In mathematics, more particularly in complex geometry, algebraic geometry and complex analysis, a positive current is a positive (n-p,n-p)-form over an n-dimensional complex manifold, taking values in distributions.

For a formal definition, consider a manifold M. Currents on M are (by definition) differential forms with coefficients in distributions; integrating over M, we may consider currents as "currents of integration", that is, functionals

on smooth forms with compact support. This way, currents are considered as elements in the dual space to the space of forms with compact support.

Now, let M be a complex manifold. The Hodge decomposition is defined on currents, in a natural way, the (p,q)-currents being functionals on .

A positive current is defined as a real current of Hodge type (p,p), taking non-negative values on all positive (p,p)-forms.

Characterization of Kähler manifolds

edit

Using the Hahn–Banach theorem, Harvey and Lawson proved the following criterion of existence of Kähler metrics.[1]

Theorem: Let M be a compact complex manifold. Then M does not admit a Kähler structure if and only if M admits a non-zero positive (1,1)-current   which is a (1,1)-part of an exact 2-current.

Note that the de Rham differential maps 3-currents to 2-currents, hence   is a differential of a 3-current; if   is a current of integration of a complex curve, this means that this curve is a (1,1)-part of a boundary.

When M admits a surjective map   to a Kähler manifold with 1-dimensional fibers, this theorem leads to the following result of complex algebraic geometry.

Corollary: In this situation, M is non-Kähler if and only if the homology class of a generic fiber of   is a (1,1)-part of a boundary.

Notes

edit
  1. ^ R. Harvey and H. B. Lawson, "An intrinsic characterisation of Kahler manifolds," Invent. Math 74 (1983) 169-198.

References

edit
  • P. Griffiths and J. Harris (1978), Principles of Algebraic Geometry, Wiley. ISBN 0-471-32792-1
  • J.-P. Demailly, $L^2$ vanishing theorems for positive line bundles and adjunction theory, Lecture Notes of a CIME course on "Transcendental Methods of Algebraic Geometry" (Cetraro, Italy, July 1994)