term in (7.6.35) there will be
no loss of information if La is replaced by its restriction to B3, viewed as
an element of KR"* (R/BR). Thus, we have reduced our computation from
the case of the semisimple group G to that of R.
DIGRESSION: SEMISIMPLE RANK 1 CASE. By construction, the group R
is a connected reductive group, and R"I", the derived group, is a semisimple
group of rank 1. We will say that R has semisimple rank 1. Such a group
can always be written as a semidirect product R = R H, where R is either
SL2(C) or PGL2(C), and H is a torus. Therefore, we have
Lie R = Lie R ® Lie T = s12(C) ® abelian Lie algebra.
Hence the variety BR of all Borel subalgebras in Lie R is isomorphic to
that for s12(C). Thus, writing BR for a Borel subgroup of R, we have an
isomorphism BR = R/BR = P1 = P(C2), where BR is, of course, the flag
manifold for R. We fix such an isomorphism once and for all.
For concreteness, we choose the Borel subgroup BR C R to be the
stabilizer of the line spanned by the vector (1). We also let T C R be
the maximal torus with eigenvectors (o) and (°). Since the group R is of
semisimple rank 1, it has a unique positive root, a E X*(T) (with respect
to the geometric choice of positive roots). Write a for the corresponding
coroot. The Weyl group, WR, of R is generated by the reflection s : A i-+
-(.1,a)a.
The following result is a generalization of Lemma 7.5.4: for any A E
X*(T) there is a natural R-equivariant isomorphism of line bundles on 1P1
(7.6.36) LA = 0((A, a)).
The proof is very similar to that of Lemma 7.5.4 and is left to the reader.
 7.6 Proof of the Main Theorem 409

We would like to use the Weyl character formula 6.1.17. Note that in our
case p = a/2, since we have only one positive root a. Therefore the RHS of
the formula in Corollary 6.1.17 reads
eA+P - e°(,\+P) ea+a/2 - eA+a/2-(a+a/2,&)a A ea/2 - ea/2-(a.&>a-a

ea/2 - e-a/2 ea/2 - e-a/2 =e ea/2 - e-a/2

Since e0/2/(ea/2 - e- a/2) = 1/(1 - ca), applying Corollary 6.1.17 to the
line bundle La on BR and a constant map p: aR - pt, we obtain

(7.6.37) p*La = e 1 - e_a E K (pt) = R(T) .

Recall further that Slp, = Op,(-2). Now using the identification t3° =
R/BR and KR"c* (R/BR) ^-, R(T) [q, q-1] , we view the class e* [LA] in the
last line of (7.6.35) as an element e' E R(T)[q, q-1]. Using formula (7.6.37)
we see that the last line of equation (7.6.35) takes the form
-q eA-a 1
-}- eA
1 - e-((a.&)+1)a
- eA
1 - e-a 1 - e-a
_ -q ea-a
- e"-a-((a,a)-1)a
+e
lea - ea-((a,&)+1a ea - 1
1-e-a ell-1 ea-
_ eA - ea-((a,&>-1)a e,\ - ea-(a.&)a

ea-1 + ea-1
_ e" - es(a) eA - e°(,`)+a
ea-1 -q ea-1 '
which is precisely the formula (7.2.17). This completes the proof of Propo-
sition 7.6.29.

Proposition 7.6.38. For any p E X*(T) we have 1Y1(e4) : e,\ -- a-,,+,\,

and for any simple root a E R, the operator 1Y1(T°Q) is given by formula
(7.2.17).

Proof. The claim for 1Y1(eµ) is clear. It remains to compute the action of
W1(T°) on ea which is by definition pH(T°)(e--`e). First, by Lemma 7.1.10
in H we have

(7.6.39) T. (q - 1)
1-e-a
Thus
e-80) - e-,\ )
Pw
(T°)(e-ae)
= T°e-,'e = {e-°(a)T° - (q -1) e.
1 - e-a
By Lemma 7.6.2(2) we have the equality T°e = qe and therefore the
410 7. Hecke Algebras and K-Theory

equation above becomes

qe_9(x) -1)e ''(a) - e'a

(7.6.40) PH(TS)(e-''e) = - (q e.
1- e_a
To complete the computation we must map the RHS of (7.6.40) into
R(T)[q, q-'] by means of the isomorphism Q : -Z R(T)[q, q-']. Applying
,3 to the RHS of (7.6.40) we find
e-$(,\) - e` e-9(,\) - e,\
p qe-°A) - (q - 1) 1 - e_° e =
qe'(,\)

- (q - 1) 1-
Finally we note the equality
- e-\ _ e-' - e'(a) e'(a)+« - e,\
4 e'(a) - (q - ) e'(A)
1
1- e- e - 1 + q e--1
This completes the proof.
The preceding two propositions show that indeed `1'1 = 'y3 and hence the
main theorem is proved.
 CHAPTER 8

Representations of Convolution Algebras

8.1 Standard Modules

Our primary goal in this chapter is to obtain a classification of simple mod-
ules over the affine Hecke algebra H although the techniques we develop
works in much greater generality (we will indicate this on several occa-
sions). In §8.1 we introduce a class of "standard" H-modules. In the same
section we define simple H-modules in terms of a certain intersection form
on standard module, and formulate the main classification theorem for sim-
ple H-modules. After a short overview of derived categories of constructible
sheaves and intersection cohomology, given in §§8.3-8.4, we will express in
§8.5 the underlying vector space of a simple H-module in terms of the inter-
section cohomology. In the next §8.6 we will further give a sheaf-theoretic
construction of the H-action on standard and simple modules. This will al-
low us to prove that the modules that we have called "simple" are indeed ir-
reducible and, moreover, that (the isomomorphism class of) any irreducible
H-module belongs to our list. At this stage we will be unable to prove yet
that every H-module in our list is non-zero. This will be done in §8.8, thus
completing the proof of the classification theorem (a different approach to
the classification of simple H-modules has been given by Kazhdan-Lusztig
in [KL4]; some of their ideas are used in our argument).
In §8.2 we prove a character formula for standard modules and in §8.6 we
will give an expression for the multiplicity of a simple module in a standard
module in terms of the intersection cohomology (a p-adic analogue of the
Kazhdan-Lusztig conjecture). These multiplicities form an upper-triangular
unipotent matrix. By inverting this matrix we thus obtain, by means of the
results of §8.6, a character formula for any simple H-module. In §8.7 we
obtain a similar multiplicity formula for projective H-modules. Finally, in
the last section 8.9 we work out in detail an important special case that
yields in particular an alternative sheaf-theoretic approach to the theory of
Springer representations, studied in Chapter 3.

N Chriss, V Ginzburg, Representation Theory and Complex Geometry,

Modern Birkhauser Classics, DOI 10 1007/978-0-8176-4938-8_9,
© Birkhauser Boston, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
412 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Let us mention that the results of §§8.3-8.7 are quite general and apply
for general convolution algebras, while the results of §§8.2, 8.8 use some
specific features of the affine Hecke algebra case.
We begin by recalling (see 7.1.14) that the center of the affine Hecke
algebra H is isomorphic to
Z(H) = R(G)[q, q-'] = R(G x C5).

It follows that the complexified algebra C ®z Z(H) is isomorphic to the al-

gebra of regular class functions on G x Ca, by means of the map assigning
its character to a representation of the group G x C`. Hence, any algebra
homomorphism Z(H) -+ C may be identified with the evaluation homo-
morphism sending a character z E R(G x CS) to z(a), the value of z at
a semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C*. This way one gets a bijection
between the algebra homomorphisms Z(H) --+ C and the semisimple conju-
gacy classes in G x C5.
Given a semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C5, let Ca be the
1-dimensional complex vector space C viewed as a Z(H), equivalently,
R(G x C5)-module by means of the action
R(G x C5) x C. -+ Ca, (z, x) +--+ z(a) x,

where z H z(a) is the corresponding evaluation homomorphism at a.

Definition 8.1.1. The tensor product Ha := Ca ®Z(H) H is called the

Hecke algebra specialized at a.

Observe that C ®z Z(H) is isomorphic to the center, Z(H,.), of the com-

plexified algebra C ®z H. Therefore, the specialized Hecke algebra, Ha, can
be equivalently defined as the quotient of H0 modulo the ideal generated
by Ker(Z(H0) - C), the maximal ideal in Z(H0) corresponding to the
point a E G x C5 . In particular, H. has a natural C-algebra structure,
and the assignment h H 19 h gives a canonical algebra homomorphism
H.
Recall that the polynomial algebra Z[q, q-1] is embedded into Z(H).
Explicitly, the variable q corresponds to the 1-dimensional representation
given by the second projection q : G x C5 - C*. Thus, the indeterminate q
is specialized in H. to the particular complex number t, i.e.: q " q 1®1 =
q(a)®1=t®1, where a=(s,t).
Recall further that the affine Hecke algebra H has a basis
{eATw}wEW,AEPI hence the complexification H0 has countable dimension
over C. Any H-action on a complex vector space can be extended naturally
to a H0-action, and an H-module is simple if and only if the corresponding
C ®Z H-module is. Hence, Schur's Lemma 2.1.3 implies the following.
 8.1 Standard Modules 413

Corollary 8.1.2. The center of H acts by scalar multiplication on any

simple H-module.

Therefore, given a simple H-module M, there exists an algebra homo-

morphism X : Z(H) - C such that the action Z(H) - End M has
the form z ' - X(z) Id. Hence, one can canonically associate to M the
conjugacy class of a semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C* such that
X(z) = z(a), Vz E Z(H), i.e. we have
(8.1.3) Z(H) -+ EndM , z -+ z(a) - Id,
Thus, Corollary 8.1.2 yields
Corollary 8.1.4. For any simple H-module M there exists a semisimple
element a = (s, t) E G X C*, such that the action of H factors through an
action of the specialized Hecke algebra Ha.

The role of Corollary 8.1.4 lies in reducing the study of simple H-

modules to studying simple modules over the specialized Hecke algebras
H° = Ca ®ZCH> H, a E G x C*. Note that by Lemma 6.2.9, for any a, the
C-algebra Ha has complex dimension (#W)2, hence is finite dimensional.
It follows that any simple H .-module, hence any simple H-module, is finite
dimensional. Furthermore, we will see that the specialized Hecke algebras
have a particularly transparent geometric interpretation in terms of fixed
point subvarieties, given in Proposition 8.1.5 below.
Recall the Springer resolution p : H -+ H, and the Steinberg variety
Z = N xgH. We view H, N and Z as G x C*-varieties, cf. §6.2, by letting
the group G act by conjugation and C* by dilations, e..g., the action on H
is given by (g, z) : x H z-1- gxg'1 (note the inverse power of z).
Choose a semisimple element a = (s, t) E G X C*. Write H° , H° and Z"
for the corresponding a-fixed point subvarieties. The variety Ha is smooth
due to Lemma 5.11.1, since H is smooth. Observe further that we have
Za = Ha x,(a H. Therefore Za may be viewed as a subvariety in Ha x .Na
such that
Za o Za = Za.
Our general construction, see n°2.7.40, makes the Borel-Moore homology
H.(Zn) an associative algebra by means of convolution (throughout this
chapter we will use the notation H. instead of H*, resp. H instead of H*,
for homology groups, to avoid confusion with direct image functors).
Proposition 8.1.5. Let a = (s, t) E G x C* be a semisimple element. Then
there is a natural algebra isomorphism
H. = H.(Za,C).
414 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Proof. Let A be the closed subgroup of G x C* generated by a, that is the

closure in G x C* of the cyclic group {a', n E Z} . Clearly A is an abelian
reductive subgroup of G x C*, and we have Za = ZA (more generally, a
is X-regular for any A-variety X). The isomorphism of the proposition is
constructed as a composite of the following chain of algebra isomorphisms
(8.1.6)
®Z(H) H 7.^2.5 Ca KGxc*(Z)
s.N(e)
Ca C. ®R(.4) KA(Z)
RR
Oz
Ca ®KA(ZA) Z Kc(ZA) H.(ZA, C) = H.(Za, C).
The first isomorphism here is given by Theorem 7.2.5, the second is given
by property (6) of Section 6.2. The third map is given by the algebra
homomorphism ra of Theorem 5.11.10. This map is an isomorphism because
it is obtained from the isomorphism resa of Lemma 5.11.5 via multiplication
by the invertible "correction factor" 1®a-a , cf. (5.11.3). The fourth map
ev : Ca ®KA(ZA) = C. ®(R(A) ®K(ZA))=+Kc(ZA) is the evaluation map
sending 10 f ®F to f (a) ®F where f E R(A) is viewed as a character
function on A. The last isomorphism is the map RR given by the bivariant
Riemann-Roch theorem 5.11.11. This map is again an isomorphism due to
property (2) of section 6.2, since RR differs from the Chern character map
ch. by 10 Td,;r* , an invertible factor.

We will construct, for each semisimple a = (s, t) E G x C*, a complete

collection of simple H.(Z0,C)-modules, which in light of Proposition 8.1.5
and Corollary 8.1.4 will yield a complete collection of simple H-modules.
To that end, consider the map A : Na -i X", the restriction of the
Springer resolution to the fixed point varieties. Explicitly, we have
Na={xENJ3xs-1=t-x} , 9a={(x,b)EN0XBa(xEb}
Let x E Na. The fiber µ'1(x) C N° may be identified by means of the
projection Na --p B, (x, b) s-+ b with the subvariety 5. C B of all Borel
subalgebras simultaneously fixed by s and x.
Remark 8.1.7. The variety B is non-empty.
Proof. Recall that a = (s, t) and the relation = t x holds. Let
sxs-1

u = exp(z . x) E G, z E C. Then u is a unipotent element of G and clearly

sus-1 = exp(z t x). We see that the elements s and exp(z x), z E C,
generate a solvable subgroup of G. Hence there exists a Borel subgroup B
containing this solvable subgroup. It follows that Lie B E By.
By our general construction, see Corollary 2.7.42, the Borel-Moore ho-
mology of the fibers of the map p : Na - Na have a natural H.(Za)-
module structure via convolution. Hence, for any x E Na, we get an
 8.1 Standard Modules 415

H. (Z")-action on H. (Bi). Further, let G(s, x) be the simultaneous central-

izer in G of s and x, and let C(s, x) be its component group, that is, the
group G(s, x) modulo its identity component. The action of G(s, x) on B.,
gives rise to a C(s, x)-action on H.(!3 ). Repeating the proofs of Lemmas
3.5.2 and 3.5.3, one obtains the following result.
Lemma 8.1.8. The H.(Za)-action commutes with the C(s, x)-action on
H.(Bs). Furthermore, if x1 and x2 belong to the same G(s)-conjugacy class
in Na then H. (By 3) and H. (13 2) are isomorphic H. (Za) -modules.
By this Lemma, for any irreducible representation X of the group
C(s,x), the isotypical component Homc(,,x)(X,H.(13 )) acquires an
H.(Za)-module structure. We introduce the following
Definition 8.1.9. Let C(s, x)^ denote the set of the isomorphism classes
of simple C(s, x)-modules that occur in the decomposition of H.(Bx'). For
X E C(s,x)^, the H.(Za)-module
Ka.x,x = HomC(s,x) (x, H.(13 ))
is called a standard H.(Z0)-module.
Remark 8.1.10. We note that the variety Za has no odd homology (with
Q-coefficients) since Property 6.2.3(2) holds for the Steinberg variety Z
by Theorem 6.2.4. Hence, we see from Proposition 8.1.5 and the chain of
isomorphisms (8.1.6) that the convolution action on H.(By) arising from
the K-theory of Z makes the even, resp. odd, part of H.(Bi) a submodule
of H.(t3s) (as follows from looking at degrees in (2.7.9) since d = dim M2 in
that formula is in our case equal to [Link], hence is even). We conclude
that Homc(,,x) (X, H°°(B3)) and Homc(,,x) (X, Hodd(B8)), the even and odd
parts of the isotypical component, are both submodules. Further, it is a
known (but deep) fact that the varieties B. and Bz have no odd rational
homology (see for instance [KL4, sec. 41). Thus, the odd homology part of
any standard module vanishes.
8.1.11. CO-STANDARD MODULES. Fix a G(s)-orbit 0 C Na and let x E 0.
Let S be a local transverse slice to 0 at x, see Definition 3.2.19. Let
S = µ'1(S) C .a. Arguing as in the proof of Corollary 3.5.9 (see also
3.7.19), one shows that S is a smooth tubular neighborhood of B.8, and
that Bx is a homotopy retract of S. Furthermore, the discussion following
Theorem 3.5.12, adopted to our present situation, shows that one can
choose S to be stable with respect to the adjoint action of K(s, x), a
maximal compact subgroup of the group G(s, x). It follows that K($, x)
acts on S, hence induces a well-defined C(s, x)-action on the homology of S.
Note further that Za o S = S. Therefore, H.(S) has a natural H.(Za)-
module structure by means of convolution-action. One verifies, modifying
416 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

the proofs of Lemmas 3.5.2 and 3.5.3, that the C(s, x)-action on H.(S)
commutes with the convolution H.(Z0)-action. For X E C(s, x)A, we call
Homc(g,y)(X,H.(S)), the X-isotypical compontent of H.(S), a co-standard
H. (Za)-module.

Observe further that the natural embedding By ti S induces a direct

image map on Borel-Moore homology

and that this map commutes both with the natural C(s, x)-action and with
the H. (Za )-action by means of convolution. Denote the image of by La,x,
and decompose La,x into C(s, x)-isotypical components

(8.1.12) La,x =ED La,x,X ® X, La,x,X := Homc(e,x)(X, La,x).

XEC(s,x)^

Thus, each vector space La x,X has a natural H.(Z")-module structure, it is

the image of the standard module Ka,x,X in the co-standard module with
the corresponding parameters (a, x) x).
We say that two pairs (x, X) and (x', X'), are G(s)-conjugate if there
is a g E G(s) such that x' = gxg-' and conjugation by g intertwines
C(s, x)-module X with the C(x', X')-module X'. It is clear from Lemma
8.1.8 that the H.(Z°)-modules La,z,X, corresponding to conjugate pairs are
isomorphic.
The Theorem below will be proved later, following a detailed sheaf-
theoretic study of the algebra H. (Za).
Theorem 8.1.13. For any semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C", and
any x E Na, X E C(s, x)^ , the H. (Za) -module La x,X is simple, provided it
is non-zero. Two non-zero modules La,x,X and La,x',X' are isomorphic if and
only if the pairs (x, X) and (x', X') are G(s) -conjugate to each other.

Note that we do not claim in 8.1.13 that all the La x X are non-zero. In
fact, one can define La,x,X for an arbitrary irreducible representation X of
the group C(s, x). It is obvious that La,x,X can only be non-zero provided X
occurs in the decomposition of H. (B.!,), that is if X E C(s, x)^. If in addition
t is not a root of unity, then the opposite is true, and we have the following
non-vanishing result whose proof is postponed until Section 8.8.

Proposition 8.1.14. If t is not a root of unity, then the vector spaces

La,x,X are non-zero, for every x E Na and any irreducible representation X
of C(s, x) that occurs in the isotypic decomposition of H.(B.).
The claim of the proposition is false if t is a root of unity, as can be
seen already for G = SL2(C). The above proposition was missing in the
 8.1 Standard Modules 417

preprint [Gi3) making the main result of that paper incorrect as stated, as
was pointed out in [KL4].
In addition to Theorem 8.1.13 we will also prove the following result.

Theorem 8.1.15. Any simple H.(Za)-module is isomorphic to La,x,X for

an appropriate pair (x, X), where x E Na, X E C(s, x)^ .

Write M for the set of G-conjugacy classes of the triple data

M = {a = (s, t) E G x C*, x E Na, X E C(s, x)^ I s is semisimple}/Ad G
Thus, to each (a, x, X) E M we have associated, in view of Proposition 8.1.5
and Theorem 8.1.13, an isomorphism class L,,x,X of simple H-modules.
Combining Corollary 8.1.4 with Theorem 8.1.15 and Proposition 8.1.14 we
obtain the main result of this chapter, the so-called Deligne-Langlands-
Lusztig conjecture for Hecke algebras [KL4]:

Theorem 8.1.16. Assume that t E C is not a root of unity. Then the

collection {L(a,x,x}(a,x,X)EM is a complete collection of simple H-modules
such that q acts by means of multiplication by t E C. Thus, the H-
modules are parametrized by G-conjugacy classes of triples (s, x, X) where
sxs-' = t x and X E C(s, x)^, i.e. those with non-zero multiplicity in the
representation H.(B.).

Note that in this theorem the parameter a runs over the set of the
semisimple conjugacy classes. One may call the conjugacy class of a the
"central character" of the corresponding simple H-module. We claim next
that there are only finitely many simple H-modules with a fixed central
character in G x C. Indeed, for fixed a = (s, t) E G x C`, the element x
runs through the set of G(s)-conjugacy classes in Na, and for fixed (a, x)
the element X runs through the finite set C(s, x)^. Thus, it suffices to prove
the following.

Proposition 8.1.17. [KL4, §5.4) For any semisimple a E G X C', the

variety Na is a finite union of G(s) -orbits.

Proof. Fix a semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C*. Recall that the

number of nilpotent G-orbits in N is finite by Corollary 3.2.9. Thus, it
suffices to show that, for each G-orbit 0 C A(, the number of G(8)-orbits
on 0", the a-fixed points in 0, is finite.
Let S be the conjugacy class of s in G, equivalently, the conjugacy class
of (s, t) in A. We form the variety
1Z ={(h,x)ESx01hxh-'=tx}.
418 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

We have the two projections

1Z (h, x)
Pr,

S h x

These projections become G x C*-equivariant if we let G x C' act on R

by (9, 4) (h, x) '-' (9h9-1, 9-' -
: (9x9-')). We have pri 1(s, t) = {x E

Pick up n E 0 and write A(n) for the stabilizer of n in G x V. There

are natural bijections
(8.1.18)
G(s) x C' - orbits G x C' - orbits A(n) - orbits
{ on pri 1(s, t) = Ga } H { on 1 } H { on pr21(n) }
The second bijection is given by assigning to an A(n)-orbit the G x C'-
orbit on R containing it. Similarly, the first bijection is given by assigning
to a G(s) x C'-orbit the G x C*-orbit on R containing it (we used without
mentioning that G(s) x C' is the stabilizer of a = (s, t)).
Let T(n) be a maximal torus in A(n) and T D T(n) a maximal torus in
G x C' containing it. The intersection TfS being clearly finite, implies that
T(n) f1S is also finite. But any semisimple element in A(n) is conjugate into
T(n). Hence, any A(n)-conjugacy class in A(n) 1l 8 intersects T(n) fl S. It
follows that A(n) f1 S consists of finitely many semisimple A(n)-conjugacy
classes. Thus we have established that the number of G(s) x C'-orbits on
®a is finite.
To complete the proof, we show that the G(s) x C'-orbits on Ga are the
same as the G(s)-orbits on Ga. But the nilpotent orbit 0 is itself C'-stable,
by 3.7.6. Hence Ga is a C'-stable subvariety of 0 consisting of finitely many
G(s)-orbits. Since C' is connected, each of these G(s)-orbits must be C'-
stable.

8.2 Character Formula for Standard modules

In this section we state and prove a character formula conjectured in [Lu3]
and proved independently in [Gil] and [KL4].
Recall that H, the affine Hecke algebra, contains a large commutative
subalgebra R(T) isomorphic to the group algebra of the weight lattice
Hom a19 (T, C*). The algebra R(T) has a Z-basis {ea , .\ E Hom a19 (T, C') }.
We shall now compute the character of the restriction of a standard module
to the subalgebra R(T).
 8.2 Character Formula for Standard modules 419

Let {8, , j = 1, 2, ... , r} be the collection of connected components of

,CBs C B, the simultaneous fixed point variety of both x and s (here x E g
is nilpotent and s E G is a semisimple element such that sxs-1 = t x).
Recall that G(s, x) denotes the simultaneous centralizer of s and x in G,
and C(s, x) = G(s, x)/G°(s, x). Since for any j, the identity component
G°(s, x) preserves each component 8j, we see that the group C(s, x) acts
on the set of components {8, } by permutation.
For an element g E C(s, x) that preserves a component 8, we let
l(g,13,) = Eq(-1)1 T4 (g : HI (13,) - HQ(Bj)) denote the Lefschetz
number of the corresponding map g : 13,, - S p We also define a complex
number (A, s),, as follows. Choose a Borel subalgebra b E ,C3,, and let B
be the corresponding Borel subgroup of G. Let T = B/ [B, B]. Then A is
canonically identified with a character of T. Since s E B, the value of this
character at s is a well defined complex number, to be denoted (A, s)j. As
in 3.1.26, the construction does not depend on the choice of b E 13,. With
this out of the way, we state the character formula:
Theorem 8.2.1. The character of the restriction to R(T) of the standard
module Ka,x,x, see 8.1.9, is given by (cf. [Lu3])
1
7*)';
Ka,:,x) :-- E
{components}
E X(g)'l(g,8,)-X,S),#
x).

B1

PROOF OF THEOREM 8.2.1. Set C = C(s, x). The collection {BI} of

connected components of By is the disjoint union of C-orbits C 8,. Ac-
cordingly, the C-module H. (B) breaks up into a direct sum of induced
modules

(8.2.2) H.(13.) Indc. H. (B,,),

where C; is the stabilizer of 8, in C. By Frobenius reciprocity, for any

irreducible representation X of C we have

Homc(X, Indg,H.(8,)) = Homc; (Xlc, , H. (C3,)).

Thus

(8.2.3) ' (e'; Ka,x,x) = E T1 (ea; Homc; (XJc; , H.(13,))).

{c-BI)

DIGRESSION. To compute the RHS of (8.2.3) we have to trace back the

definition of the ea-action on H.(8j) arising from equivariant K-theory.
Recall the objects La, Zo and Ex introduced at the beginning of 7.6. Fix
a = (s, t), and let A denote the smallest algebraic subgroup in G x C*
420 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

containing a. The group A is an abelian closed reductive subgroup of

G x C', since a is a semisimple element (cf., [SS]). We have the forgetful
morphism of equivariant K-groups KGXC'(ZA) -- KA(ZA) so that the
sheaf E,, may be viewed as an element of KA(Za) N KA(B,&), where

BA C B x B is the diagonal. This element acts naturally on KA(B) by

means of convolution, and the action coincides with tensoring by La. Hence,
E,\-action on KA(132) and on H.(13,8,) is given by multiplication by the class
of the restriction Lams that arises from the natural embedding 13z +13.
Let G(s) be the centralizer of s in G, a connected reductive subgroup
of G, since G is assumed to be simply connected, cf. [SS]. The subvariety
13' C 13 of all Borel subalgebras containing s breaks up into connected
components Y;, each isomorphic to the flag variety of G(s), see [Stl]. The
group A commutes with G(s) and, moreover the A-action on 13' is trivial.
Hence, the A-action on the line bundle La l y; is the dilation-action along
the fibers by means of a certain character A, : A - C*. The character
A, is defined as follows. Pick a Borel subalgebra b E Y, and let B be
the corresponding Borel subgroup; identify T with B/[B, B] and view the
parameter A corresponding to the line bundle La as a character of B. Since
the image of the restriction of pr: G x C* - G to A is contained in
T, the character A gives rise to a character of A denoted .X;. Note that
this definition is independent of the choice of b E Y1. Note also that the
construction of Al is completely analogous to the definition of the numbers
(A, s)i
Since A acts trivially on each component Y we have the decompositions,
cf. 5.2.4,

KA(Y) = R(A) ®z K(Yi).

With that understood, we may identify the element LAIy; E KA(Y) with
A; ® La,; where La,; E K(Y) is the same vector bundle, Lady;, but with
A-action being disregarded, and A E R(A).
We now resume the trace computation. Let B; be a component of B.I.
We find i such that B; is a closed subvariety of Y, a smooth variety.
Obviously, we have (A, s); = A1(s). Write Ca for the one dimensional R(A)-
module with the underlying vector space C and the R(A)-action given by
(f (& z) H f (s) . z. Since C. R(A) - C, we have the natural maps
(8.2.4)
Co ®R(A, KA(1') C. ®R(,,, R(A) ® K(Yi) = C %, K(Y)
2h' H'
(Y, C),
where the last map is the cohomological Chern character for the smooth
variety Y1, see §5.8. It is clear that the composition of these maps takes
La y, to (A, s)2 ch*(L,,I y,). It follows that the action on H. (B;) of the
image of the class Ea E K(Z) under the the chain of isomorphims (8.1.6)
 8.3 Constructible Complexes 421

gets identified with the multiplication by (A, s)j ch' (LA I y,). Note that
ch' (LA I y,) = 1 + ch' +. . . , where ch' E H2i (82 ), so that multiplication by
the Chern character is a unipotent operator. Thus, the operator on H. (133 )
corresponding to e' E H is of the form (A, s); (1+N) where N is a nilpotent
operator. We see that for any eA-stable subspace V C H.(13,) one has

(8.2.5) Tr(e'; V) = (A, s); dim V.

It follows from (8.2.3) and (8.2.5) that

(8.2.6) Tr(eA; K.,.,,) = E (A, s), . dim Hom c; (XIc; , H. (B,) )

f",)
Using the well-known equality in character theory of finite groups,

(8.2.7) dim Hom c, (Vi, V2) = 1 E Tr(g; Vi) Tr(g; V2),

#Ci gEC;
the right hand side of (8.2.6) can be rewritten as
1
#C' (A, s)3 X(g) 'k (g; H.(133)) .

\ gEC;

It remains to prove that Tr(g; H.(13?)) = 1(g; 13,) . Separating even and
odd degree components, we get by definitions

Tr(g; H.(Bj)) = Tr(g; Hev(1,)) +Tr(g; Hodd(13i)),

l(g; B,) = a (g; Hev('3A)) - Tr(g; [Link](B,))

But all the terms involving odd homology vanish, see Remark 8.1.10. Thus,
the two expressions coincide and the proof is complete.

8.3 Constructible Complexes

This section should not be viewed as an introduction to derived categories;
for that we refer to [KS]. Our aim is to provide the reader with some
basic background material which will hopefully enable him to follow the
arguments of the subsequent sections, at least formally.
For any topological space X (subject to conditions described at the
beginning of §2.6), let Sh(X) be the abelian category of sheaves of C-vector
spaces on X. Define the category Compb(Sh(X)) as the category whose
objects are finite complexes of sheaves on X
A = (0 - A"' -+ A--+' ..._, ... -+ A"-1 --+ An -+ 0), m, n >> 0,
422 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

and whose morphisms are morphisms of complexes A -+ B' commuting

with the differentials. Given a complex of sheaves A' we let
7l'(A') = Ker(A' -+ Ai}')/Im(Ai-' -+ A')
denote the i-th cohomology sheaf. A morphism of complexes is called a
quasi-isomorphism provided it induces isomorphisms between cohomology
sheaves.
The derived category, D'(Sh(X)), is by definition the category with the
same objects as Comp'(Sh(X)) and with morphisms which are obtained
from those in Comp6(Sh(X)) by formally inverting all quasi-isomorphisms;
thus quasi-isomorphisms become isomorphisms in the derived category. For
example, we may (and will) identify Db(Sh(pt)), the derived category on
X = pt, with the derived category of bounded complexes of vector spaces.
The precise definition of the derived category is a bit more involved than
this oversimplified exposition leads one to believe. For more on the derived
category, see [Boll, [Ivl, [Hall, and [Nerd. The kernels and cokernels of
morphisms are not well-defined in D'(Sh(X)) so that this category is no
longer abelian. It has instead the structure of a triangulated category. This
structure involves, for each n E Z, a translation functor [n] : A F-+ A[n] such
that l'(A[n]) = V+n(A) , Vi E Z, and a class of distinguished triangles
that come from all short exact sequences of complexes.
The reason for introducing derived categories is that most of the nat-
ural functors on sheaves, like direct and inverse images, are not generally
exact, i.e., do not take short exact sequences into short exact sequences.
The exactness is preserved, however, provided the sheaves in the short ex-
act sequence are injective. Thus, injective sheaves are especialy easy to
work with. Now, the point is that any sheaf admits an injective resolu-
tion (possibly not unique) and, more generally, any complex of sheaves is
quasi-isomorphic to a complex of injective sheaves. The notion of an "iso-
morphism" in Db(Sh(X)) is defined so as to insure that any object of
Db(Sh(X)) can be represented by a complex of injective sheaves. This way,
all the above mentioned natural functors become exact, in a sense, when
considered as functors on the derived category.
From now on we assume X to be a complex algebraic variety. A sheaf
.F on X is said to be constructible if there is an algebraic stratification
X = UXa, see Definition 3.2.23, such that for each a, the restriction of F
to the stratum X,, is a locally-constant sheaf of finite dimensional vector
spaces (such locally-constant sheaves will be referred to as local systems
in the future). An object A E Db(Sh(X)) is said to be a constructible
complex if all the cohomology sheaves ?{'(A) are constructible. Let Db(X)
be the full subcategory of Db(Sh(X)) formed by constructible complexes
(full means that the morphisms remain the same as in Db(Sh(X))). The
category D6(X) is called the bounded derived category of constructible
 8.3 Constructible Complexes 423

complexes on X in spite of the fact that it is not the derived category of

the category of constructible sheaves.
Our next objective is to give a definition of the dualizing complex and
the Verdier duality functor on Db(X).
Let i : X --*M be a closed embedding of a topological space X into a
smooth manifold M (this always exists). We define a functor

i' : Sh(M) -+ Sh(X),

by taking germs of sections supported on X. Specifically, given a sheaf F
on M and an open set U C M put
rlxj(U, Y) ={ If E r(U, F) I supp(f) C X n U}.

The stalk of the sheaf i'.T at a point x E X is defined by the formula

(i'.F)I,, = liml:1X1 (U, Y) where the direct limit is taken over all open neigh-
borhoods U x. The functor i' is left exact, and we let Ri' : Db(Sh(M)) -+
Db(Sh(X)) denote the corresponding derived functor. If X and M are al-
gebraic varieties one proves that Ri' sends Db(M) to D"(X).
Let CX E Db(X) be the constant sheaf, regarded as a complex concen-
trated in degree zero. Define the "dualizing complex" of X, denoted Dx,
by

(8.3.1) DX = Ri'(Cm) [2dim cM],

where i : X -+M as above, and [2dim cM) stands for the shift in the derived
category.
The stalks of the cohomology sheaves of the dualizing complex are given
by
H2+2dimCM(U,
(8.3.2) fs(]DX) = U \ (UnX)) = H M(U n X), `dx E X,
where U C M is a small contractible open neighborhood of x in M, and
the last isomorphism is due to Poincare duality 2.6.

Lemma 8.3.3. Let i : N -4 M be a closed embedding of a smooth complex

variety N into a smooth complex variety M. Then we have

Ri'(CM) = CN[-2d), where d = dim CM - dimcN.

Proof. Since N is smooth we may choose, for any x E N, a base of
open small neighborhoods of x of the form U = UN x D where UN is a
contractible neighborhood of x in N and D is a slice in the transverse
direction isomorphic to a real 2d-dimensional disk. Then we have for the
424 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

stalks at x, cf., (8.3.2)

x2(Ri'(CM)) = H'(U , U \ (U n N)) _

if j = 2d,
=H'(UNxD,UNx{x})=Hj(D,D\{x})={0
otherwise.

(we used the Kiinneth formula and the fact that the cohomology H'(UN)
vanish for j 0 0). This completes the proof.

Proposition 8.3.4. The dualizing complex IIDx does not depend on the
choice of an embedding i : X--+M. Moreover, for a smooth variety X we
have

®x = Cx [2dim cX].
Proof. The second claim follows from the first, since, if X is smooth we
may take X = M in the definition of the dualizing complex. In this case,
the functor Ri' becomes the identity functor.
To prove the first claim, let it : X '-+ M1, l = 1, 2, be two embeddings.
Put m! = 2dimCM1. Consider the diagonal embedding i1 x i2 : X + MI x M2.
To prove the independence of the embedding, it suffices to establish quasi-
isomorphisms

Ri',CM,[m1] = R(il x i2)'CM,xM2(m1 +m2] Ri2CMs[m2]

We only sketch the proof of the first one. To that end, consider the following
commutative triangle

M1 X M2

Identify X with its image in M1 and set Y = p I (X) = X X M2 C MI X M2 .

We factor the diagonal embedding Xc--+ M1 x M2 as the composition

XAYAM1xM2.
Observe first that the functor j2 takes injective sheaves on M1 x M2 into
injective sheaves on Y. Hence, it follows from the general principles of
homological algebra that R(i1 x i2)' = R(j1 o j2)' = Rji o Rjz .
Now, one proves using Lemma 8.3.3 that Rj2CM, XM2 = (Ri'lCM,) ® CM,
(the RHS is the derived pullback of Ri'CM, by means of p). Therefore, we
obtain
R(il x i2)'CM, xMs [MI + m2] = Rji ((RiiCM, [mz]) 0 CM2 [m2]) .
 8.3 Constructible Complexes 425

Thus, we are reduced to proving the following claim: for any closed embed-
ding j : X `-+ M into a smooth variety M of real dimension m and any
A E D6(X), the complex R(id x j)'(A ® CM[mJ) is quasi-isomorphic to A.
The claim can be proved as follows. Using that M is paracompact, we may
find a Riemannian metric on M and a smooth function r : M -+ R'0 such
that, for any point x E M, the geodesic exponential map gives a diffeomor-
phism of the disk of radius r(x) in the tangent space TiM with its image
in M. Assembling these diffeomorphisms for all points of M together, we
construct a map f : M x D - M, where D is the standard open unit
disk D C RI with center 0, such that the map F : M x D --+ M x M,
(m, z) i--+ (m, f (m, z)) gives a diffeomorphism of M x D with an open
neighborhood of the diagonal in M x M. Restricting to X, we get a map
F : X x D --+ X x M. The image U of this map is an open neighborhood
of (id x j) (X) C X x M, and F : X x D =+ U is a homeomorphism. By
construction, for any A E D6(X), we have

F`((A0CM[m])I u) = A®CD[m].

Note that F takes X x {0} to (id x j)(X). Further, writing e: X x {0}' -+

X x D, by Lemma 8.3.3 we have -'(A0CD[mJ) = A. The claim follows.
From now on we will never make use of the functor i' itself and will only
use the corresponding derived functor. Thus, to simplify notation we write
it for Ri', starting from this moment.
To any object Jr E Db(X) and any integer i E Z we assign the hyper-
cohomology group H'(.F) = Hi(X,.F), resp. the hyper-cohomology with
compact support group H.4,(.F). This is, by definition, the i-th derived func-
tor to the global sections functor r : Sh(X) ---+ {complex vector spaces}
(resp. global sections with compact support functor re). Observe, that for
any.F E Sh(X) there is a canonical isomorphism r(X,.F) = Homsh(x) (Ox
.F). This yields a canonical isomorphism of derived functors

(8.3.5) H'(X,.F) = Rir(X, F) = R'Hom(Cx,.F) = ExtDelxl(Cx, 7) -

Explicitly, to compute the derived functors above, find a representative (up
to quasi-isomorphism) of F E D°(X) by a complex of injective sheaves
Z E Comp°(Sh(X)). Then we have by definition of derived functors, see
[BoIJ:

H'(X,.F) := H'(r(Z')) = Hi (Homsh(x)(Cx,T))

There is a standard long exact sequence of hyper-cohomology associated
to any diagram i : U : j, where i is a closed embedding and
U = X \ Y, the open complement. To construct it, one observes first, that
for any injective sheaf I on X, there is a natural short exact sequence of
426 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

sheaves (here il is not the derived functor):

0 idl-4Z-+j.j'1 -*0
Given any F E Db(X) we choose a complex Z' of injective sheaves quasi-
isomorphic to F. Applying the functor P(X, ) to the corresponding short
exact sequence of complexes i*i!Z'"Z' -* j* j*Z' , and using that 1'(X, )
is exact on injective sheaves, we obtain the following short exact sequence
of complexes of vector spaces r(j.j*Z') . The resulting
long exact sequence of cohomology is

(8.3.6) --+ H' (Y, i'.F) -4 H'(X, F) -+ Hk(U, j*.F) -+ Hk+1(Y, i'.1=)
We list the following basic isomorphisms, which we will use extensively:
(8.3.7) H'(X) = H'(X,Cx) , H2(X) = H-`(X,Dx)
The second isomorphism is a global counterpart of (8.3.2). This can be seen
as follows. The complex Dx is obtained by applying the functor Ri! to the
constant sheaf on an ambient smooth variety M. The hyper-cohomology is
the derived functor of the functor of global sections. Thus, H'(IlDx) is equal
to the hyper-cohomology of Rr[x], the derived functor of the functor r[xJ
of global sections supported on X. But the hyper-cohomology of Rr[xl,
applied to the constant sheaf on M, is clearly H' (M, M \ X), and the
isomorphism follows by Poincare duality.
For any complexes A, B E D!(X), one defines Ext-groups in the derived
category as shifted Hom's, that is Ext' b(x) (A, B) := Hom ob(x) (A, B[k]).
There is also an internal fom-complex denoted 1iom(A, B) E Db(X) such
that the Ext-groups above can be expressed as
ExtDb(x) (A, B) = H'(X, 7-lom(A, B)).
We now define the Verdier duality functor, A - A", to be the con-
travariant functor on the category Db(X) given by
A" =1-lom(A, Dx).
Note that with this definition we have C = Dx. It is easy to show that
(8.3.8) (.fi[n])" = (F")[-n] and (A")" = A for F E Db(X).
Given an algebraic map f : X1 -+ X2 we have the following four functors:
f., ff : Db(X1) D'(X2),
(8.3.9)
f*, f! Db(X2) Db(X1)
The functors (f., f') are defined as the derived functors of sheaf-theoretic
direct and inverse image functors respectively. We remark that sometimes
 8.3 Constructible Complexes 427

what we call f. is written R f. in this context, but as we will never use the
sheaf theoretic pushforward we will not adopt the derived functor notation.
We abuse the notation here by using the notation f' used for the pullback
of 0-modules in Part 5. This should not lead to confusion. The other pair
(f!, f') is defined by means of Verdier duality:

(8.3.10) fjA1 = (f.(Ai))v, f!A2 = (f*(A'))v ,

for any Al E D'(X1) and A2 E D'(X2). The functor f' is the left adjoint of
f. and the functor f ! is the right adjoint of f!, that is there are canonical
functorial isomorphisms

(8.3.11)
Hom(f'A2, A1) = Hom(A2, f*A1), Hom(Aj, f!A2) = Hom(fiAj, A2).

The following four "basic isomorphisms" will be used in the future without
further notice. There are two direct image formulas for hyper-cohomology:

(8.3.12)

H*(X2, f*A1) = H'(X1, A1), f!Aj) = A1),

and two inverse image "sheaf" formulas:

f*Cx, =Cx,, f!Dx, =Dx,

In the case of a constant map the two formulas involving f' and f* are
immediate from definitions and the other two follow by Verdier duality. In
the case of a general map one considers the commutative diagram

X1- f''X2
P2
P.
pt

where P1,2 : X1,2 -' pt are the constant maps. Then, assuming the formulas
are known for constant maps, one calculates

H'(X1, A1) = H'((p1)*Al)

= H'((p2 o f)*A1) = H'((p2)*(f*A1)) = H'(X2, f.A1),
where we identify a complex of sheaves on a point with a complex of vector
spaces, and write H for its cohomology. The other "basic" isomorphisms
are proved in a similar way.
It is further useful to remember that for a map f : X - Y one has
428 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

(8.3.13)
f) = f. if f is proper;
f) = f* [2d] if f is flat with smooth fibers of complex dimension d.

One should mention that, for a closed embedding f : X1'-+X2 the

functor f ' coincides with the derived functor of the sections supported on
Xl functor, which was used earlier in the definition of a dualizing complex.
The four functors (8.3.9) are related by a base change formula, see
[SGA4]. It says that, given a cartesian square,

X xZY f->Y
19 f 19

X -Z
for any object A E D'(X), a canonical isomorphism

(8.3.14) g! f.A = f.g'A holds in Db(Y).

Let io : X'-+X x X be the diagonal embedding. We define two (derived)
tensor product functors on Db(X) by

(8.3.15) A®B = io(A ®B), A ® B = io(A ®B).

We will be frequently using the following canonical isomorphisms in the
derived category:

(8.3.16) (i) A ® CX = A, (ii) A ® Dx = A,

(iii) rlom(A, B) = A' ® B.
Taking A = B in (iii) and using the second adjunction formula (8.3.11) we
find

H'(fom(A, A)) = H'(X, A" ® A) = Ext'(Cx, Av ® A).

Recall that H (?lom(A, A)) = Ext' b N) (A, A). The identity morphism Id E
Ext° (A, A) gives rise, by means of the isomorphisms above, to the first
of the following two canonical morphisms:

(8.3.17) Cx-iA"®A, A"®A--sDX.

The second morphism is obtained from the first by Verdier duality.
 8.3 Constructible Complexes 429

Given a map f : X1 - X2 we have, by adjunction formulas (8.3.11), the

canonical morphisms
(8.3.18)
Al -+ f.f*A1, I f'A2 A2 , Al E Db(X1), A2 E Dd(X2)
corresponding to the identity in Hom(f *Al, f *A1) and Hom(f'A2i f'A2)
respectively.
It is instructive to reinterpret various constructions in Borel-Moore ho-
mology that have been introduced in Chapter 2 from our present sheaf the-
oretic viewpoint:
8.3.19. (I) PROPER DIRECT IMAGE IN BOREL-MOORE HOMOLOGY. As-
sume that f : Xl -+ X2 is a proper map. In this case, f* = ff, hence there
is a canonical morphism f* f'IDx, = fif'Dx2 --+ Dx given by (8.3.18). Us-
ing (8.3.12) and (8.3.4) we get a morphism
(8.3.20) H'(XI,Dx,) = H'((pl)*Dx,) = H'((p2)*f*Dx,) =
= H'((p2)*f*f'Dx,) H'((p2)*Dx2) = H'(X2,Dx,),
where P1,2 X1,2 -+ {pt} stands for the constant map. The resulting
:

morphism H.(X1) -+ H.(X2) is nothing but the proper pushforward in

Borel-Moore homology.
8.3.21. (H) RESTRICTION WITH SUPPORTS. We consider the following
cartesian square

YnZc--` Z
(8.3.22)
f
Y L--- X.
if
Fix A E D1(X). We have a canonical morphism A --+ i*i*A given by
(8.3.18). It induces a morphism j'A --+ j'i*i*A. By the base change (8.3.14)
one has j'i* = i*j'. Thus, there is a natural morphism
(8.3.23) j'A -+ i* j'i*A.
We shall now give concrete examples where this morphism plays a role.
First, assume X is a smooth variety and i : Y' -+X is an embedding of
a (complex) codimension d smooth subvariety. Let further, Z be a possibly
singular closed subvariety of X and A = Dx = Cx (2dim cXJ. Then we have
i'IIDx = i*Cx [2dim cX] = Cy (2dim cXJ = Cy (2dim cY + 2d] = Dy [2d].
Therefore, i*A = IIDy[2d). Further, j'A = j'IIDx = Dz and by (8.3.23) we
get a morphism Dz = j'A -+ i.j'i*A = i*j'IIDy[2d]. Observe now that
430 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

,7'DY = DYnz. Thus, taking hyper-cohomology, we obtain a natural map

HH(Z) = H`(Z, Dz) --+ H-'(Z, [Link][2d]) = H''+2d(Dynz)

1=
H;_2d(Y n Z)

which is, by 8.3.7, nothing but the restriction with supports, cf. 2.6.21, for
Borel-Moore homology: Hi(Z) -+ Hi_2d(Y n z).

8.3.24. (III) YONEDA PRODUCT. Let N be a variety and A,, A2, A3 E

Db(N). The composition of morphisms in the category D6(N) gives a
bilinear product

Hom Db(N) (A,, A2[p)) X Horn Db(N) (A2[p], A3[p + q])

-+ Hom Db(N)(Al, A3[p + q]).
Using that Ext's in D6(N) are defined as shifted Hom's and that
Hom Db(N)(A2[p], A3[p + q]) = Horn Db(N)(A2i A3[q]) , we can rewrite the
composition above as bilinear product of Ext-groups, called the Yoneda
product
ExtDb(N) (A,, A2) ® Extpb(N) (A2, A3) -- ExtP (A,, A3).
N)

Using the isomorphisms Ext'Db(N) (A;, A;) = H (A; ®A;) of (8.3.1?) (iii)
the morphism above takes the form

(8.3.25)HP(N, Al (&' A2) ® Hq(N, A2 ® A3) -Ha+a(N, Ai ®A3).

We will now give an independent construction of the map (8.3.25) based

on (8.3.23). To that end, let A C N x N denote the diagonal and set
X = N x N x N x N. In X define two subvarieties Y = N x A x N and
Z = A x A. We form the following natural cartesian square, which is a
special case of (8.3.22)

AxA
(8.3.26) if
NxAxN1 .
t
NxNxNxN.
Set A = Ai ® A2 ® AZ ® A3. We record below several isomorphisms which
are immediate from the definition of A, definition of the maps in diagram
(8.3.26), and definitions of the two tensor products.
(8.3.27)

j'A = (Ai ® A2) 0 (Ai ® A3), i*A = Ai 0 (As ®A2) 0 A3

 8.3 Constructible Complexes 431

(8.3.28) 3'(Ai ®IIDa ® A3) = A; ®llDA A3 = A, ® A3,

where the last equality is due to (8.3.16)(ii). Now, the canonical morphism
(8.3.23) applied to our complex A and diagram (8.3.26) yields a morphism
(8.3.29)
Al ®Az ®Az A3 = j!A 3'z A = i. j (A, z

From the canonical morphism A2 ® A2 -+ IIDA , cf.,(8.3.17), we get

Ai ®(A2®A2)®A3 -+ A; ®Do®A3.
Composing it with (8.3.29) and using (8.3.28) yields a map
(8.3.30)
(A; ® A2) ® (A2 ®A3) -?.7! (Ai ®Do 0 A3) = .(Ai ® A3).
Finally, taking the hyper-cohomology and using the Kiinneth formula on
the LHS of (8.3.30) we obtain a morphism
\
Ai ®AZ)®H'(N, AZ ®A3) = H' x N, (Ai ®A2) ®(A2 ® A3) )
CN /
H'(N x N, z.(Ai ® A3)) = H*(N, Ai ® A3).

This is nothing but the canonical morphism (8.3.25) we were looking for.

8.3.31. (IV) SMOOTH PULLBACK IN BOREL-MOORE HOMOLOGY. Let X

be a not necessarily smooth space and p : X --+ X a (topological) locally
trivial oriented fibration (see 2.6.26) with smooth fiber F of real dimension
d. Locally on X the map p can be identified with the first projection
X x F - X. Since the definition of the functor p is local with respect to
X, we conclude that p! = p`[d], cf. (8.3.13). Therefore, for any A E D°(X),
we have a canonical morphism A --+ p.p*A = p.p'A[-d]. Applying the
hyper-cohomology functor we get a natural map

H'(X, A) - H'(X, pA[-d]) = H'-d(X, p!A)

Take now A = Dx. Then p'Dx = D. Since hyper-cohomology of the
dualizing complex gives Borel-Moore homology, the canonical map above
specializes to a map
(8.3.32) H.(X) = H-'(X,IlDx) -+ H-'-d(X,IIDg) = H.+d(X)-
This is nothing but the smooth pullback in Borel-Moore homology consid-
ered in (2.6.27).
432 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Further, let in the above situation i : X -+ X be a continuous section of

p. Pick a point sin the fiber F and write i, : {s} ti F for the embedding.
Then locally on k the map i can be identified with the embedding id x x i,
X y X x F. Since ®xXF = pDx ® IIDF we find

(idx x i,)*(IlDx ® DF) = Dx ® (i,'IIDF) = Dx ® C, (d] ' Dx[d]

It follows that i* D k = IIDx [d] so that we get a canonical morphism Dg -

i.i* Dg = i Dx (d] . Taking hyper-cohomology, we obtain a natural map

(8.3.33) H.(X) = H-'(X,Dz) -' H-'(X,Dx[d]) = H.-d(X)-

This map is the Gysin pull-back i' used in (2.6.26) without proper defini-
tion.
Finally, consider the square on the left of the diagram

L
z m'-Z H* (2) E H* (Z)
(8.3.34) 1.1 1f.

H.(X) - H.(X) .

Assume this is a cartesian square such that f is proper and 0 is a locally

trivial oriented fibration with smooth fiber of real dimension d. Then, the
following natural diagram of functor morphisms commutes

fff' id x

'=m'f-d[II III.
m'[-dJ
change
0.0'f.f'[-dJ fl-f.
(8.3.14)

This diagram applied to the complex Dx reads

ficb.c'Dz - fif'IIDx - IlDx ---- q5.O'DDx

i'=m'[-dIII
(8.3.14) ,/,
III+=I[-dl
,/,
f.W.D2[-d] ,/,.f
`l D2[-d] ,/,
q.W'[Link][-d] f - W.D
,,//,,
[-d]
Applying the hyper-cohomology functor to the last diagram one deduces
commutativity of the square on the right of (8.3.34). This proves case (a)
of Proposition 8.3.14 on the smooth base change in Borel-Moore homology.
 8.4 Perverse Sheaves and the Classification Theorem 433

8.4 Perverse Sheaves and the Classification Theorem

We will briefly recall some definitions and list a few basic results about the
category of perverse sheaves on a complex algebraic variety. For a detailed
treatment the reader is referred to [BBD].
Let Y C X be a smooth locally closed subvariety of complex dimension
d, and let C be a local system on Y. The intersection cohomology complex
of Deligne-Goresky-MacPherson, IC(Y, L), is an object of D6(X) supported
on Y, the closure of Y, that satisfies the following properties:
(a) WiWIC(Y, C) = 0 if i < -d,
(b) 7-l'dIC(Y, C)l y = L,
(c) dim supp WIC(Y, G) < -i, if i > -d,
(d) dimsuppHt(IC(Y,L)") < -i, if i > -d.
An explicit construction of intersection cohomology complexes given in
[BBD] yields the following result
Proposition 8.4.1. Let j : Y --+ X be an embedding of a smooth connected
locally closed subvariety of complex dimension d > 0 and Y the closure of
the image. Then for any local system L on Y there exists a unique object
IC(Y, L) E D6(X) such that the above properties (a) - (d) hold. Moreover,
one has
(i) The cohomology sheaves ?-I'IC(Y, G) vanish unless -d < i < 0
n-dIC(Y, L) = V(j.L);
(ii)
(iii) IC(Y, L') = IC(Y, C)" , where L* denotes the local system dual
to C.
If X is a smooth connected variety, Y = X and C = Cx then we have
IC(X,Cx) = Gx[dimOX]. This motivates the following definition. Given a
smooth variety X with irreducible components Xi define a complex Cx on
X by the equality
CxIx; = Cx;[dim cX;].
By Lemma 8.3.3, the complex Cx is self-dual: C) = Cx . It will be referred
to as the constant perverse sheaf on X, since it satisfies the conditions of
the following definition.
Definition 8.4.2. A complex F E D6(X) is called perverse sheaf if
(a) dim supp W.F < -i,
(b) dim supp V (F") < -i, for any i.
Observe that the dimension estimates (c)-(d) involved in the definition
of the intersection complex IC(Y,,C) are similar to properties in Defini-
tion 8.4.2 of a perverse sheaf, except that strict inequalities are relaxed to
non-strict ones. Hence, any intersection complex is a perverse sheaf. If 0
434 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

is a local system on an unspecified locally closed subvariety of X, we will

sometimes write ICO for the corresponding intersection cohomology com-
plex, i.e., if ¢ is a local system on Y then by definition IC4, = IC(Y, 0).
EXERCISE. Let X = C2 be the plane with coordinates (x1, x2), and
Y = {(x1, x2) E C2 I x1 x2 = 0} the "coordinate cross". Check whether the
complex Cy [1], extended by 0 to C2 \ Y, is a perverse sheaf on V.
Theorem 8.4.3. [BBD] (i) The full subcategory of D"(X) whose objects
are perverse sheaves on X is an abelian category;
(ii) The simple objects of the abelian category of perverse sheaves are
the intersection complexes IC(Y, L) as G runs through the irreducible local
systems on various smooth locally closed subvarieties Y C X.
Corollary 8.4.4. We have
(a) There are no negative degree global Ext-groups between perverse
sheaves, in particular Ext"` (IC4,, IC,V) = 0 for all k < 0.
6(N)
(b) For any irreducible locally constant sheaves 0 and i,i we have
Ex°A
D(N)
(IC4, IC,,,) = C by.

In this chapter we will often be concerned with homology or cohomology

of the fibers Mx = tr 1(x) of a morphism µ : M - N, where M is a
smooth and N is an arbitrary complex algebraic variety. We first consider
the simplest case where p is a locally trivial (in the ordinary Hausdorff
topology) fibration with connected base N. The (co-)homology of the fibers
then clearly form a local system on N. In the sheaf-theoretic language, one
takes [Link], the derived direct image of the constant sheaf on M. Then
the cohomology sheaf W(µ.CM) is locally constant and its stalk at x E N
equals H'(MM). Replacing CM by DM, the dualizing complex, one sees that
the stalk at x of the local system f-i(p DM) is isomorphic to H1(M1).
Recall now that for any connected, locally simply connected topological
space N, and a choice of point x E N, there is an equivalence of categories
local systems 1 f representations of
I(8.4.5)
on X JH fundamental group 7r1(N, x)
sending a local system to its fiber at x, which is naturally a 7rl(N, x)-
module by means of the monodromy action. In particular, given a locally
trivial topological fibration y : M --> N and a point x E N, there is a
natural irl(N,x)-action on HO(MM) and on H.(MM), respectively. We will
see below (as a very special, though not at all trivial, case of Theorem
8.4.8) that this action is completely reducible, provided A is a projective
morphism of algebraic varieties, that is both and H.(MM) are
direct sums of irreducible representations of the group 7rl(N, x). In such
 8.4 Perverse Sheaves and the Classification Theorem 435

a case, for an irreducible representation X of 7rl(N,x), let H.(MM)X =

Hom,,,(N,x)(X, H.(M1,C)) be the X-isotypical component of the homology
of the fiber with complex coefficients. This way we get the direct sum
decompositions into isotypical components with respect to the fundamental
group
(8.4.6)
H.(MM,C) = X®H.(MM)x, H*(M=,C) = X®H'(Mx)x
XEa, (N,x) XE+ri (N,x)

This decomposition reflects the corresponding direct sum decomposition of

local systems

(8.4.7) 1t'([Link]) X ®H'(M.),,

XEa, (N,x)

where now X is viewed, by correspondence (8.4.5), as an irreducible local

system on N, and the vector spaces play the role of multiplicities.
Note that there is no need to write a second formula of this type, corre-
sponding to homology (as opposed to cohomology) because on the smooth
variety M one has DM = CM[2dim,M], and the second decomposition is
nothing but the one above shifted by [2dimcM].
Now let u : M -- N be a general projective morphism, i.e., factors as a
composition M ' `+ X x N °-Z N, where i is a closed embedding and X is
a projective variety. In this case our analysis will be based on the very deep
"Decomposition Theorem", which has no elementary proof and is deduced
(see [BBD] and references therein) from the Weil conjectures by reduction
to ground fields of finite characteristic.
Theorem 8.4.8. (DECOMPOSITION THEOREM [BBD]). Let µ : M - N
be a projective morphism and X C M a smooth locally closed subvariety.
Then we have a direct sum decomposition in D6(N)
µ.IC(X,Cx) = ®Ly,x(i) ®IC(YX)[i],
(i,y,x)

where Y runs over locally closed subvarieties of N, X is an irreducible local

system on Y, [i] stands for the shift in the derived category and Ly,x(i) are
certain finite dimensional vector spaces.
Now let M be a smooth complex algebraic variety, p : M -, N a
projective morphism, and N = UN0, an algebraic stratification such that,
for each (i, the restriction map u : µ-'(Np) - Np is a locally trivial
topological fibration (such a stratification always exists, see [Ver]). Applying
the Decomposition Theorem 8.4.8 to [Link] we see that all the complexes
on the RHS of the decomposition have locally constant cohomology sheaves
436 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

along each stratum NO. Thus, the decomposition in 8.4.8 takes the form

(8.4.9) µ.CM = ® LO(k) ® ICm[k],

kEZ,0=(Nn.X0)

where ICO is the intersection cohomology complex associated with an irre-

ducible local system X0 on a stratum No.
Below we will be often dealing with linear maps between graded spaces
that do not necessarily respect the gradings. It will be convenient to intro-
duce the following
NOTATION: Given graded vector spaces V, W, we write V = W for a
linear isomorphism that does not necessarily preserve the gradings. We will
also use the notation _ to denote quasi-isomorphisms that only holds up
to a shift in the derived category.
Thus collecting in the RHS of (8.4.9) all the terms with the same
parameter 0 and setting L45 ®kEZ Lo(k), we can write

(8.4.10) µ.CM = ® L®®ICC,

0=(NP,x#)

We will be mostly interested in an equivariant version of the above

setup. Given G, a linear algebraic group, and X, an algebraic G-variety,
one can speak about G-equivariant sheaves on X in the sense indicated
at the end of Definition 5.1.6. In particular, we have the notion of an
equivariant locally constant sheaf, i.e., an equivariant local system. Assume,
for instance, that X = G/H is a homogeneous space, where H is an
algebraic subgroup of G. Take x = 1 - H as a base point in X = G/H.
Then, the fibration G/H gives the connecting homomorphism of
the homotopy exact sequence
... -- 7rl(G) -4 irl(G/H) --+ iro(H) -' iro(G) - iro(G/H) -+ 1.
Assume first that G is connected, whence iro(G) = 1. Let H° be the
connected component of the identity of H so that 7ro(H) = H/H°. The
exact sequence yields a canonical surjection irl (G/H) -» H/H°. This map
takes, by means of pullback, finite dimensional representations of H/H° to
finite dimensional representations of 7r,(G/H). Even if G is not connected
we still get, by repeating the argument for the identity component of G, a
homomorphism 7r1(G/H) --+ H/H° which is no longer surjective in general.
We observe from the definitions that

Lemma 8.4.11. A local system C on G/H is G-equivariant if and only if

the corresponding representation of irl (G/H, x) on C,,, see (8.4.5), is the
pullback by means of the map irl (G/H, x) - H/H° of a finite dimensional
rr:prescntation of H/H°.
 -8.4 Perverse Sheaves and the Classification Theorem 437

Note that group of components, H/H°, is necessarily finite for any com-
plex algebraic group H. Hence any H/H°-module is semisimple, that is, a
direct sum of irreducible representations. Thus, G-equivariant local systems
on a homogeneous space always give rise to semisimple representations.
The main technical result used in the subsequent sections is an equivar-
iant version of the decomposition Theorem 8.4.8. Thus, let M be a smooth
not-necessarily connected G-variety and CM the constant perverse sheaf on
M. Let p : M - N be a G-equivariant projective morphism to a G-variety
N. Assume in addition that N consists of finitely many G-orbits. Then the
partition into G-orbits, N = UO, is an algebraic stratification of N by
Corollary 3.2.24, and we have the following result.

Theorem 8.4.12. There is a direct sum decomposition in D6(N)

'U-CM = ® Lo(i) ®ICO[i],

iEZ,0=(o,X)

where ¢ = (0, X) runs over the set of couples: a G-orbit 0 and an

irreducible G-equivariant local system X on 0; [i) stands for the shift in
the derived category and L1,(i) are certain finite dimensional vector spaces.

8.4.13. Remarks (i) Consider the special case of the theorem where
N = G/H is a homogeneous space. Then the map p : M - N can be
shown to be a locally trivial topological fibration. Hence, decomposition
(8.4.9) applies. Since all the cohomology sheaves h'(µ.CM) must be locally
constant the decomposition reads, see also (8.4.7)

P CM = ®LX(k) ® X[k),
kEZ,X

where X runs over the set of all irreducible local systems on X = G/H.
On the other hand, we may apply the equivariant decomposition Theorem
8.4.12. It implies a similar decomposition, but it also says, in addition,
that each local system occurring in the decomposition is equivariant, i.e.,
corresponds to an irreducible representation of the component group H/H°.
This additional information can not be obtained from the non-equivariant
Decomposition Theorem 8.4.8.
(ii) In the general setting of Theorem 8.4.12, for each (0, X), choose
a base point x. E 0 and write G(xj) for its isotropy subgroup. Then,
arguing as in (i) we see that for a given 0 = (0, X) the parameter X
may be viewed as an irreducible representation of the component group
G(xo)/G(xo)°.
(iii) Although the statement of Theorem 8.4.12 does not involve any
mention of the equivariant derived category, this is the most natural way
to prove the theorem. Note that one can easily define the notion of an
438 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

equivariant constructible complex. By replacing isomorphisms by quasi-

isomorphisms everywhere in section 8.3 one then gets a definition of equi-
variant complexes, equivariant direct images, etc. This definition turns out
to be too "naive" however: it does not lead to the right notion of the equi-
variant derived category. The right approach to the equivariant derived
category of constructible complexes was given by Bernstein-Lunts [BeLul].
This approach is quite involved, however, and will not be used here. Fortu-
nately, the intersection complex associated to a local system L is an equi-
variant complex in the above mentioned "naive" sense if and only if L is
an equivariant local system (moreover, "naive" equivariance of an intersec-
tion cohomology complex turns out to be also equivalent to its equivariance
in the sense of Bernstein-Lunts, which is not true for general complexes).
One can use this fact in order to deduce Theorem 8.4.12 from decompo-
sition (8.4.9), provided the group G is connected. To that end, one first
shows that decomposition (8.4.9) is unique in an appropriate sense. One
deduces that, if G is connected then the complex µ*CM on the LHS of
(8.4.9) is G-equivariant in the "naive" sense, hence each term on the RHS
is G-equivariant in the "naive" sense as well. One concludes that the local
systems corresponding to the intersection cohomology complexes that occur
in the RHS are themselves equivariant.

8.5 The Contravariant Form

The purpose of this section is to establish a connection between the H-
modules La,x,X introduced in (8.1.12) and intersection cohomology. We will
also use sheaf theoretic tools to study the intersection pairing defined in
Section 2.6.15.
We begin with a few general remarks. Let Z be a locally closed subset
of a variety X, and i : Z ' X the embedding. For any complex A E D6(X )
there is a natural morphism
sections 1 ( sections on a
(8.5.1) i'A , i*A ,
supported on Z J t neighborhood of Z
More formally, it is obtained by applying the functor i* to the canonical
morphism i1i'A - A, using that i*ii(i'A) = i'A. If Y is closed (so, it =
i*) then the map induced by (8.5.1) on cohomology may be obtained by
applying the functor H' to the canonical morphisms iji'A - A - i*i'A as
the composition

(8.5.2) H'(i'A) - H'(X,A) -* H'(i*A).

Assume further that X is a complex algebraic variety, x E X. In the
above setting let A = IC(Y, G) be the intersection cohomology complex of
 8.5 The Contravariant Form 439

a locally closed subvariety Y C N and Z = {x}, a single point. Write

ix : {x} '- X for the embedding.

Lemma 8.5.3. The canonical map [Link](Y, L) -p [Link](Y, G) vanishes un-

less Y = {x}, in which case it is a quasi-isomorphism.

Proof. Assume that Y 0 {x}. Then, either x belongs to the closure of Y,

or the map in question vanishes. In the first case we have dim Y > 0 and
Proposition 8.4.1(i) implies that H'(i.*A) vanishes for all j > 0. By duality:
IC(Y, G)" = IC(Y, f_'), we deduce that H' (is A) vanishes for all j < 0.
Hence there can be no non-zero map H'(it A) - H'(iiA). If Y = {x}
then H°(i' A) = H°(i.*A) is the only non-vanishing cohomology of both
complexes. The lemma follows.

Next, let M be a smooth complex algebraic variety, a : M -a N a proper

map, x E N and ix : {x}'-+N the embedding. Let CM be the constant
perverse sheaf on M and [Link] its direct image to N.

Lemma 8.5.4. If M has pure complex dimension m then there are natural
isomorphisms:

H'(MM) = H' m(i CM), H.(Mx) Hm (j CM).

Proof. We use the obvious cartesian square

Msc M
(8.5.5)

{x}c ',.N
We prove the second isomorphism, the first being more simple. Let DM* be
the dualizing complex on M. Since M is smooth we have DM = CM[m].
Thus, one finds

H.(MM) = H '(Mx, DM: )

= H ' (µ. DM=) = H ' (µ.'CM [m]) = (base change)
= H '(iyµ*CM[m]) = Hm-'(i' CM).
Using (the proof of) the lemma we see the canonical map
H'([Link]) of (8.5.2) can be identified, by means of base change diagram
(8.5.5), with a similar map H'(i?CM) - H'(i*CM), corresponding to the
embedding M. -- M. This interpretation of the lemma yields the following
440 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

commutative diagram
(8.5.6)
H'(izµ*CM) H'(i'CM) = H'(DM:r[-m)) H,,-. (M.)
(8.5.2)
1 (8.5.2) 1 r,
r
H'(i*p*CM) H'(2*CM) " ' H'(CM.[m))
where the map v on the right equals the composition

H.-.(M.) -i H.-.(M) Po,uc rA

duality
Hm+'(M) Hm+'(Mx)

Let U C N be a small enough open neighborhood of x such that the

embedding i : M. `-' U := A-'(U) is a homotopy equivalence. We have by
definitions
H'(i*xµ*CM) = H'(U,µ*CM) = H* (0, Cm [m]) = H-+*

Note that U is smooth as an open subset of the smooth variety M, and

Mx is compact. The homotopy equivalence i induces isomorphisms i* :
H'(U) - H'(Mx) and i* : H.(Mx) .Z [Link](U), where H,'' stands for the
ordinary (not Borel-Moore) homology. Thus, the vertical map v, hence all
vertical maps in (8.5.6), can also be identified, by means of Poncare duality,
with any of the natural vertical maps in the commutative diagram
(8.5.7)
[Link]
duality Hm+'(U,U\Mx) dualuy Hm-.(Mx) i.
H.-. (M.) In""
a ,.

Hm+'(Mx)
i Hm+'((J)
Polncard
duality
H U
where 8 is the connecting homomorphism in the cohomology long exact
sequence of the pair (U, U \ Mx), and the rightmost vertical arrow is the
standard map from the ordinary to Borel-Moore homology.
8.5.8. Let M be a smooth algebraic variety of pure complex dimension
m and µ : M -. N a projective morphism. Assume given an algebraic
stratification N = UN, such that, for each a, the restriction map µ :
µ-' (Na) - No, is a locally trivial topological fibration. Then decomposition
formula (8.4.10) yields
[Link] = ® LO ® ICm,
m=(NA,LP)

where IC0 is the intersection cohomology complex associated with an irre-

ducible local [Link] on a stratum Np.
 8.5 The Contravariant Form 441

Fix a point x E N and let i. : (x)- +N denote the embedding. Applying

the functor H'ii to the decomposition above, term by term, and using
Lemma 8.5.4, we obtain

(8.5.9) Hm+'(M.) = H'(i /.L CM) = (D Lo ® H'(i:1C4)

Assume now that {x} = N. is a one point stratum of our stratification. The
only irreducible local system on this stratum is the constant sheaf IC. =
C. Write L. for the associated multiplicity vector space in decomposition
of µ,CM, see (8.4.10). Since dimH'(Cx) = 1 the vector space Lx occurs
in decomposition (8.5.9) with multiplicity < 1 (it may be zero if ICx does
not occur in the decomposition). Hence, the position of the subspace Lx
inside H'(Mx) is unambiguously determined (although, generally, there is
no uniqueness claim in the Decomposition Theorem). Observe finally that
we may view Lx as a subspace in H.(U) using the isomorphisms in the
bottom line of (8.5.7).
Recall now that intersection in the smooth ambient space U, which has
real dimension 2m = 2dim,M, gives a bilinear paring: H.+. (M.) x
Hm-.(Mx) n+ C, see (2.6.16).
The following key result establishes a link between geometry and sheaf
theory.

Proposition 8.5.10. Let {x} = N. be a one point stratum of the stratifi-

cation N = UN,. Consider the direct image map %, : H.(MM) _ H.(&).
Then
(i) The image of i, equals Lx, viewed as a subspace of H.(U)
H'(M.)
(ii) The kernel of equals the radical of the bilinear form on
H. (M.).
Proof. To prove (i) we identify the map H.(Mx) -+ H.(U), using the
isomorphisms of diagrams (8.5.6) and (8.5.7), with the leftmost vertical
arrow in (8.5.6). This arrow can be decomposed, by means of the second
isomorphism in (8.5.9), into a direct sum of maps

(8.5.11) ®L4, ® (H'(izICO) -+ H'(i:IC0)).

m

By Lemma 8.5.3 the image of islCO -+ izIC0 vanishes unless the sum-
mand corresponds to the one point stratum N. = {x}. Therefore the image
of the whole direct sum is equal to L, and part (i) follows.
To prove (ii), identify as above the map H.(MM) -+ H.(U) with the
natural map can : H.-d(U) -+ H.(U), see (8.5.7), and also identify the
442 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

intersection pairing ( , )° on H.(M2) with the intersection pairing

n HM+.(U) X Hntd.(U) _ HOrd(U) = C.
We may factor this latter pairing as the composition
id
(8.5.12) H,°,ar+,(IJ) x Hmd.(U)
X H._.(U) (2.6.117i H0rd(U) = C.

The second map here is a non-degenerate pairing due to Poincare duality

(Proposition 2.6.18). Hence the radical of the pairing given by the compo-
sition (8.5.12) equals the kernel of the map can. The latter map has been
identified with H.(MM) -+ H.(U), whence the claim. a

Corollary 8.5.13. The map i. induces a natural isomorphism

H.(MM)/Rad( , )U = Lx L.

8.5.14. We now turn to an equivariant setting. Let M be a smooth not

necessarily connected G-variety and µ : M -+ N a G-equivariant projective
morphism to a G-variety N. Assume that N consists of finitely many G-
orbits, and use the partition into G-orbits, N = U®, as an algebraic
stratification of N. Further, fix an orbit 0 , a point x E 0 and write
G(x) for its isotropy group. Let K(x) be a maximal compact subgroup of
G(x).
Let S be a local transverse slice to 0, at x, see Definition 3.2.19. By the
discussion following Theorem 3.5.12, adapted to our present situation, we
may (and will) choose S to be K(x)-stable. Let S = µ-1(S) C M. Then
S is a smooth K(x)-stable subvariety. Shrinking S if necessary, we may
assume the natural embedding i : MM '-+ S to be a homotopy equivalence.
The stratification N = U 0 induces by restriction to the transverse
slice a stratification S = U S#, where So= S fl ®. Let e : S--+N be the
embedding of the transversal slice and E : S'--+M the induced embedding.
Any intersection complex IC(®,,C) restricts (up to shift) to the intersection
complex IC(S0,GJs,,), by transversality. Further, we have E1CM = Cs, since
S is a smooth subvariety in M. Hence, proper base change for the natural
cartesian square

µ
SC
µl
N
 8.5 The Contravariant Form 443

yields f (µ.CM) = µ.E'(CM) = µ.Cs. Thus, using the equivariant Decompo-

sition Theorem 8.4.9 we obtain
(8.5.15)
E E` (®L, ® ICA, Lm))

®L ®E'IC(®4,, ,c4,) _ ®L4, ®IC(S n 04,,'CoIsnoa) .

0 4

This decomposition of [Link] into a direct sum of (shifted) intersection coho-

mology complexes on S may be viewed, with two reservations, as decompo-
sition formula (8.4.10) for the map S - S. First, the local transverse slice S
is a holomorphic, but not necessarily algebraic, subvariety of N, in general.
Therefore, S is not an algebraic variety, in general, and the Decomposition
Theorem of [BBDI does not apply (Fortunately, in the case of affine Hecke
algebras, we are mostly interested in, the slice S may defined globally as
an algebraic variety using the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem: one has to take
a-fixed points in the construction of 3.7.14. Thus, the Decomposition Theo-
rem applies in this case). Second, the local systems Col snoe in the last sum
in (8.5.15) are not necessarily irreducible, since the restriction to S n ®.
of an irreducible local system on ®0 need not remain irreducible. If the
slice S is algebraic, then Decomposition Theorem for µ.Cs implies that the
local systems C01sno. are at least semisimple. Lastly, even if Lolsno. are
semisimple, they are not necessarily disjoint for different m's, i.e., may have
a common simple direct summand. The above mentioned reservations play
no role however in all applications of the decomposition of (8.5.15) that we
will make in this section below.
Observe that, in the above setup, the point x is the unique one-point
stratum in S. Let ix : {x}- +S denote the inclusion of this stratum. Thus we
are in a position to apply the machinery developed in 8.5.8. Note that since
S was chosen small enough so that S is homotopy equivalent to My, we
may take U = S and U = S in the setup of 8.5.8. Thus, Proposition 8.5.10
provides a description of the image and the kernel of the canonical map i. :
H.(MM) -+ H.(9). Recall further, that S, hence S, was chosen to be stable
with respect to the action of K(x), a maximal compact subgroup of the
isotropy group G(x). Therefore, the groups H.(Mx), H.(S) and the above
map i. split into isotypical components with respect to the action of the
finite group K(x)/K(x)°. Observe that K(x)/K(x)° = G(x)/G(x)°. Thus,
there is a natural G(x)/G(x)°-action on both the image and the kernel
of the map i.. Moreover, from Proposition 8.5.10 and Corollary 8.5.13 we
deduce, separating G(x)/G(x)°-isotypical components, the following result:
444 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Proposition 8.5.16. Let x E N and x an irreducible representation of

the group G(x)/G(x)°. Write 0 = (O, x), where 0 is the G-orbit through
x. Then, in the setup of 8.5.10 there are natural isomorphisms of vector
spaces

Lm = Im(H.(M.)x - H.(S)x) = H.(M=)x/Rad( , )X.

Assume for the rest of this section that we are in the setup of Section
7.1. Thus, we are given a semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C*, we let M
and N be the a-fixed point sets

M = Na , N = N° and p : Na -+ Ma ,

the restriction of the Springer resolution to Na. This is clearly a projective

morphism. Observe further that the group G(s), the centralizer of s in
G, acts naturally on both Na and Na so that the map it is a G(s)-
equivariant morphism. Moreover, Na consists of finitely many G(s)-orbits
0 (see 8.1.17). Hence the orbits form the stratification Na = UO, and the
equivariant Decomposition Theorem 8.4.12 yields

(8.5.17) [Link]. = ® Lo(i) ® ICO[i[,

iEZ,v=(o,x)

where 0 = (O, x) consists of 0, a G(s)-orbit in Na, and X an irreducible

equivariant local system on 0.
Further, let x E 0, and let G(s, x) be the simultaneous centralizer of
s and x in G. Then, for any irreducible representation x of the group
C(s, x) = G(s, x)/G°(s, x), from Proposition 8.5.16 we obtain a natural
isomorphism of vector spaces (cf. 8.1.11):

(8.5.18)
La,x,x = Im (H.(B )x H.(S)x) Lo ^' H.(tz)x/Rad(, z,

where H.('3.'), and H.(S)x are respectively standard and co-standard Ha

modules, 0 = (0, X), and Lo := ®i Lo(i). Note that this establishes consis-
tency of the notation La,x,x = Im[H.(13y)x - H.(S)x] for the Ha-module
introduced in §8.1 and the notation Lo for the vector space giving the mul-
tiplicity of ICS in decomposition (8.5.17). In the next section we will en-
dow the vector space Lj with a natural (independently defined) Ha-module
structure and show that the isomorphism (8.5.18) is in fact an isomorphism
of Ha-modules.
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 445

8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra

In this section we study representations of general convolution algebras.
Given a smooth complex variety M and a proper map 9 : M - N,
where N is not necessarily smooth, following the setup of 8.5 we put
Z = M x,,, M. Then Z o Z = Z so that H.(Z) has a natural associative
algebra structure. This construction can be "localized" with respect to the
base N using sheaf theoretic language as follows. Consider the constant
perverse sheaf CM and the vector space Ext'b(14)([Link], [Link]). The latter
11

space has a natural (non-commutative) graded algebra structure given by

the Yoneda product of Ext's, see 8.3.24.
We are going to prove that there is a (not necessarily grading preserving)
algebra isomorphism H.(Z) = Extn (N) ([Link], [Link]). This important
isomorphism will allow us to study the algebra structure of H.(Z) by means
of the sheaf-theoretic decomposition of [Link]. We will first study a more
general sheaf-theoretic setup which is useful in its own right (cf. [GRV]).
Let M1 and M2 be smooth manifolds of pure complex dimension m1
and m2 respectively. Given proper maps 9t M1 -+ N, l = 1, 2, set
:

Z12=M1XNM2

Lemma 8.6.1. There is a natural isomorphism of graded vector spaces

H.(Z12) = nb(N)
EXtmi+m2_S(p1$CM,, i'2.CM2).

Proof. Since M1 x M2 is smooth, we have ®M, x M2 = CM, %M, [ml + m2].

Hence we obtain

(8.6.2) ®Z,2 = 1DZ12 = _)CM, XM2 [ml + m2],

where 1 : x M2 is the natural inclusion.

Thus using that H_j(Z12) = Hi(DZ,2) we obtain from (8.6.2)

(8.6.3) H_i(Z12) = Hi+m1+m21i)CM,XM2)

It is convenient at this point to work in a slightly greater generality.

Let Al E D°(M1) and A2 E D6(M2) be arbitrary constructible complexes.
Consider the following cartesian square where, 912 denotes the restriction
of µ1 x µ2 to Z12

Z12=M1 )NM2' xM2

OA12I , Al XN2

N=Nor a-NxN
446 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Then using the diagram one finds

H' (Z12, a!(Ai ®A2)) = H' (N, (µ12).i!(Ai ®A2))

= H' (N, i!(µ1 x µ2).(Ai ®A2))) by base change
= H' (N, ®µ2.A2))) (µ is proper)
(8.6.4) = H' (N, (µ2.A2)))
= H' (N1 ((µ1.A1)" ® (µ2.)12))} by (8.3.15)
= H' (N, flom(µ[Link], µ2.A2)) by (8.3.16)(iii)
= EXt*.(N) µ1.A1, µ2.A2)
The concrete case of this formula we are interested in is: Al = CM,
and A2 = CM,. Observe that CM, = CM, implies (µ[Link],)V = µ[Link]
since proper direct image commutes with the Verdier duality functor. Using
formulas (8.6.3) and (8.6.4) we thus obtain

(8.6.5)
H-.7(Z12) = H7+m1+m22!(CM, ®CM2) = EXtJb(m1N) +m2(µl,CM ,, µ2.CM2)
D

Now let M be a not necessarily connected complex manifold and

j L: M --+ N a proper map. Set Z = M x, M. Writing Mj, j = 1, 2,... , for
the connected components of M and assembling together the isomorphisms
of Lemma 8.6.1 for all components Mi x M; of M x M, we obtain a not
necessarily grading preserving isomorphism of vector spaces
(8.6.6) H.(Z12) = ExtDb(N)(µ.CM, µ.CM)

NOTATION: From now on we put L := µ.CM.

Here is one of the key results of this section.

Theorem 8.6.7. The isomorphism (8.6.6) is a (not grading preserving)

algebra isomorphism, that is the following diagram commutes

H.(Z) ® H.(Z) convolution

- H.(Z)
(8.6.6) (8.8.6) I)

composition
Exrb(N) (L, L) ®Ex D6(N) (L, L) 0 ExD6(N) (L, L).

This theorem is a special case of Proposition 8.6.35 below, applied for

dualizing complexes component by component. The detailed formulation
of the proposition as well as its proof are both rather technical and are
postponed until the end of the section.
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 447

Remark 8.6.8. This is the proper place to formulate base locality (see
2.7.45). In this context, given a smooth open set U C N, write U =
µ-1(U). Then base locality reduces to the obvious claim that the restriction
map

EXtDb(N) (µ.CM, µ.CM) - EXtDb«) (N'*CM I U, [Link] JU) = ExtDb«) N*CU)

is an algebra homomorphism.

Assume from now on that the morphism µ : M --+ N is projective and

N = UN, an algebraic stratification such that, for each /3, the restriction
map µ : u-'(Ng) -+ Np is a locally trivial topological fibration. We will
study the structure of the convolution algebra H.(Z) by combining Theo-
rem 8.6.7 with the known structure of the complex µ.CM, provided by the
Decomposition Theorem, see (8.4.9). This way we will be able to find a
complete collection of simple H.(Z)-modules.
By Theorem 8.6.7 and (8.4.9) we have

H.(Z) _ ®EXtkb (µ.CM,µ.CM)

kEZ

iJ,kEZ*''G
Hom,(LO(i), L,(j)) ®Ext' -i(IC,, IC,y).
Db(N
i,j,kEZ,4,,

Since the summation runs over all i, j, k E Z, the expression in the last line
will not be affected by replacing k + j - i by k. Thus, we obtain
H.(Z) ® Homc(LO(i), L1(j)) (&Extkb
D (N)
(IC0, IC,P).
Q,kEZ,0,0

Using our standard notation L4, = ®, z L,6(i) and exploiting the fact that
(ICO, IC,11) = 0 for all k < 0 by Corollary 8.4.4, one finds

(8.6.9) H.(Z) Homc(LO, Lp) 0 ICy).

k>o,m,,/,

Observe that the RHS of this formula has an algebra structure, given by
composition. Moreover, it is clear that decomposition with respect to k, the
degree of the Ext-group, puts a grading on this algebra, which is compatible
with the product structure.
Recall further that Hom(ICO, IC,`) = 0 unless = zli. This yields
(8.6.10)
H. (Z) _ (® End L4.) Hom, (LO, LO) Extk ", (ICO, ICO))
0"0'k>0
448 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

The first sum in this expression is a direct sum of the matrix algebras
End Lo, hence is a semisimple subalgebra. The second sum is concentrated
in degrees k > 0, hence is a nilpotent ideal H.(Z)+ C H.(Z). This nilpo-
tent ideal is the radical of our algebra, since H.(Z)/H.(Z)+ ®End(L'j)
is a semisimple algebra. Now, for each 0, the composition (the last map is
the projection to thei-summand)
(8.6.11) H.(Z) -» H.(Z)/He(Z)+ _ End Lo -» End Lo
m

yields an irreducible representation of the algebra H.(Z) on the vector

space L. Since H.(Z)+ is the radical of our algebra, and all simple mod-
ules of the semisimple algebra 00 End Lj are of the form Lo, one obtains
this way the following result:

Theorem 8.6.12. The non-zero members of the collection {Lj} arising

from (8.4.10) form a complete set of the isomorphism classes of simple
H. (Z) -modules.

We are going to show that the H.(Z)-module structure on L,5 defined by

(8.6.11) is compatible with H.(Z)-actions on other objects involved in the
isomorphisms (8.5.16). To that end we need a general

8.6.13. DIGRESSION. Write D = Db(N) for short. Recall that for any
complex A E D, the hyper-cohomology A) has a natural graded
Exto (A, A)-module structure. It can be defined by observing that
He (N, A) = Ext. (CN, A) and using the Yoneda product
EXt' 6(N) (CN, A) x Ext'4N) (A, A) - EXto6(N) (CN, A),

see 8.3.24. More generally, let Y C N be a locally closed subset and

i : Y " N the embedding. Observe that an element u E Ext (A, A) is
,
by definition a morphism u : A -+ A[k] in the derived category. Now, for
any j E Z, on D'(N) we have a functor Db(N) --+ Sh(Y) sending a complex
B to hji*B, the j-th cohomology sheaf of i*B. This functor applied to the
morphism u induces a map ?l'i'A -+ Wi'A[k] = 1{j+ki'A. This way we
get a graded algebra homomorphism

(8.6.14) ® ExtkD6(N) (A, A) - ® Horn (f'i`A, fl'+ki'A) .

kEZ kEZ

The above construction has global analogoues obtained by replacing the

functor 1-t'i` by the hyper-cohomology functor H'(Y,i'(-)). This gives
an Exto(A,A)-action on H'(Y,i'A) shifting the grading by k. A similar
argument applies to i! instead of i'. Thus, both H'(Y, i'A) and H'(Y, VA)
acquire graded Ext, (A, A)-module structures.
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 449

Recall now the setup of Theorem 8.6.12. We are going to relate the
H.(Z)-modules L j with the homology of fibers of the map Fl : M - N.
Let x E N and let Mx := p-1(x) be the fiber over x. In the setup
of2.7.40putM1=M2=M, M3=pt,Z=MxNM,Z=Mxxpt -Mx.
We have Z o Z = Z. Hence the convolution makes H.(MM) an H.(Z)-
module.
The same H.(Z)-module structure can be obtained as a special case
of the sheaf theoretic construction of 8.6.13 as follows. In the setup of
8.6.13 put A = [Link] and Y = {x}. The construction yields a graded
Extp([Link], [Link])-module structures on H'(iiµ.CM) and on H'(iyµ.CM),
respectively. Then, by Lemma 8.5.4 we have H'(M,,) = H'([Link]) and
H.(Mx) _ This yields
Proposition 8.6.15. There are natural ExtD6(N) (,[Link], µ.CM)-module
structures on H'(Mx) and on H.(MM), respectively.
The result below is a "module companion" of Theorem 8.6.7. It follows
from the general Proposition 8.6.35 (see below) applied to the special case
M1 = M2 = M3 = M and A, = A2 = DM and A3 = DM.. Recall the
notation L = ,[Link].
Proposition 8.6.16. Given a projective morphism u : M -+ N, where M
is smooth, for any x E N, the H.(Z)-module structure on H.(MM) given
by convolution in homology is compatible with the Extpb(N) (L, L)-module
structure on H'(MM) defined in Proposition 8.6.15. In other words, the
following diagram commutes

H'(Z) x H'(Mx) convolutio-

0- He (Mx)
9.6.7x8.5.4 8.5.4

Ext'D,(N) (L L) X He l(ix! L)yYonada He (z L).

To formulate a dual result for co-homology choose U, a small open

neighborhood of x in N such that Mx is homotopy equivalent to U =
µ"1(U). Then using isomorphisms in second lines of diagrams (8.5.6) and
(8.5.7) we obtain isomorphisms x1 : He(MM) _ H'(i'[Link]) and x2
H'(MM) = H.(U). We transfer the convolution-action H.(Z) x H.(U) -+
H.(U) by means of x2 to get an H.(Z)-module structure on H'(MM). One
then has an analogue of Proposition 8.6.16 saying that: The H.(Z)-module
structure on just defined by means of x2 is compatible (via x1)
with the ExtD (L, L) -module structure on H' (isL) defined in 8.6.13.
This is proved by first replacing N by U using base locality (see Remark
8.6.8) and then applying Proposition 8.6.35 in the special case of the
dualizing sheaves, AL, on M, = M2 = 0 and M3 = pt.
450 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Assume now that we are in the equivariant setting as in 8.5.14. So N

consists of finitely many G-orbits, N = U 0. We fix an orbit 0 and a point
x E 0. Let S be a local transverse slice to 0 at x, and S = IA-'(S).
We have the convolution-action H.(Z) x H.(S) -+ H.(S). The H.(Z)-
module thus obtained is isomorphic (up to degree shift by dim.0) to the
H.(Z)-module H.(U) considered in the preceding paragraph. The point is,
however, that the maps H.(MM) - H.(S) and H.(M.,) -+ H.(U) induced
by the embeddings Mx --. S and M,, `- 0, respectively, do not correspond
to each other under this isomorphism. Thus, we want to interpret the
convolution action on homology of S in sheaf-theoretic terms, in such a
way that it becomes compatible with the map H.(M.) -+ H.(S) above. We
only sketch how this can be done (the missing details can be easily filled in
using the machinery of §8.5).
One first considers the locally-closed embedding i0 : 0'-+ N and the
cohomology sheaf The homomorphism (8.6.14) in the special
case A = L = [Link] and Y = 0 yields an Ext , (L, L)-action on the local
system N (iiL), hence on its stalk fy(iiL) at the point x. On the other
hand, replacing in the setup of diagrams (8.5.6)-(8.5.7), U by S and -O
by S respectively, one gets a natural isomorphism fy(i.L) _ H.(S).
One then applies Proposition 8.6.35 (see below) in the special case where
Ml = M2 = M3 = M and where A, = A2 = IDM and A3 = i.D& to
show that the H.(Z)-module structure on H.(S) given by convolution in
homology is compatible with the Extp (L, L)-module structure on fly (io L)
defined by 8.6.14. A similar result can also be proved for i.L instead of i. L.
Now, in the setting of Proposition 8.5.16, consider the inclusion Mx - S.
We have defined above Ext, (L, L)-module structures on both H. (My) and
H.(S). The map H.(M.) H.(S) induced by the inclusion is automati-
cally compatible with the ExtD (L, L)-actions, hence gives an Extp (L, L)-
action on its image. Furthermore, the sheaf-theoretic approach we used
above automatically insures that all the Ext,(L, L)-module structures we
consider commute with the monodromy action of the group G(x)/G(x)°.
Hence, for any irreducible representation x of the group G(x)/G(x)°,
the isotypical component L,,,r := Im[H.(MM),, --+ H.(S)X] acquires an
Ext, (L, L)-module structure.
Write 0 = (®, X), where 0 is the G-orbit through x.
Warning: the image, Lx X, should not be identified at the moment with Lm;
Proposition 8.5.16 only says the two are isomorphic as vector spaces.
Lemma 8.6.17. The isomorphism L, = Lx,X of Proposition 8.5.16 inter-
twines the Ext' (L, L)-action on Lo arising from (8.6.11) with the one
D6(N)
on Lz,X defined before the lemma.

Proof. Observe that the morphism (8.5.1) induces in the special case
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 451

Z = 0 and A = L a natural morphism of local systems on 0

(8.6.18) 11 (i,,L) - 'H*(i,,L).

This morphism is compatible with the Ext, (L, L)-actions, due to naturality
of all the constructions involved. On the other hand, the map (8.6.18) being
restricted to the stalks at the point x E 0, gets identified by the previous
discussion (consider analogues of diagrams (8.5.6)-(8.5.7) with U replaced
by S) with the morphism H.(M,r) -+ H.(S) induced by the inclusion
MM S. Thus we obtain

(8.6.19) L,,x.= Im(?{z(i,L) -+ rl=(ioL))

where No stands for the stalk at x of the cohomology sheaf.
The rest of the argument is very similar to the proof of Proposition
8.5.10. Using decomposition (8.4.10) we can present the map
L) as a direct sum of maps

(8.6.20) (D Lm 0 ic) -' 9fz(i:ICm)}.

m

Fix 0 = (00, Xm) and assume 0 0 0. As in Lemma 8.5.3 we deduce

that the group 9{y(io1Cm) vanishes for all k < -dim,0, while the group
IC#) vanishes for all k > -dim,®. If 0 = 0 the only non-trivial
group on each side is concentrated in degree k = --dim ,®, and the map
between them is an isomorphism. Thus, the space L.,x, viewed as an image
of (8.6.20), is concentrated in degree -dim,O.
Now, consider the natural Extb(L,L)-action on each side of (8.6.20). It
is clear that this action is compatible with gradings in the following sense
ExtDb(N) (L, L) : (DLm ®1{z ([Link]) - (DLO ®7lx+j (ialCm), Vj,k E Z,
m m

and a similar formula holds in the io -case. Hence, for any j > 0, the action
of Ext, (L, L) kills the image of (8.6.20), since the latter is concentrated in
degree -dim CO. This shows that the action of ExtD (L, L) on L,,,x factors
through the projection
ExtD (L, L) -+ Ext, (L, L)/®Exto (L, L) = Ext°(L, IL) -=+ ® End cLm.
k>O 0

But the Ext7 (L, L)-module Lm was defined precisely the same way, see
(8.6.11). The lemma follows.
The following result completes identitification of the two approaches
to H.(Z)-modules, based on convolution in homology and sheaf-theory,
respectively.
452 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Proposition 8.6.21. For any 0 _ (0, x) as above, the convolution action

of H.(Z) on L.,x := Im(H.(M.)x -+ H.(S)x) gets identified, by means of
the isomorphisms H.(Z) = ExtD(L,L) of Theorem 8.6.7 and LO Lx,x of
Proposition 8.5.16, with the Ext (L, L)-action on L.,x defined above.

Proof. We already know that the actions of the algebras H.(Z) and
ExtD(L,L) on both H.(Mx) and H.(S) are compatible under the isomor-
phism of Theorem 8.6.7. Hence the two actions on the image L1,, are com-
patible again. Finally, Lemma 8.6.17 insures that the ExtD(L,L)-action on
Ly,x can be identified with that on Lj.

Recall that x E N and x is an irreducible representation of the group

G(x)/G(x)°. The following theorem is an immediate consequence of Prop-
osition 8.5.16 and Theorem 8.6.12.

Theorem 8.6.22. Every H.(Z)-module Lx,x := Im[H.(M,,)x --, H.(S)x] is

simple, if non-zero. Furthermore, any simple H.(Z)-module is isomorphic
to L.,,x for some pair (x, X),

In view of isomorphism (8.5.18), the above theorem and Theorem 8.6.12

imply Theorem 8.1.13 on the classification of simple modules over the affine
Hecke algebra.
In the setup of 8.5.14, to each pair 0 = (®0, XO), where ®0 is an
orbit and xm is an irreducible equivariant local system on ®0, we have
associated the well-defined isomorphism class of standard H.(Z)-modules
H'(MM)o that is independent of the choice of a point x E 00. We have
also defined co-standard H.(Z)-modules H'(M1)m, either by means of
convolution-action on H'(U), or by Proposition 8.6.15. Furthermore, we
have proved in Theorem 8.6.12 that all simple H.(Z)-modules are of the
form LO.
Fix two parameters _ (0,,, XO) and 4) _ (0,j, XO). Choose a point
x E ®p, and write iy : {x} ti N for the inclusion. The following important
result is known, in the special case of affine Hecke algebras, as a p-adic
analogue of the Kazhdan-Lusztig multiplicity formula.

Theorem 8.6.23. The multiplicity of the simple H.(Z)-module LO in the

composition series of the H.(Z)-module H.(M.,),y, resp. H'(Ms),1,, is given
by the following formula involving local intersection cohomology

[H.(M.),p : Lb] _ E dim Hk([Link]#)O,

k

[H'(Mx),, : LO] _ EdimHk(isIC'O),p.

k
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 453

Proof. We prove only the first formula, the proof of the second being
entirely similar. By the results above, our problem may be reformulated in
terms of sheaf-theory as finding the multiplicity of the simple Ext'(L,L)-
module Lo in the Ext'(L, L)-module (H'i' L),y, where ix : {x} --+ N is the
inclusion and the subscript `0' stands for the ¢-isotypical component.
To that end, we apply the functor H'i to each side of the decomposition
(8.4.10). We obtain

(8.6.24) H.(MZ) = H'([Link]) ® L ,,O H'([Link]) .

m

The term in the middle is H'(iiL). For any j, k E Z, we have the Yoneda
action
ExtDb(N)(L,L) : Lo ® H'(i!JC,) .+ Lo ®H'+k(izlC0
m m

The formula shows that the subspace

FPH'(isL) : = ®(® L, ® HJ(i IC,))

is an Ext'(L, L)-stable subspace in H'i L, for any p E Z. These sub-

spaces form a decreasing filtration F' on H'iL by Ext'(L, L)-submodules,
and we write gr'H'i' L for the associated graded Ext'(L, L)-module. It
is clear from the construction that this latter module is killed by the
ideal ®k>o Ext'(L, L). Hence, the Extk(L, L)-action on grFH'iLL factors
through the projection, see (8.6.11)
Ext'(L,L) -+Ext'(L,L)/®Extk(L,L) = Ext°(L,L) =+ (DEndL,.
k>O 0

On the other hand, as a vector space, we have gr'(H'izL) H'iLL, and

formula (8.6.24) gives a natural decomposition
gr,P H'i'lL = ® La ® H'(i' IC.0) .
0

This decomposition is identical to (8.6.24), except that now the Ext' (L, L)-
action on the RHS is semisimple and factors through the natural action of
the algebra $ End L,. Taking 0-isotypical components, we find

(grF H'i L),, = (DLO ® (H'izIC#)i

m

We see that the Ext'(L, L)-module L,0 occurs in the semisimple module
(gr' H'i'.L),y exactly dim (H'i' ICO)o times. Since replacing a module by
its associated graded does not affect multiplicities, this proves the theorem.
454 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Given a finite-dimensional left module H over an associative algebra B

with an involutive anti-automorphism b r- bt, define the contragredient left
B-module H" as follows. Observe that the dual space H' has a natural
right B-module structure. Let H" be the vector space H' equipped with
the left B-action given by b - h := h (bt), h E H.
Now, the automorphism of the variety Z = M x N M given by switching
the two factors M induces an involutive anti-automorphism of the alge-
bra H.(Z). If we identify H'(MZ) with the dual of H.(MM) by means of
the canonical isomorphisms H`(MM) = (Hi(M,,))' then we obtain the fol-
lowing

Corollary 8.6.25. The H.(Z)-modules H'(MM) and H.(M..) are contra-

gredient to each other in the above defined sense.

8.6.26. PROOF OF THEOREM 8.6.7. We first fix a setup which is slightly

more general than that in the statement of the theorem. Let M1, M2, and
M3 be connected manifolds of complex dimensions mi, i = 1, 2,3 and
pi : M, -+ N proper maps. Let A; E D6(Mi) be three constructible
complexes. For each pair i, j E { 1, 2,3 }, set

Eij:A.,=M,xNMjtiM,xM,, A,j=E'j(A; ®Aj).

Observe that Z12 X m2 Z23 C M1 X M2 X M3 so that the projection
Z12 X M, Z23--+ M1 x M3 is proper (since p2 is proper). Hence the composition
of Z12 and Z23 is well-defined, and we have

Z12 a Z23 = Image (Z12 X M, Z23 -# M1 X M3) C Z13.

We shall now define a kind of convolution

(8.6.27) * : H"(Z12,A12) ®H1(Z23,A23) - Ha+9(Z13,A13)-

First, to simplify notation, we drop the "middle" subscript "2" and write
M2 = M, A2 = A, etc. Let also M,&--4M x M and N&- +N x N be the
diagonal embeddings. By definition of the composition we have the natural
cartesian square

Z12XMZ23M1xMoxM3
(8.6.28) m1
Id;
Z12xZ23 ' M1xMxMxM3.
By the Kiinneth formula we get
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 455

(8.6.29)
H'(Z12,A12) ® H'(Z23, A23) = H'(Z12 X Z23, A12 ®A23) _
= H' ((E12 ® E23)' (Ai ® A ® A" ® A3)) =
canonical map (8.3.23)
= H' (h' (Ai ® A ® A" ® A3))
- H' (0,fi'(AI ® A ® Av ® A3))
=H'(p'¢'(Ai ®A®A"®A3))=
=H' (Z12 xM Z23, p'(At 0 (A(9 Av)0 A3)).

Observe that if A, = DM, are the dualizing complexes for all i = 1, 2, 3,

then H'(Z11,HDZ,j) = H.(Z13). The composition morphism
(8.6.29) is, due to the sheaf-theoretic construction of the restriction with
support given in (8.3.23), nothing but the intersection pairing H'(Z12)
H'(Z23) - H'(Z12 xM Z23) involved in the definition of the convolution in
Borel-Moore homology:

(8.6.30) c12 0 c23 -'' (c12 ® [M x M3]) fl ([M1 x M] ® c83).

To complete the construction of "sheaf-theoretic" convolution we intro-

duce certain diagrams. Below, the natural commutative diagram on the
right is obtained from that on the left by "dressing" with left-hand and
right-hand extra direct factors.

(8.6.31)
MA Mx MaXM

MxNM
W
X No M,x(MxNM)xM9

A
MxM . NxN M,xMxMxM3 -

Observe that the squares at the bottom of the diagrams are cartesian
squares. Furthermore, the diagram on the right is in fact just "one face"
of the 3-dimensional natural commutative diagram below. The latter incor-
porates all the relations between the varieties under consideration and will
play an essential role in the future. Moreover, all of its squares are cartesian
squares again.
456 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

(8.6.32)

We resume constructing the sheaf-theoretic convolution (8.6.27) and set

1L; = /L A, E Db(N). First, observe that using the notation of the left
diagram (8.6.31) one has by adjunction a canonical morphism

(8.6.33) At(A0 A") - ®No

corresponding to the natural element in

Horn (µr (A (9 A"), DDN,) = Horn (A ® A", µ'DDN) = Hom (A ® A", DDM, )

arising from (8.3.17).

In addition to the maps (8.6.29) we now construct the following chain of
natural morphisms
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 457

(8.6.34)
He (Z12 xM Z23i p'(A' ® (A (9 A") ® A3))) (basic isomorphism)
= H' (No, A.p'(Ai ®(A ®A") ®A3))) = (base change)
= H' (No, f'µ.(Ai ®(A (&A") ®A3))) = (,uis proper)
(8.6.33)
= H' (No, f!(1L1 ®(µ2 0 µ2)1(A (&A") ®L3)))
- He (fl(L1 ®DN4 0L3))) =

= He (Lv
®!

D, ®L3) =I
(by 8.3.16(ii))

(8_6.4)
= He (NA, 1L1 ® L3) H'(Z13, A13)

The sheaf-theoretic convolution (8.6.27) is defined as the composition

of the maps in (8.6.29) with those -in (8.6.34). Observe that in the special
case when Ai = DMi are the dualizing complexes the composition (8.6.34)
reduces to

H.(Z12 xM Z23) - He (Z13) ,

the direct image morphism in Borel-Moore homology induced by the natu-

ral projection. Thus, in this special case, the "sheaf theoretic" convolution
(8.6.27) reduces to the convolution map H.(Z12) (D H.(Z23) - He(Z13) in
Borel-Moore homology.
We can now state the following proposition, which in the special case
A. = DM, reduces to Theorem 8.6.7.
Proposition 8.6.35. In the setup of 8.6.26 put Li = (pi).Ai, i = 1, 2, 3.
Then the following diagram commutes
(8.6.27)
H. (Z12, A12) ® H. (Z23, A23) H.(Z13, A13)

8.6.1 8.6.1

ExtDe ( N )(
L1,

B'2)
/
W -.composition
Extbb(N)(1LI, L3)
PROOF. The result will be proved in several steps.
8.6.36. STEP 1: GENERAL DIGRESSION. Given a proper map µ : M -+
N we have the direct image functor q.. Hence, by functoriality, for
any A, B E D'(M) there is a natural morphism Hom Db(M) (A, B) --+
Horn Db(N) (µ. A, µ.B) . There is also a local version of this morphism, a
458 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

morphism of constructible complexes on N

(8.6.37) µ.1l om(A, B) -* 7lom(µ.A, µ.B).

This morphism can be defined alternatively by means of the the left dia-
gram in (8.6.31) as the following composition

µ.fom(A, B) = µ.(A" ® B)
=µ.j'i'(A"®B)
(8.3 0
(8.6.38)
_ Jr.3!31i!(A" ®B)
7r't (Av 19 B)

(µ. A)" ® (µ«B)

= fom(µ.A, µ.B)

8.6.39. STEP 2. Assume now that we are in the setup of Step 1 with
A = B. Then one has an obvious tautological morphism idM : CM -
1-lom(A, A). There is also a similar morphism for complexes on N, and it is
clear that the following natural diagram commutes.

idN
CN fom(µ.A, µ.A)

(8.6.40) (8.3.18) (8.6.37)

µ.µ`CN = µ.CM µ.flom(A, A).

We rewrite the commutative diagram above using the construction of the

morphism (8.6.37) given in (8.6.38) as follows.

(8.6.41)

CN (µ.A") ® (µ.A) r'V

µ.µ'CN = [Link] - µ,(A" ® A) 7r.j1j z(A" ® A)

Then, applying the Verdier duality, one deduces from (8.6.40) the following
 8.6 Sheaf-Theoretic Analysis of the Convolution Algebra 459

dual commutative diagram:

(8.6.42)
7r,i"(Av N A) (µ,A) --- IIDN
I I I
7r, j, j"i" (Av ® A)
µ.(A®® A) 4 µsµ'D1v

We perform compositions so that the diagram yields a commutative trian-

gle

r'(Av N A) (µ.Av) ® (µ.A) Dx

(8.6.43)

IL.(Av (D A)

8.6.44. STEP 3. Now, in the notation of diagram (8.6.32), we have

(8.6.45) Ext'(µ,.A,, µ,A) ®Ext'(µ.A, µ3,A3)
^, H' (Na x No, f'A.(Ai NANAv NA3))
Observe next that diagram (8.6.43) above has a "dressed" counterpart,
related to that diagram in the same way as diagram on the right of (8.6.31)
related to the one on the left. Set A4 = A; N A N AV N A3. The "dressed"
counterpart involves the objects of diagram (8.6.32) and is built into the
following diagram as the triangle at the bottom.
(8.6.46)

Ext(1L,, L) ®Ext(1L, L3) H' (f'µ.A4)

V 1 (8.3.23)

a
H'(l, f'i'µ.A4) - H' ®llDNe ®lL3))

H' (lJ!i*,(Av N (A ® Av) N A3))

But the composition u o v o a o c is the map given by formula (8.6.29); the

map d can be identified with the composition (8.6.34); and the composition
uovob can be identified with the Yoneda product. Thus, the commutativity
of diagram (8.6.46) completes the proof of the proposition.
Theorem 8.6.7 is a special case of the proposition where Ai = ®M, for
alli=1,2,3.
460 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

8.7 Projective Modules over Convolution Algebra

We keep the setup and the notation of the previous section. Thus P : M -
N is a projective morphism and Z = M x N M. We are going to describe
all indecomposable projective modules over the convolution algebra H.(Z).
Moreover, under certain "parity assumptions", see conditions (a)-(b) of
Theorem 8.7.5 below, that are known for example to hold in the Hecke
algebra case, we will give a multiplicity formula for the composition series
of an indecomposable projective.
As in the previous section, our approach was based on the Decomposi-
tion Theorem 8.4.8 applied to the constant perverse sheaf on M. To con-
struct indecomposable projectives we exploit isomorphism (8.6.10), which
follows from the Decomposition Theorem and which we reproduce here for
convenience:
(8.7.1)
H.(Z) ti ((D End L4) ®(®Hom,(L,, L,,) (9 Extk(IC,, IC,,)).
4.,,b;k>O

Here i/, and 0, each runs over the set of pairs (0, X) consisting of a stratum
0 C N and an irreducible local system X on 0.
For each 0, we choose and fix eO, a rank 1 projector in the simple algebra
End Lm, i.e., a projector to a 1-dimensional subspace in LO. It is clear that
the left ideal (End LO) eo is a minimal ideal of the algebra End LO, and
that (End Lm) eo = LO as left End L#-modules. We will regard em also as
an element of the semisimple algebra A = ®%, End L1, acting by zero on all
factors End L, with ' 0 ¢. Then clearly A eo N LO as A-modules, and
moreover A - e, is a direct summand of A as left A-module. We will now
regard A = ®p End LO as a subalgebra in H.(Z) given by the first sum in
(8.7.1), and thus view eo as an element of H.(Z).
We define P, := H. (Z) - eo, a left ideal in H. (Z). Since A e# is a direct
summand of the algebra A, the isomorphism H.(Z) eo ^_,
H.(Z) - eo is a direct summand of H.(Z) ®A A = H.(Z). Hence
P# is a projective H.(Z)-module. We can write this module more explicitly
in terms of formula (8.7.1). Indeed, note that the product Home(Li,L,y)
e,0, of the subspace Homc (LO, Lp) C A and em E A vanishes unless 0
and we have Homc(LO, Lu,) - e p = Lj. Hence formula (8.7.1) yields

(8.7.2) P,, = H.(Z) - e,y = L,y ®L,6 ® Extras N (ICm, IC,1))

m;k>o

The left H.(Z)-module structure on the RHS is given by the Yoneda

product with the RHS of (8.7.1). W e see that, f o r each m = 0, 1, 2, ... ,
the sum of all terms in (8.7.2) involving the groups Extk with k > m is an
H.(Z)-submodule. This way we get an H.(Z)-stable decreasing filtration
 8.7 Projective Modules over Convolution Algebra 461

FmP# (similar filtration was used in the proof of Theorem 8.6.23). It is

clear that P,0/F'P0 = L,y is the simple H.(Z)-module with parameter i/i,
so that Pp is its projective cover. It is also clear from the expression (8.7.2)
that the whole module Pp is generated by the subspace Lo C P, under
the Yoneda composition. Thus, P,` is an indecomposable projective cover of
Lv.
Observe further that grF P,y, the associated graded module correspond-
ing to the filtration F'P0, is clearly semisimple and is given by the same
expression as the RHS of (8.7.2). The only difference is that when the RHS
of (8.7.2) is viewed as a decomposition of grF P10 the H.(Z)-action factors
through the natural projection H.(Z) -* ®O End Lo that annihilates the
nilradical of H. (Z). Then the semisimple algebra ®,o End Lm acts naturally
on the factors Lo whereas the Ext-factors on the RHS of (8.7.2) are re-
garded as multiplicity-spaces not affecting the action.
Write [Pp : L0] for the number of times the simple H.(Z)-module Lm
occurs in the composition series for P,. This multiplicity clearly remains
unchanged if Pp is replaced by grF P,1,, its associated graded. Therefore,
the previous discussion combined with decomposition (8.7.2) yields the
following multiplicity formula
(8.7.3)
[P,1, : LO] = E dim ExtkDb(N) (ICO, IC p) = dim Ext'(ICO, IC,r) .
k

The formulas that appear below will look more illuminating if one uses
matrix notation. We introduce three matrices. The matrix entries of each
of those matrices will be labeled by all pairs (0, 0), where we recall that
i and 0, each denotes a pair (0, X) consisting of a stratum 0 C N and
a simple local system X on 0. We define the first matrix (P : L] to be a
matrix with the entries
[P : L], := [P,1 :
L01.

To define the second matrix write 4 = (00,X.) and 0 = (0,p1 X,)) and
assume that the stratum 00 is contained in the closure of O. Let i,, :
0,p--+00 be the corresponding embedding. Then i*(IC j) is an object of
D6(O,1) with locally constant cohomology sheaves, %ki ,(IC,). We define
the second matrix, 111CII, to be

ICO.0 E [rlki* (ICm) : X,,]

k

where [7lki;(IC,,) : XJ denotes the multiplicity of the simple local system

X,e in the composition series of the local system 7 tki;(ICO). We set ICp,o
equal to zero if O, is not contained in the closure of Oo. Thus the matrix
IC is upper triangular with respect to the order given by the closure
462 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

relation among the strata. Note also that the integers IC'p,O are precisely
the ones entering the Kazhdan-Lusztig multiplicity formula 8.6.23.
We finally introduce the third matrix 11 D O,o 11. Again, write 0 _ (®#, xe )
and 0 = (®, x'). We set Dp,o to be zero if ®0 J ®,y, so that the matrix
D is going to be almost diagonal (see also discussion below). Assume now
that ®0 = ®,, = 0. Then we can form the local system X; ® xy on 0,
where Xm stands for the local system dual to xm. Define

(8.7.4) E (-1)kdimHk(®,X: ®x.),

k

where the RHS denotes the Euler characteristic of 0 with coefficients in the
local system Xm ® X, .

We can now formulate the main result of this section.

Theorem 8.7.5. Assume the following two "parity" conditions hold

(a) The space Z has no odd Borel-Moore homology, Hodd(Z) = 0-
(b) For each x E N, the fiber µ-'(x) of µ : M -1 N has no odd
homology.

Then one has the following matrix identity, where "t" stands for transposed
matrix
[P:
Explicitly, in view of (8.7.3), the last formula of the theorem amounts to
the equation

(8.7.6) E dim Extk (IC4, ICS,) _ F IC,p,« ICO,O Da,R.

k D6(N) n,

We would like to make some comments on the significance of the the-

orem above. First of all, this theorem holds in the setup of affine Hecke
algebras. In this case the map A is .N' - .N , and Z is the a-fixed
point set in the Steinberg variety. The convolution algebra H.(Z) is in this
case isomorphic, due to Proposition 8.1.5, to the specialized Hecke algebra
H. = C. ®Z(H) H. The odd homology vanishing for Z, i.e., parity condi-
tion (a) of the theorem, follows from the Cellular Fibration Lemma, see
Theorem 6.2.4(2). Parity condition (b) is proved in [DLP]. Thus, the above
theorem yields a multiplicity formula for projective Ha modules.
What is interesting about Theorem 8.7.5 above is its striking similarity
with some other known results in representation theory, e.g., in the theory
of modular representations of algebraic groups [CR] and the theory of
highest weight modules over a semisimple Lie algebra [BGG2]. There, one
 8.7 Projective Modules over Convolution Algebra 463

considers an appropriately defined category of representations which has

finitely many isomorphism classes Lo of simple objects. Each simple object
is shown to have an indecomposable projective cover, Pm -» Lo. Moreover,
there is a class of intermediate "standard" modules KK (these are the
Weyl modules in the modular case, and the Verma modules in the highest
weight category case), such that each simple object Lo is the unique simple
quotient of the corresponding K. In particular, the standard modules and
the simple modules are parameterized by the same parameter set.
In the theories we mentioned one introduces similarly defined multiplic-
ity matrices [P : L] and [K : L]. One then proves the following matrix
identity, sometimes called the "Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand reciprocity," cf.
[BGG2], which is a prototype of our Theorem 8.7.5:

(8.7.7) BGG-reciprocity: [P: L] _ [K : L] - [K: L]t .

Recall that, analogously to the above mentioned theories, we have intro-

duced in §8.1 the standard modules Km over the convolution algebra H.(Z)
and proved that, in our case, the module Lm is a simple quotient of the
Km (the question whether each KK has a unique simple quotient remains
open, as far as we know). Furthermore, the Kazhdan-Lusztig multiplicity
formula 8.6.23, in our present language, says [K : L] = IC. Thus Theorem
8.7.5 looks almost identical to the BGG-formula (8.7.7). In particular, the
matrix [K : L] is always upper triangular with respect to an appropriate
order, and has 1-s on the diagonal.
There are two important differences however between the formula of
Theorem 8.7.5 in the Hecke algebra case and formula (8.7.7), resulting from
the fact that the former contains an extra factor, D, in the middle. The
first difference is that the RHS of (8.7.7) is manifestly a symmetric matrix
whereas the matrix in 8.7.5 is not, unless the matrix D is symmetric. The
latter is very close to being symmetric. Indeed, by definition, the entry
D0,0, where ¢ = (®0, X.) and V) = (Ow,, X,,) vanishes unless ®0 = OP.
Thus, we may concentrate our attention on the case %, = Op. Recall
further that in the Hecke algebra situation we have N = N° and the
strata ®0 are the G(s)-orbits where a = (s, t) E G x C*. Then X. and X,,
are G(s)-equivariant local systems associated with some irreducible finite-
dimensional representations of the component group C(s, x), where x is a
point of the G(s)-orbit ®m = Op. It is clear that in this case the matrix
D is symmetric provided X: = Xm. Since X4 is the local system associated
with the contragredient representation, we see that for the matrix D to be
symmetric, it is sufficient that all irreducible representations of the group
C(s, x) are self-dual.
The component group C(s, x) quite often happens to be abelian (e.g., if
G is a semisimple group of classical type. Moreover, if G = SL,, the group
464 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

C(s, x) is always trivial). In such cases all simple C(s, x)-modules are 1-
dimensional, hence automatically self-dual, and the matrix D is symmetric.
There are however examples of non-abelian groups C(s, x) which have
simple not self-dual modules such that the matrix D is not symmetric.
Thus, in the Hecke algebra case the matrix [P : L] fails to be symmetric, in
general.
The second difference between Theorem 8.7.5 and BGG-formula (8.7.7)
is that, even if the matrix D is diagonal, as in the case G = SL for in-
stance, it is rarely invertible over Z, since its diagonal entries are certain
integers which are typically # ±1. Therefore, unlike the case of (8.7.7), the
matrix [P : L] is not invertible, in general. One can show that this implies
in particular that the category of Ha-modules has in general infinite ho-
mological dimension. In particular, the simple modules LO typically do not
have finite projective resolutions, and the projectives, Pm, do not generate
the Grothendieck group of finitely generated H,,-modules.
Given 0 = (®m, X.) write d j := dimcO . We deduce Theorem 8.7.5 from
the following two lemmas whose proof is postponed until after the proof of
the theorem.

Lemma 8.7.8. Assume parity condition 8.7.5(b) holds, i.e., for each x E
N the fiber µ-1(x) has no odd homology. Fix 0 = (00,Xm) such that
L,j occurs in the decomposition (8.4.9) with non zero multiplicity. Let
x E ®,j, and write ix : {x} y ®m for the embedding. Then the cohomology
Hd,+kilIC, vanish for all odd k.

Lemma 8.7.9. Assume both parity conditions 8.7.5(a) and (b) hold.
Then, for any 0 and 0 that occur in decomposition (8.7.1), the group
Extd++do+k(ICO,
Db(N) l IC,,b) vanishes for all odd k.

8.7.10. PROOF OF THEOREM 8.7.5: We first recall a useful additivity

"with respect to the space" property of the Euler characteristic. Given
any algebraic stratification N = U 0 and writing io : 0'-+N for the
corresponding embedding, for any 7 E D°(N) we have
(8.7.11) x(N, 7) = E x(O, iof),
0

where X(N,.F) = Ek(-1)k dimHk(N,F). This formula is proved by

induction on the number of strata by attaching strata of larger and larger
dimension, one by one. The only thing needed to make this procedure
work is the following transitivity property: if Y f+ X ' N is a chain
of locally closed embeddings, then (f o g)! = f o g'. The induction step
amounts to the claim that, given a diagram i : Y--+X i-- U' : j, where
i is a closed embedding and U = X \ Y, the open complement, we have
 8.7 Projective Modules over Convolution Algebra 465

X(X, F) = X(Y, il-F) + X(U, j".F). This claim is immediate from the long
exact sequence of cohomology, see (8.3.6):

... , Hc(Y, i!F) - Hk(X , F) -, Hk(U, j`.F) -+ Hk+1(Y, i!F) _, ... .

Further, let A1, A2 E Db(N). We would like to compute the Eu-

ler characteristic Ek(-1)kdimExtk(A1,A2), where Ext's are taken in
Db(N), as usual. To that end, we use the formula Ext'(Ai, A2) = H'(X,
I
Ai ® A2), see (8.3.16)(iii). Thus we find

E(-1)kdimExtk(A,, A2) _ E(-1)kdimHk(X, Ai ® A2)

k k
®I

= X(N, Ai A2) by (8.7.11)

(8.7.12) = >2 X (®, i0(A ®A2))

0

E X (®, (iOAi) 011 i0A2

0
We now begin proving equation (8.7.6), and put Al = IC j and A2 =
IC,y. We obtain

[P,p : Lj] = Extk(IC,, IC,P) _ Extdm+dW+k(ICO, ICO) by (8.7.3)

k k

(8.7.13)
= >2(-1)kdimExtdO+d,,+k(IC,, ICO) by Lemma 8.7.9
k

= (-1)dm+d,, r
X((D, iOICV ® iOIC,p) by (8-7.12).
0
Further, we will exploit one more additivity property of the Euler char-
acteristic X(X, F), this time "with respect to the sheaf." Given a complex
algebraic variety X, let K(Db(X)) denote the Grothendieck group freely
generated by the objects of D6(X), the derived category, modulo relations
[F'] + [F"] = [F] for all distinguished triangles .Y -+ F --+ FP' in D6(X),
cf. [KS]. The above mentioned additivity property is best expressed by say-
ing that X(X, ) extends to a group homomorphism K(D"(X)) -+ Z. This
follows immediately from the long exact sequence of hyper-cohomology
... -, H`(X,F') -+ H'(X,.F) - H`(X,.F") -- H`+1(X,F') - ...
associated to the distinguished triangle. Note further that using the trunca-
tion functor in Db(X), see [BBD], any bounded complex.F E Db(X) can be
"built" out of its cohomology sheaves V .F via a sequence of distinguished
triangles. This implies that in K(D'(X)) one has [.- '] = Ek(-1)k [xkYl
466 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

We can now analyze the Euler characteristics that enter the last line of
(8.7.13). Fix 0 = (®0, X.), a parameter labeling the intersection complex
in decomposition 8.4.12, choose an arbitrary stratum 0 contained in the
closure of ®0, and a point x E 0. Set m = dim,®, and write ix : {x} --+ N
and e : {x}'-+0 for the one point embeddings. Note that i = eYo .
Therefore we get
0 a Hs'"et lkio(ICO) 0 a Hk+zm(itICm) 0,
xkio(ICO)
since the cohomology sheaves 11 i , (ICS) are locally constant on 0. We
deduce (since 2m is even), assuming the vanishing condition of Lemma
8.7.8, Hdm+k(iilC, ) = 0 for odd k, holds for IC,, that xd++kio(IC,) = 0
for all odd k. Thus, in K(D'(0)) the class of [Link], equals
(-1)k nkio(ICO) = > (-1)dm+k xd.+kio(ICm)
k k

(-1)d+ (-1)k xdm+kili(ICO) (_1)dm >'.ld.+kio(ICO)

k k

where in the first equality we replaced summation index k by d4, + k.

Further, if a runs over the set of all irreducible local systems on 0 and
A is a local system on 0 then in K(D'(®)) we have A = Z.[A : a] a.
Combining all the previous equations we get (assuming that ICO occurs
in decomposition 8.4.12 with non-zero multiplicity so that Lemma 8.7.8
applies) :

(8.7.14) ia1CO = (-1)d- > [fkio(IC,,) : a] a in K(Db(®))

k;a

There is also a similar expression with i,(ICv) instead of i,IC# which can
be simplified using an obvious identity:

E[7-lkio(Xv) : a] - a = E[rlkio(ICV) : a"] . a` _ a] . a'

a a a

Thus, for any two parameters ¢ and V that occur in decomposition 8.4.12
we calculate

ia(ICV) ® [Link] by (8.7.14)

((_ly' F [7d#+kii (IC4,) : a] (_1)d. > [nd.v+Iio(IC,P) : Q] a' ® Q

k,a

(-1)dm+dp E(E [fkio(ICO) : CY]) ( [fl'i,(IC,b) :,3]) a* ® Q

a,p \ k
a*
_ (-1)d++dry E(IC,,,a . ICO,A) ®Q,
a,Q
 8.7 Projective Modules over Convolution Algebra 467

I
since ®_ ® for local systems on a smooth variety. Applying the homomor-
phism X(®, ) : K(Db(®)) - Z to each side of this equation and multiply-
ing by (-1)d#+d,, we find

(8.7.15)
l!-ll d#+dy , x (®, io(ICV) a' ®Q)
11 I ICm,v ' X(®,
a,Q

The theorem now follows by combining (8.7.13), (8.7.15), and the definition
of the matrix D.

8.7.16. PROOF OF LEMMA 8.7.8. We may assume without loss of generality

that M is connected of pure complex dimension m = dim, M. Fix a point
embedding ix : {x} -+ N. From the Decomposition Theorem we deduce the
following decomposition which is a more detailed version of formula (8.6.24)
(all degrees are now written explicitly)
(8.7.17)
H"`+k-.(ixJC4)
H.(M=) = H-'(il [Link][m]) Lo(k) ® .
kEZ.0

To prove the Lemma, fix some parameter ¢ = (®o, Xm) occurring in decom-
position (8.7.17) with non-zero multiplicity.
First, assume x E ®0 in that decomposition. Then we have iixm =
X`[-2do]Jx, where do = dim°®0. Therefore, since ICoIo,, = Xo[do], we find

iZIC, = iiXo[dm] = Xm[-dm]l x

It follows that Hdm(iy1C0) = H°(Xo1x) = Xm1x 0 0, hence, H-'(iylCo[m+
k)) # O if -j + m + k = do. We see that for k = d o - m - j the term
L#(k) 0 H''([Link])[m + k] on the RHS of formula (8.7.17) gives a non-
trivial contribution to H;(MM) = 0, provided Lo(k) 34 0.
Now, by assumption of the lemma we know that H,,(Mi) = 0 for all odd
j. It follows that
(8.7.18) Lo(d, - m - j) = 0 whenever j is odd.
Next take x to be a point of an arbitrary stratum 0. The assumptions
of the lemma and equation (8.7.17) imply similarly that

(8.7.19) Lo(k) ® H-i+m+k(izIC4,) = 0 whenever j is odd.

Since ICO occurs in decomposition (8.7.17) with non-zero multiplicity for-

mula (8.7.18) implies that there exists an even integer 2p such that Lo(d, -
m - 2p) 0 0. Inserting this k = do - m - 2p into (8.7.19) we find
468 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Hdo-j-2p(iiIC#) must vanish for odd j. Thus, Hdm+'(ixlC,,) = 0 if j is

odd, and the lemma is proved.

8.7.20. PROOF OF LEMMA 8.7.9. We have Extk(IC.,, IC,,,) = Hc(N, IC" 01

IC,y) . Observe that if q _ (0, X) then IC' = IC,,v, where 0" = (0, x*).
Further 0 occurs in the decomposition (8.4.9) if and only if so does ¢v, due
to self-duality of [Link]. Thus we are reduced to showing that

(8.7.21) Hd#+d++k(N, IC,, ® ICS) = 0 for odd k.

We may choose two connected components M1 and M2 of M such that
IC4,, resp. ICp occurs in the decomposition of [Link] resp. [Link] with
non-zero multiplicity. We then restrict our attention to Z12, the part of Z
contained in M1 x M2. Put m; = dim,M;, i = 1, 2.
The rest of the argument is very similar to the proof of the previous
lemma. By (8.7.18) there exist even integers 2p, 2q such that L4,(do - m1 -
2p) 54 0 and L,1,(du - m2 - 2q) # 0. Hence, L4,(d4, - m1 - 2p) ® L,1(d,G -
m2 - 2q) 0 0. On the other hand, using formula (8.6.5) and decomposition
(8.7.17) we obtain

H;(Z12) = H-' (A-CM_, [m1] A-CMm, [m2]J

+k+i+m,+m,
® (Lm(k) ® L, (l)) (& H- (IC4 ® IC,1,).
k,1EZ;0,0

By the assumptions of the Lemma the LHS vanishes for odd j. Therefore
the term on the RHS with k = do - m1 - 2p and l = d y - m2 - 2q must
vanish. This implies

0 = H-J+k+I+m,+m2 (IC4, ® IC,,) = H-i+dm-2p+d.,-2q(IC4 ® icy)

for any odd j. Clearly, (8.7.21) follows from the equation above, and the
lemma is proved.

8.8 A Non-Vanishing Result

This section is devoted to the proof of Proposition 8.1.14. In principle,
the Proposition can be derived, with some efforts, from the results proved
by Kazhdan-Lusztig in [KL4, §6-7]. We will use however quite a different
argument which, we believe, is more enlightening and less technical.
Recall that G is a connected simply-connected semisimple group. Fix a
semisimple element a = (s, t) E G x C' and write p : N° - N° for
the restriction of the Springer resolution N -+ N to the fixed point sets
of a. Both Na and N° are G(s)-varieties, and µ is G(s)-equivariant. Let
0 be a G(s)-orbit in Na and ® its closure in Na. The main geometric
 8.8 A Non-Vanishing Result 469

idea of our approach is contained in the following result of M. Reeder (Re,

Theorem 7.2] which was also independently discovered by I. Grojnowski
(unpublished).
Theorem 8.8.1. Assume that t E C* is not a root of unity. Then there
exists a G(s)-stable subset ® of Na which is both open and closed in Na
and such that p(®) = U.
Note that a subset of N" which is both open and closed is a union of
connected components of N". Thus the theorem says that, for any G(s)-
orbit 0 C Na, there exists a connected component of Na that projects
surjectively to the closure of 0. The set 0 referred to in the theorem will
be formed, in general, by several connected components. The reason for this
will become clear from the comment following Proposition 8.8.2 below.
To outline our approach, fix x E 0. Recall that the fiber l3z of the map
Na -+ Na over x gets identified with the variety of all Borel subgroups
B C G that contain s and such that x E Lie B. Let 9; = ® fl 13 be
the part of the fiber contained in ®. Since ® is both an open and closed
G(s)-stable subset of N", we conclude that B is both an open and closed
G(s, x)-stable subset in 8 , where G(s, x) is the simultaneous centralizer
of s and x in G. Therefore, the space is stable under the natural
action on of the group C(s, x), the component group of G(s, x).
Recall that the component group being finite, the C(s,x)-action on H'(t3 )
is semisimple.
In addition to Theorem 8.8.1 we will prove the following result. It is due
to I. Grojnowski who kindly explained to us in a private communication
that [KL4, §6] contains an argument sufficient to prove
Proposition 8.8.2. Assume that a = (s, t), where t is not a root of
unity. Then any simple CLs, x) -module occurring in H'(t3y) with non-zero
multiplicity occurs in with non-zero multiplicity.
Note that for the proposition to be true, 9z should be a "sufficiently
large" subset in BB. It turns out to be easier to produce such a "large"
subset by dropping the demand that ® is a single connected component
of Na. Observe also that if the group G(s, x) is connected, as e.g., in the
(cf. Lemma 3.6.3 and discussion preceding it) then Proposi-
tion 8.8.2 is superfluous and the non-vanishing result 8.1.14 follows readily
from Theorem 8.8.1.
We now explain how to deduce Proposition 8.1.14 from Theorem 8.8.1
and Proposition 8.8.2. We start with formula (8.5.17), which is a special
case of the equivariant Decomposition Theorem. Isomorphism (8.5.18) al-
lows us to identify the underlying vector space of the H-module La,x,X with
the multiplicity of the intersection cohomology IC(®, X), where 0 is the
G(s)-orbit of x, in the decomposition (8.5.17). Thus, proving Proposition
470 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

8.1.14 amounts to showing that, for any x E Nn and any irreducible rep-
resentation of C(s, x) occurring in H'(B,,) with non-zero multiplicity, the
complex IC(O, X) does occur in decomposition (8.5.17).
To prove the latter, we observe first that ® is a smooth variety, as an
open subset of the smooth variety 91. So, the complex [Link]. E Di(JVa)
contains the complex µ,C6 as a direct summand. That is,

(8.8.3) [Link]. = (p.C®) ®A,

where A is the contribution coming from connected components of JVa
disjoint from ®. Moreover, the equivariant Decomposition Theorem 8.4.12
applied to the map µ : 0 -4 ® yields

(8.8.4) [Link] = ®L x (i) ®IC(®, x) [iJ ®B,

iEZ,x

where the Z, (i) are certain finite dimensional vector spaces, the X run over
the set of irreducible representations of C(3, x) occurring in the decompo-
sition of H'(6 ), (see Remark 8.4.13(i)), and B is a certain complex sup-
ported on the boundary, 0\0, due to Theorem 8.8.1. Arguing as in Remark
8.4.13(ii) we deduce from Lemma 8.5.4 (since IC(®,X)Io = X[dim®J) the
decomposition
(8.8.5) H'(Bs) Lx ® X, where Lx := i Lx(i)
X

It is clear that the vector space Z. in this formula is non-zero if and

only if representation X occurs in the decomposition of H'(Bi) with non-
zero multiplicity. Proposition 8.8.2 insures that this is the case for every
X E C(s, x)A. On the other hand, combining (8.8.3) and (8.8.5) we obtain

(8.8.6) µ.CNa = (®Lx ®IC(®, X)) ®A ® B

X

Thus, we see that for any X that occurs in H'(B.1) the complex IC(®, X)
does occur in the decomposition of u.C,v,,, and Proposition 8.1.14 follows.

The proof of Theorem 8.8.1 will proceed in several steps. From now on
we fix a semisimple element (s, t) E G x C' = A.
STEP 1: STANDARD FACTS. We begin with a more detailed description of
various fixed point varieties. Write B' and ga respectively for s-fixed points
in B and a-fixed points in g. Explicitly, B' may be thought of as the variety
of all Borel subgroups in G containing s, and
ga={yEglsys_'=t.y},
 8.8 A Non-Vanishing Result 471

which is clearly a vector space.

Proposition 8.8.7. [SS], [St6] (i) The group G(s) is a connected reductive
group.
(ii) Each connected component of B' is a submanifold in 13 which is
G(s)-equivariantly isomorphic to the flag variety for the group G(s).
( i i i ) I f t E C` is not a root o f unity then ga = N i.e., the space g`
consists of nilpotent elements.

Proof. Parts (i) and (ii) are special cases of the general results of Stein-
berg (SS] concerning fixed points of a semisimple automorphism (conjuga-
tion by s, in our case) of a connected simply connected algebraic group.
Part (ii) has also the following more direct proof in our special case.
First, observe that s-fixed points is the same thing as fixed points of
the Lie subgroup (s) C G generated by s. Since s is semisimple, (s) is
reductive, hence its fixed points form a submanifold by Lemma 5.11.1.
Thus, B' is a submanifold.
Further, let B E B'. Then B is a Borel subgroup containing s. Put
B(s) := B fl G(s). We claim that B(s) is a Borel subgroup in G(s). To
prove this, note that G(s) is connected, by (i), and B fl G(s) is solvable,
hence is contained in a Borel subgroup of G(s). Hence, it suffices to show
that Lie B f1Lie G(s) is a Borel subalgebra in Lie G(s). To see this note that
since s is semisimple there exists a maximal torus T C B such that s E T.
Therefore, T is also a maximal torus for G(s). Let t = Lie T and write the
triangular decomposition Lie G = n ® t® n_ where n ® t = Lie B. This yields
Lie G(s) = n' ® t ® n'_ where the superscript "s" stands for the centralizer
of s. It is clear that the latter formula is a triangular decomposition of
Lie G(s). Hence, Lie B fl Lie G(s) = n' ® t is a Borel subalgebra in Lie G(s).
Thus we have proved that the G(s)-orbit of the point B E B is isomorphic
to G(s)/B(s), the flag variety for G(s).
To complete the proof of part (ii) we must show that the connected
component of 13' containing the point B is the G(s)-orbit of B. We know
that the G(s)-orbit is connected (by (i)), hence is contained in a single
connected component of S'. Moreover, the latter being a submanifold, it
is clear that TB(13') is precisely the s-fixed point subspace in TB13. This,
together with the triangular decompositions above, yields an isomorphism
TB(B') = Lie G(s)/Lie B(s). In particular, we see that the dimension of the
connected component of B' containing B equals the dimension of the G(s)-
orbit through B. But this G(s)-orbit is isomorphic to a flag variety, hence
is compact. This forces the orbit to be both open and closed, hence equal
to the whole component.
To prove (iii) fix y E g By Proposition 3.2.5 it suffices to show that any
G-invariant homogeneous polynomial P on 9 of degree k > 0 vanishes at y.
472 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

We have

P(y) = P(sys'1) = P(t y) = tk - P(y)

By our assumptions tk 54 1, and we deduce P(y) = 0.
Remark 8.8.8. If t is a root of unity then the vector space 9° is not neces-
sarily equal to N°. This is closely related to the non-vanishing result 8.1.14.
Indeed, I. Grojnowski has found (private communication) a general crite-
rion for an intersection complex ICj to occur in (8.5.17) with non-zero
multiplicity, even in the roots of unity case. The condition is that the com-
plex IC4,, viewed as a complex on the vector space 9°, has nilpotent char-
acteristic variety. Equivalently, the Fourier transform of IC4,, cf., [BMV],
should have nilpotent support. If t is not a root of unity then the vector
space 9° consists entirely of nilpotent elements so that the above condition
becomes void and we recover Proposition 8.1.14.
Let x be a nilpotent element such that sxs-1 = t x. Take some Borel
subgroup B E 13.' as a base point of 13 and write Lie B = h ® n and
B(s) = G(s) n B. Proposition 8.8.7 implies
Corollary 8.8.9. The connected component of N° containing (x, B) be-
comes identified, under the isomorphism H ^_- G x u n (see §3.2), with the
vector subbundle G(s) X B(,) (n fl 9°).

Given x E N°, there exists, by the Jacobson-Morozov Theorem 3.7.1,

an s12-triple associated to x. Write ry for the corresponding group (resp. Lie
algebra) homomorphism y ; SL2(C) -+ G. Choose a square root r of t, and,
given y as above, put s., = y (Orr-of )
Lemma 8.8.10. There exists an embedding y : 512(1) _* g associated to
x such that we have s = s.1 , so, where so is a semisimple element which
commutes with '1(512), the image of 512.

Proof. Introduce a closed subgroup of G defined by

(8.8.11) C x = {g E G 12z E C' such that
gxg-1
= z x}.
Choose some embedding y : sr2(C)'+g associated to x. Let y : C' - G be
the restriction of the corresponding group homomorphism to the diagonal
subgroup of SL2(C). Formula7(z)xy(z)'1 = z2 x, see (3.7.5), shows that
y(C') C C. Moreover, it is clear that the group G(x), the centralizer of x
in G, is a normal subgroup in Gy, and we have G. = G(x) '1(C').
Write G.,, for the centralizer of '1(512) in G. It was shown in Proposi-
tion 3.7.23 that Gs13 is a maximal reductive subgoup of G(x). Clearly, the
group G,,, commutes with 7(C') and the intersection G.1, n y(C*) is fi-
nite. It follows that G,(, y(C') is a reductive group. Furthermore, equation
 8.8 A Non-Vanishing Result 473

Gx = G(x) y(C*) shows that any element of G,, has the form u r where
r E G.,, y(C*) and u belongs to the unipotent radical of the group G(x).
We conclude that the group G1, y(C*) is a maximal reductive subgroup
in G.,,, and that the groups G. and G(x) have the same unipotent radical.
Recall now that all maximal reductive subgroups of a group are conjugate
to each other by an element of the unipotent radical. Thus, any maximal
reductive subgroup of the group Gx has the form G.,, y(C') for an appro-
priate choice of y.
Observe that since x E Na we have s E G.. Since, moreover, s is
semisimple it is contained in a maximal reductive subgroup of G,,. Hence,
there exists y SL2(C) - G such that s E G,1, y(C*). This means
:

s = so 81, where so E G,i, and sl = y(z) for some z E C'. By definition,

Slxl 1 = z2 x and we compute

tx= sxs-1
= (sosl)x(sosl)-l = so(slxSl 1)s01 = z2 . x,
whence T2 = t = z2. We see that z = ±r. Using that y(-1) E G.1, we may
arrange that s1 = y(T) = s.y. We see that the semisimple element s is a
product of two pairwise commuting elements s.r and so, one of which, s.,, is
semisimple. Hence, so is also semisimple, and the lemma follows. a

STEP 2: THE KAZHDAN-LUSZTIG PARABOLIC. We now make an addi-

tional assumption that t E C* is not a root of unity.
Lemma 8.8.12. There exists a (not-necessarily continuous) group homo-
morphism v : C* --+ R (additive group) such that v(t) > 0.

Proof. If Sl C C* is the unit circle, then the map

S1 x R = C*, (a, b) E--+ ae'

yields a continuous group isomorphism C* Sl x R. Hence if Itl > 1 then

the second projection v : C* Sl x R -, R, z -. log IzI provides the desired
homomorphism v. If It) < 0 just change the sign.
Assume now that t belongs to the unit circle S' C C', and identify Sl
with R/Z by means of the exponential map R/Z -+ Sl, a -+ exp(27ria).
Write t = exp(2iric) where c E R is not rational, since t is of infinite order.
View iR as an infinite dimensional vector space over Q. The elements 1 and
c are rationally independent. Hence, there exists by Zorn's Lemma, a Q-
basis of the vector space R that contains 1 and c among the base vectors.
Let 7r : lib -+ Q . c = Q be the projection along the subspace spanned by all
the basis vectors, but c. The projection vanishes on the basis vector 1 and
takes c to 1. Hence it factors through a map ir' : S1 = R/Z -+ Q that takes
t to 1. We can now define v to be the composition of the first projection
C*=S1 ir'.Clearly v(t)=1>0.
474 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

From now on, we fix a nilpotent x E N°, an embedding 7 : s6(C)yg

associated to x as in Lemma 8.8.10, and a homomorphism v : C' -+ R such
that v(r) > 0, where r2 = t. By Lemma 8.8.10 we have s = s,so, where
so is a semisimple element of G commuting with 7(SL2(C)). The adjoint
action of so on g gives rise to a weight space decomposition:

(8.8.13) g ="Ec
® s., g« = {y E 9 M soyso-1 = ay, Vz E C`}.

We introduce the following Lie algebras

(8.8.14) v(®<oga, l = {®_oga, u = i®<og°.

Clearly p is a parabolic subalgebra of g with nilpotent radical u and Levi

subalgebra 1. Write P, L, U respectively for the corresponding connected
subgroups of G. The subalgebra p, resp. subgroup P, was introduced in
[KL4, §7] and will be referred to as the Kazhdan-Lusztig parabolic.
Lemma 8.8.15. x E I and s E L.
Proof. The first claim here is clear since x commutes with so by Lemma
8.8.10. To prove the second we observe that s commutes with so by Lemma
8.8.10 again. Hence s belongs to G(so), the centralizer of so in G. To
prove that s E L it suffices to show that G(so) C L. Note that G(so)
is connected by the theorem of Steinberg [SS] that we have already used
earlier. Therefore, it suffices to show that Lie G(so) C Lie L = 1. But the
latter is clear, since the centralizer of so in g is contained in ( by definition.
a

STEP 3: DEFINITION OF O. Let P C 8 be the subvariety of all Borel

subalgebras 6 contained in p. This subvariety may be identified with the
flag variety for the Levi subgroup L, see (8.8.14). Following Kazhdan-
Lusztig we introduce a subset in the fiber of p : N° -+ Na over x, defined
by

(8.8.16) Py={bEI3z[bEP}.
Lemma 8.8.17. Py is a non-empty subset of 13'.
Proof. Lemma 8.8.15 implies that P is both an s-stable and (expx)-
stable. It is clearly a closed subset in 8. Repeating the proof of Lemma
8.1.7 we see that (P)s, the simultaneous fixed point set of both s and expx,
is non-empty. This set is nothing but P.
Recall that 0 is the G(s)-conjugacy classs of x.
Definition 8.8.18. Let ® be the union of all connected components of N°
that have a non-empty intersection with P=.
 8.8 A Non Vanishing Result 475

Any connected component of Ra is G(s)-stable since G(s) is connected.

In particular, ® is G(s)-stable. Furthermore, the image under p :.N -+ N°
of any connected component of 0 contains the point x, by definition. Hence,
it contains the G(s)-orbit 0. Thus, to prove Theorem 8.8.1 it suffices, in
view of Corollary 8.8.9, to prove the following result, to be completed in
the next step.

Proposition 8.8.19. [Re] Let b E P.3 be a Borel subalgebra and n its

nilradical. Then Ad G(s) (n n ga) = ®, where Ad G(s) (n fl ga) stands
for the G(s)-saturation of the set n fl ga under the adjoint action.

STEP 4: PROOF THAT A(®) _ U. Observe that so commutes the

image of the homomorphism -y : C* - G (see (3.7.5)). Hence, g can be
decomposed into weight spaces with respect to the simultaneous action of
both so and y(C+):

9.,i = {y E 9 I soyso 1 = a y, -y(z)yy(z)-1 = Vz E C*}.

Thus, we have the following direct sum decomposition which refines (8.8.13)

(8.8.20) 9 = ® 9a.i
We need some notation. Write g(s) = Lie G(s), resp 9(s, x) = Lie G(s, x),
for the centralizer of s, resp. simultaneous centralizer of s and x, in g. Put

(8.8.21) p(s) = 9(s) n p , pa = 9a n p = {Y E P I sys-1 = t y} .

The following result is essentially due to [KL4, §7]

Lemma 8.8.22. The vector spaces 9(s, x), p(s), and pa are each stable
under the adjoint so-action. Furthermore, we have, see (8.8.20)

9(s, x) C ® 9-.i, p(s) = ® 9a,i , pa = ® 9a,i-

(am7`i 'Q:0) {a=T-4 , i>O} (o= 4_4 ,

Proof. Recall that the element so commutes both with s and with the
s12-triple. It follows that g(s, X), p(s), pa are each stable under the adjoint
so-action. Furthermore, the decomposition (8.8.20) induces the direct sum
decompositions

9(s, x) = ®g(s, x) n 9a,i , p(s) = (Dp(s) fl 9a,i , pa =

$ pa n 9a,i .
a,i a,i a,i

Let y E 9(s, x) n ga,i be a non-zero vector, for some a E C and i E Z. Then

the equations sys-1 = y and soyso1 = ay, sryys; 1 = T i y yield

y = sys-1 = 3ry(soysol)sy1 = ariy.

476 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

It follows that a = r-'. Since y E Z,(x) equation (3.7.20) yields i > 0, and
the first formula follows.
Similarly, Y E p(s) n 9,,,1 is a non-zero vector if and only if soyso1 = ay
where v(a) < 0, and moreover sys-1 = y. As above, we find from the latter
equation that a = r-`. Therefore we get v(a) = v(r-') = -i v('r) < 0.
Since v(r) > 0 the latter holds if and only if i > 0. This proves the second
formula.
Finally, let y E pa fl g ,, be a non-zero vector. This means that soyso' =
ay where v(a) < 0, and also sys' = 7-2 y. The latter equation implies
ar' = r2, since y 54 0. Therefore a = r2'"'. Then the condition v(a) < 0
translates into v(r2-i) = (2 - i) v(r) 0, which means that i > 2. a T
PROOF OF THE PROPOSITION 8.8.19. Since b C p we have n fl ga C
p fl ga = pa. Hence, to prove the proposition it suffices to show that orbit
0 = AdG(s) x is dense in Ad G(s) pa.
Set P(s) = P fl G(s). It follows, since p is Ad P-stable subspace, that pa
is an Ad P(s)-stable subspace. Furthermore, we have a natural projection
G(s) x P(a) pa -» Ad G(s) pa.
is proper since G(s)/P(s) is a compact variety. It follows that, to show that
the G(s)-orbit of x is dense in Ad G(s) pa, it suffices to prove that the
P(s)-orbit of x is dense in pa.
Recall that Lie G(s) = g(s). Applying the criterion of Lemma 1.4.12(ii)
we are reduced to proving the equality [x, g(s)] = pa. Decompositions
of g(s) and pa given in Lemma 8.8.22 to proving the surjectivity of the
operator
ad x : ® ga,i -, ® ga,i
{a=r-', i>0} (a=72-i,021

We note that x E go,2 so that the above operator between direct sums
breaks up into a direct sum of the operators
ad x : gr-i,i '--* gr',i+2 i i>0.
The result now follows from the representation theory of sl2 which says
that for any i > 0 the operator ad x : gi ` gi+2, hence its restriction to the
Ad so-weight component of weight r-', is surjective (see diagram (3.7.7)).
This completes Step 4, thus completing the Proof of Theorem 8.8.1.
We now turn to the proof of Proposition 8.8.14. We introduce the
following subgroup in G x C'
A,,y = {(g, z) E G x C' I gsg-' = s, gxg-1 = z2 x}.
We will need a property of the Kazhdan-Lusztig parabolic P.
 8.8 A Non-Vanishing Result 477

Lemma 8.8.23. The subgroup A,,. is contained in P x C*.

Proof. Recall the group embedding y : C` --+ G given by restricting

the SL2(C)-embedding to the diagonal subgroup. We introduce another
subgroup in G x C

A.,, = {(9, x) E G x C`' 9s9-1 = s, 9r9-1 = 7(z)r7(z)-', Vr E 7(5[2)}

This group is somewhat analagous to the one defined in (8.8.11). Any
element of A.,, commutes with s and y(C' ), hence, commutes with so and
,y(C'). It follows that the A.,,-action on g preserves both so-eigenspaces
and y(C*)-weight subspaces, i.e., for any (g, z) E A.,, we have

9, 9a,i . 9-1 C 9a,o.

Hence gpg-' C p and therefore g E P. Thus A.,, C P x C.

The second projection G x C' -# C gives a surjective homomorphism
A,,, -+ C. The kernel of this homomorphism equals the simultaneous
centralizer in G of so and y(SL2(C)). These two generate a reductive
subgroup of G, hence their simultaneous centralizer is again a reductive
subgroup. We see that the group A.,. is an extension of C' by a reductive
group, hence is itself reductive. Note further that for (g, z) E A,,, we have
gxg-1 = ^y(z)x7(z)"1 = z2 X. It follows that A,,, C A,,,.
Recall that G(s), the centralizer of s in G, is a connected reductive
group. Furthermore, the groups A.,y, resp. A,,,, are related to G(s) in a way
similar to (but not the same as) the way the groups A.7 resp. G,,, y(C')
(see proof of Lemma 8.8.10) are related to G. Arguing as in the proof of
Proposition 3.7.11(i) (applied to the group G(s)), we obtain that A.,, is a
maximal reductive subgroup of A,,.,. Since any linear algebraic group is the
product of its unipotent radical and any maximal reductive subgroup, we
get

A3,x = A,,, . UA,

where UA is the unipotent radical of A,,.,. Since A,,, C P x C and UA
is clearly a unipotent subgroup of G x {1}, proving the lemma amounts to
showing that Lie UA C V.
To that end, observe that the Lie algebra Lie UA by definition commutes
with both a and x, hence is contained in g(s, x). Lemma 8.8.22 therefore
yields
Lie UA C ® g .

Since v(a) = v(r'ti) = -i v(r) < 0 for i > 0, we deduce that LieUA C
and the lemma is proved.
478 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Recall that G(s, x) denotes the simultaneous centralizer in G of both s

and x. It is clear that G(s, x) x {1} C A,,z. Hence Lemma 8.8.23 yields
Corollary 8.8.24. G(s, x) C P.
Let L(s, x) be the simultaneous centralizer of s and x in L.
Lemma 8.8.25. The obvious embedding L(s, x)--G(s, x) induces a surjec-
tive homomorphism of the corresponding component groups
L(s, x)/L(s, x)° -» G(s, x)/G(s, x)'.
Proof Observe that all the component groups above are finite (this
is a general fact about algebraic groups), hence, consist of semisimple
elements. Thus, for any g E G(s, x)/G(s, x)°, one can find using the Jordan
decomposition a semisimple representative, g, of y in G(s, x). Next, by
Corollary 8.8.24, we have G(s, x) C P. Hence, the semisimple element g
is contained in a maximal reductive group of P. Since L is a Levi subgroup
of P, one may assume without loss of generality that g E L. Then we have
g E L n G(s, x) = L(s, x), and surjectivity follows.

PROOF OF PROPOSITION 8.8.2. Let Z = Z°(L) denote the identity

component of the center of L, the Levi subgroup of the Kazhdan-Lusztig
parabolic. Thus, Z is a complex torus that commutes with both x and s
by (8.8.15). Hence, I3z is a Z-stable subvariety of B. Let T be the maximal
compact subgroup of Z, i.e.,
T^_.S1x...xS1 C C'x...xC*=Z.
Observe, that, for any algebraic Z-action on a complex algebraic variety X,
we have Xz = XT, since T is Zariski dense in Z. In particular, we have

(Jz)Z = (85)T.
We apply now the general fixed point reduction (Proposition 2.5.1) to the
torus T, the group M := L(s,x), and the variety X = B. We find (due
to the odd cohomology vanishing 8.1.10) that in the Grothendieck group of
L(s, x)-modules one has

(8.8.26) H* (B.') = H* ((B.,) 10 IL))

Since the L(s, x)-action factors through the component group, this equation
actually holds in the Grothendieck group of L(s, x)/L(s, x)°-modules. Fur-
thermore, since the L(s, x)-action on 1:3s comes from the G(s, x)-action, by
restriction, the L(s, x)/L(s, x)°-action on cohomology factors through the
projection L(s, x)/L(s, x)° -+ G(s, x)/G(s, x)°. By Lemma 8.8.25 this pro-
jection is surjective. Thus we conclude that equation (8.8.26) holds also in
 8.9 Semi-Small Maps 479

the Grothendieck group of G(s, x)/G(s, x)°-modules. Thus, for any simple
G(s, x)/G(s, x)°-module x we have

(8.8.27) (H'(1') : x] 0 0 III* (B.)Z°IL)

: x] 910.

Recall the Kazhdan-Lusztig parabolic p = 1 + u and identify the Levi

subalgebra t with p/u. The assignment taking a Borel subalgebra in 1= p/u
to its preimage under the projection p - p/u gives an isomorphism between
13(L), the flag variety for the group L, and the subset P C 13 of all Borel
subalgebras b C p. This way we get a natural embedding

(8.8.28) 13(L) = P'--'13.

Observe further that 13(L) is a connected component of the fixed point

variety 132°(L) and, moreover, 131°(L) is a finite union of components, each
L-equivariantly isomorphic to 13(L), see Proposition 8.8.2(ii). Hence, the
variety (B )Z°(L) is a disjoint union of pieces, each L(s, x)-equivariantly
isomorphic to L3(L) X-'. We see that the maps (8.8.28) provide an L(s, x)-
equivariant isomorphism 13(L)i = Px . Thus, (I3x)Z°(L) is a disjoint union
of pieces, each L(s, x)-equivariantly isomorphic to P.
Observe finally that we have by definition an inclusion Px C L3 (this
inclusion is in effect an equality, but we will neither use nor prove this
(Iii)Z°(L)
here). Therefore, contains Ps, which is moreover both open and
closed in (B_,)Z°(L), hence also in (Cii)Z°(L4. Thus H'(PP) is a canonical
direct summand in H'((138)Z°(L)). Combining the information we have
obtained in the last two paragraphs, we deduce that any irreducible L(s, x)-
module x that occurs in H'((13z)Z°(L)) occurs also in H'(Py), hence also
in H' (0t) Z'(L) ) Therefore, since the group G(s, x)/G(s, x)° is a quotient
.

of L(s, x) (Lemma 8.8.25), equation (8.8.27) yields

(H'(L3) : x] 0 0 = [H* (P.) : x] 0 [H'(1.%) - x] # 0,

for any simple G(s, x)/G(s, x)°-module x. This completes the proof.

8.9 Semi-Small Maps

In this section we fix a smooth complex algebraic variety M with connected
components M1,. .. , M,.. Let N be a (possibly singular) irreducible alge-
braic variety and µ : M -+ N a projective morphism. We also fix an al-
gebraic stratification N = UN. such that, for each ot, the restriction map
p : r-'(N0) -- Na is a locally trivial topological fibration. Given X E NQ,
we put M. = r1(x) and Me,k := M,, n Mk, k = 1, ... , r.
480 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

8.9.1. NOTATION: Throughout this section we will use the following nota-
tion
mk = dimcMk, na = dimCN0, do,k = dimcMx,k for x E Na.
If M is connected we simply write m = dim,M, and simplify da,k to da
Given a stratum of N and a local system X on this stratum we will write
0 = (NO, X0) for such a pair, and in this case we use the notation no and
d#,k for the corresponding dimensions.
The following is a slight modification of the notion introduced in [GM],
cf. also [BM].
Definition 8.9.2. The morphism µ is called semi-small with respect to the
stratification N = UNa if, for any component Mk and all Na C p(Mk), we
have
n, + 2da,k = Mk-
Thus, if M consists of several connected components of possibly different
dimensions, then p is semi-small if and only if its restriction to each con-
nected component is semi-small.
The results below copy, to a large extent, the results we have already
obtained in §§8.5-8.6, but in the semi-small case all formulas become
`cleaner," since most shifts in the derived category disappear. The follow-
ing proposition may be regarded as an especially nice version of the De-
composition Theorem 8.4.8 and is one of the main reasons to single out the
semismall maps.
Proposition 8.9.3. [GM],[BM] Let CM be the constant perverse sheaf on
M. For a semi-small map µ we have a decomposition without shifts:
µ.CM = ® L®®ICO .
0=(Ns,xo)
Here Xm is a certain irreducible local system on No and L# is a certain
vector space.
Proof. By (8.4.8) it suffices to show that 1L := µ.CM is a perverse sheaf,
and for this we may assume without loss of generality that M is connected
of complex dimension m, and N = µ(M).
We first check condition (a) of Definition 8.4.2. Fix any x E N, and write
is : {x} `-- N for the embedding. Then one has
(8.9.4) H'i; L = H'i=(µ.CM) = Hl+'(M=)
Hence, if x E Na, one finds using definition 8.9.2
HJ ii L#0 j +m <2dim,Ms <m-dim,,N0 dim,N0 <-j.
 8.9 Semi-Small Maps 481

Thus, NQ C supp(WL) , whence dim,N,, < -j , and condition (a)

of definition 8.4.2 follows. Condition (b) follows automatically, due to self-
duality of the complex L, see (8.3.13).
SetZ=MxNMandlet
Zij = {(yi, yz) E Mi X MI I JU(v) = i (Y2)}
be the part of Z contained in Mi x M,. We have H.(Z) = ®i,, H.(Zi,). We
introduce a new "normalized" Z-grading HI.1 on the Borel-Moore homology
of Z, setting

Hlpl(Z) = ® Hm,+mt-p(Zil), mi = dim,Mi.

it

Lemma 8.9.5. The convolution algebra structure on HI.I(Z) is compatible

with the normalized grading, i.e.,

H1p1(Z) * HIg1(Z) C Hlp+ql (Z) , dp, q E Z.

Proof. Let pi, : M x M x M be the projection to the i x j-factor. Let
cil E H]p](Zi,), ctk E Hlgl(Ztk). Note that ci, * ctk vanishes unless j = 1.
Thus for the remainder of the proof we may assume j = 1. We compute the
degree of ci, *c,", using formula (2.7.9). The intersection pairing takes place
in the ambient variety Mi x MI x Mk, and the real dimensions of the factors
are 2mi, 2m., and 2mk, respectively. Using (2.7.9) one finds

deg(ci, * c,k) = deg ci, + deg c,k - 2m,

=(m1+m,-p)+(m,+mk-q)-2m,=mi+mk-p-q.
Thus, cil *Cfk E Hm,+m,,-p-q(Zik) = Hlp+gl(Zik).

The following result shows that, for semi-small maps, the isomorphism
of Lemma 8.6.1 is degree preserving with respect to the normalized grading.
Proposition 8.9.6. If A is semi-small then there is a graded algebra iso-
morphism:

H[p](Z) ®( Homy(Lm, Lp) 0 (IC-0, ICo)),

P2:0 p>0 0,+'

in particular, H1.1 (Z) = 0 for any p < 0, by Corollary 8.4.4.

Proof. To prove the proposition we fix two components Ma and Mb of M
and write a = dim,Ma and b = dim(,Mb. Let La = [Link]. and Lb = [Link],
be the corresponding components of the complex L = [Link], and Zab =
M. X, Mb. By Lemma 8.6.1 we have H_i(Zab) = Extp N) (La, Lb) , and so

(8.9.7) Hiil(Z) = ExtD, (tv)(f-, L) tli E Z.

482 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Now substituting in the decomposition L = ®m LO ® IC#, see 8.9.3, we

are done.
Corollary 8.9.8. If p is semi-small then Hlol (Z) is the maximal semisim-
ple subalgebra of H.(Z); it is the direct sum of simple algebras:
Hlol (Z) = ® End LO.
m

Proof. This follows by applying 8.4.4(b) to the decomposition in Propo-

sition 8.9.6.

We now introduce a "normalized" grading on the homology of the fibers

of the map p : M -+ N. Let x E Na and M., = A -'(x). Recall the notation
of 8.9.1. Define the normalized grading on H,(MM) by

Hfpl (M=) (DH2d.,.,-p(M.,k).

k

Clearly, H11 (Mx) = 0 whenever p < 0 so that we have

HI.1(M.) = ® Hl,,1(M.).
p>O

Proposition 8.9.9. Let p be a semi-small map and x E Na. Let S be a

local transverse slice to Na at x, and S = p-1(S). Then
(a) The convolution action makes HI.1(Mz) a graded H1.1(Z)-module with
respect to the normalized gradings on the homology of both Z and Mx;
(b) Ker[H.(M.) H.(S)] _ ® Hlpl(M.) and Hlo1(M.) = ®LO,
where the Lm are the vector spaces introduced in the decomposition of
Proposition 8.9.3, and 0 runs over such _ (NO, X#) that No is the stratum
containing x.

Proof. Assume first that M is connected of complex dimension m. Fix

a stratum Na and write is : Na '-+ N for the embedding. We also fix a
point x E Na, and let i.: {x} '-+ N and E : {x} " Na denote the respective
inclusions. Since i. = e o ia, for any L E Db(N), we have i'L = e'(i'L) .
Now take L = p*CM. Then the complex i,L is locally constant on Na.
For such a complex one has e = e'[-2na]. Hence, we get i.1L = e'(iaL)
= e*i,L[-2na] . Thus, from Lemma 8.5.4 we obtain
H_.(MM) = Hm+.(izL) = Hm+'(e*iaL[-2na]) = H -2n°+'(iaL).

Using the expression for L provided by Proposition 8.9.3 and the definition
of the normalized grading we deduce
(8.9.10) Hlp1(M:) = H2da-p(MM) = ®L,, 0 7jy-"°(i ICS) ,
 8.9 Semi-Small Maps 483

where we have used the identity n,, + 2d0 = m.

Observe that m, the dimension of M, does not enter into the direct
sum on the right of (8.9.10). This implies that the natural action on the
graded space on the RHS of (8.9.10) of the graded algebra on the RHS
of the formula of Proposition 8.9.6 is compatible with the gradings. Thus,
Proposition 8.9.6 combined with isomorphism (8.9.10) yields part (a) of
Proposition 8.9.9.
To prove part (b), we identify the map H.(MM) - H.(S) with the
natural morphism %F : ?lz(i''L) - see (8.6.19). This morphism
is a direct sum,' = ®gEZ,,0Wq,0, of morphisms, see (8.6.20)

`uq,m : Lo 0 ?{x(i',ICo) Lm 4 E Z, 4 _ (Nm, Xm).

We have argued after (8.6.20) that the map lkq,o vanishes unless N0 _
No. Moreover, if N = No then the only non-trivial cohomology groups
?{. occur in degree q = -n0, and the corresponding map q m is an
isomorphism. Observe further, that if Na 0 N,, then the group fz(i'nIC4)
vanishes for all q:5 -n0, by Proposition 8.4.1(i),(iii). Thus, we conclude

KerW _ ® (® Li ® ?-fy(i'IC,,))
q>-no
Using (8.9.10) we can rewrite this as
(8.9.11) KerW = ®Hl,i(4,),
and part (b) of the proposition follows.
Assume M has pure dimension m, and recall the isomorphism H'(MM) _
N.' "`(µ.CM), of Lemma 8.5.4. Taking stalks at x in the decomposition
µ.CM = 00 (Lj 0 ICth) , see 8.9.3, we obtain,

(8.9.12) H'(MM) _ ® Lxe ®?l '"IC(Np, Xp),

(Np,xp)

where the sum runs through all strata Np that contain the point x in its
closure. From (8.9.12) we obtain the following multiplicity formula
Corollary 8.9.13. For any pairs (NO, XO) and ip = (NO, X.1,), and
xENo
[H" '(M=)x.: LO] = [N' ICp : Xm] , m = dim M.

We sum up the results obtained in this section in the following theorem

Theorem 8.9.14. Let µ : M . - N be a semi-small morphism and N =
UN the corresponding stratification. For each a, choose a point xa E N,,.
Then, we have
484 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

(a) In the setup of Proposition 8.9.9, let ( , ) be the intersection form

on H.(Mx) induced from the ambient space S. Then the restriction of
to Hlol(Mx) is non-degenerate, moreover
Rad(, ) = ®H(J(M=),
P>O
Hlol(M,z) = H.(Mx)/Rad(,

(b) There is a canonical direct sum decomposition

it-cm = (D Hiol (Mxa )x ®IC(Nc, X);

(c) There is a canonical graded algebra isomorphism

®Hlpl(M XN M)
P>0

®(® Homc (Hiol(Mxo)xa, (Hiol(M 0)x0)

P?0 (N..X.)
([Link])

® ExtDb(N)(IC(X1), IC(Xp))).

Proof. Part (a) follows from Proposition 8.9.9 and Corollary 8.5.13.
Proposition 8.9.9 also yields (b). Part (c) follows from Proposition 8.9.6.

Taking the degree zero component in the decomposition of part (c)

of the Theorem and setting Z = M x N M we get a natural algebra
isomorphism (cf. Corollary 8.9.8)

(8.9.15) Hiol(Z) ® EndHloj(MM,)x.

N0.XE1ri(NN))

Remark 8.9.16. Part (a) of the above theorem provides a geometric proof
of Theorem 3.5.12 promised in Chapter 3.4.

8.9.17. SPRINGER REPRESENTATIONS AND INTERSECTION HOMOLOGY

[BM]. Let 0 be a semisimple algebraic group with Lie algebra g, nilpotent
cone N C g, flag variety 13, and Steinberg variety Z. We apply the ma-
chinery developed in this section to a concrete map M -4 N , the Springer
resolution (see 3.2.4)
(8.9.18) .N = {(x, b) E H x 81 x E b} =` N

We summarize some basic facts about this map proved in Chapter 3. First,
in this case M = N is connected and all irreducible components of the
Steinberg variety Z have the same dimension (in Section 4.1 we used the
notation H(Z) instead of H(ol(Z)). Second, the fiber of µ over x E N, the
 8.9 Semi-Small Maps 485

"Springer fiber," can be identified naturally with B,, C C3 , the variety of

Borel subalgebras containing x. Recall further that N consists of finitely
many nilpotent orbits and these form a stratification N = U O. By G-
equivariance, the stratification is adapted to the Springer map p: each
stratum has the form 0 = G/G(x) and the restriction u : A'(0) --+ 0
gets identified with the fibration G xG(x) Lax -a GIG(x) .
The peculiar dimension equalities proved in Section 3.3, equations
(3.3.9) and (3.3.21), can now be conveniently spelled out in the following
way.

Proposition 8.9.19. The Springer map (8.9.18) is semi-small.

Remark 8.9.20. The Springer fiber B. being equidimensional of complex
dimension d(x), we have Hioi(L33) = H2dixl(8x) Thus, we see that the second
equation of Corollary 8.9.14 yields Claim 3.5.6.

Further, let W be the "abstract" (cf. 3.1.22) Weyl group of G. We have

defined in Chapter 3 a W-action on the homology of Springer fibers B.. We
showed moreover, that the Weyl group action in the top homology is, essen-
tially, irreducible (up to the action of the component group G(x)/G°(x)),
and that all irreducible W-modules arise in this way.
We now re-derive all the results of Sections 3.4-3.5 (chapter 3) concern-
ing the Weyl group action in homology of Springer fibers by means of the
technique of intersection homology, independently of the analysis of Chap-
ter 3. This will yield, in addition, a multiplicity formula for irreducible rep-
resentations of W in the not necessarily top homology of B.
The starting point of sheaf-theoretic approach is the "Lagrangian con-
struction" of the Weyl group given in Theorem 3.4.1. In the present nota-
tion it says
(8.9.21) H,,,(Z) = H10i(Z) - Q[W], m = dim.Z = dim.N.
On the other hand, the map p being semi-small, Theorem 8.9.14 applies.
In view of the G-equivariance of the Springer resolution, part (b) of the
theorem yields a natural decomposition:

(8.9.22) µ.CN = ®H[o] (MM)x (9 IC(0, X),

o.x

where 0 runs over the set of nilpotent orbits in our Lie algebra, x denotes
some base point in 0, and X runs over the set of irreducible representations
of the group G(x)/G°(x) occurring in the top homology of Bx.
Now, the isomorphism (8.9.21) combined with Corollary 8.9.15 imply the
following result, where x runs, as above, through a set of representatives of
the nilpotent conjugacy classes 0.
486 8. Representations of Convolution Algebras

Proposition 8.9.23. There is a natural algebra isomorphism

C[W] = ®End cHlol(f3 )x
o.x
Here x is a representative in each orbit 0. Clearly, each direct summand on
the RHS of the isomorphism is a matrix algebra. Thus the set {Hiol(L3 )x} is
precisely a complete collection of the isomorphism classes of simple modules
over the algebra on the LHS, that is, of W-modules.
PROOF OF THEOREM 6.5.3. Let o be the vertex of the nilpotent cone
H, i.e., the origin of the Lie algebra g. We have IL-'(o) = B. Applying
Corollary 8.9.13 in the case Ha = {o}, for arbitrary pair _ (0, X) we find
(8.9.24) [H`(B) : LO] = dim V`100 , m = dim,H = dimrH.
Fix x E 0, and set do = dim,B1. In Proposition 8.9.9(b) we considered
a map H2dm(By) -+ H2d'(B,,). This map induces, by Proposition 8.9.9, W-
module isomorphisms (see also Remark 3.6.12)
L,j = H2d,, (By)x = H2d,(B,,)x
In Theorem 6.5.3 we are interested in the case x = Co, the constant local
system. Thus proving the theorem amounts, in view of (8.9.24), to showing

0 if i < 2dj
dim N` X(0, Co)
ifi=2do
If i < 2do then i - m < 2do - m = -dim,®, due to the crucial identity
dim 0+2d, = m. But we know by 8.4.1(i) that, in general, the cohomology
sheaves 1i IC(Y, L) vanish for j < -dimcY. This yields the vanishing of
W"mIC(0, Co) in the case i < 2db.
To handle the case i = 2d#, we use Proposition 8.4.1(ii) saying that
.j-dimc'oiq®'co) =
where j : 0'-+H is the embedding. It follows that for the stalk at the origin
one has the formula
dimcoIC(®,
no (co) = 1(j,co) = r(U no, co),
where U is a small enough open disk centered at o. Since the constant
sheaf has only constant global sections on any connected set we con-
chide, assuming without loss of generality U n 0 to be connected, that
fliui l'((/ nO,C,,) = 1. This completes the proof of the theorem.
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