Lengths of paths on projective varieties

This post contains calculations that continue on the ideas from the previous post "Fubini--Study metric," 2017-03-05. First we suppose that $\gamma$ lies on a curve $C\subset \P^2$, with the curve defined as the zero locus of a polynomial $P$. Taking the derivative of $P$ on $\C^2$ gives $P_{z_1}dz_1 + P_{z_2}dz_2=0$, which can be manipulated to give
\begin{align*}
dz_2 & = \frac{-P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}dz_1, & \frac\dy{\dy z_2} & = \frac{-P_{z_2}}{P_{z_1}} \frac\dy{\dy z_1},\\
d\overline{z_2} & = \frac{-\overline{P_{z_1}}}{\overline{P_{z_2}}}d\overline{z_1}, & \frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_2}} & = \frac{-\overline{P_{z_2}}}{\overline{P_{z_1}}} \frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_1}}.
\end{align*}
Using the above and an equation from the mentioned post, for $e = \frac\dy{\dy z_1} + \frac\dy{\dy \overline {z_1}} + \frac\dy{\dy z_2} + \frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_2}}$, we get
\begin{align*}
\frac{d \gamma}{dt} & = \left(\overline\gamma_1'-\frac{P_{z_2}}{P_{z_1}}\overline \gamma_2'\right)\frac\dy{\dy z_1} + \left(\gamma_1' - \frac{\overline{P_{z_2}}}{\overline{P_{z_1}}}\gamma_2'\right)\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_1}} \\
\left(\sum_{k,\ell=1}^2\chi_{k\ell}(\gamma)dz_k\wedge d\overline{z_\ell}\right)(e,e) & = 1+|\gamma_2|^2 + \frac{\overline{P_{z_1}}}{\overline{P_{z_2}}} \overline \gamma_1\gamma_2 + \frac{P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}\gamma_1\overline\gamma_2 + \left|\frac{P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}\right|^2 \left(1+|\gamma_1|^2\right) = 1 +\left|\frac{P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}\right|^2 + \left|\frac{P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}\gamma_1+\gamma_2\right|^2, \\
(dz_1\wedge d\overline{z_1})\left(\frac{d\gamma}{dt},I\frac{d\gamma}{dt}\right) & = \det
\begin{bmatrix}
\overline\gamma_1'-\frac{P_{z_2}}{P_{z_1}}\overline \gamma_2' & i\left(\overline\gamma_1'-\frac{P_{z_2}}{P_{z_1}}\overline \gamma_2'\right) \\[5pt]
\gamma_1' - \frac{\overline{P_{z_2}}}{\overline{P_{z_1}}}\gamma_2' & -i\left(\gamma_1' - \frac{\overline{P_{z_2}}}{\overline{P_{z_1}}}\gamma_2'\right)
\end{bmatrix} = -2i \left|\gamma_1' - \frac{\overline{P_{z_2}}}{\overline{P_{z_1}}}\gamma_2'\right|^2.
\end{align*}
Hence
\[
g\left(\frac{d\gamma}{dt},\frac{d\gamma}{dt}\right) = \frac{\left(1 +\left|\frac{P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}\right|^2 + \left|\frac{P_{z_1}}{P_{z_2}}\gamma_1+\gamma_2\right|^2\right)\left|\gamma_1' - \frac{\overline{P_{z_2}}}{\overline{P_{z_1}}}\gamma_2'\right|^2}{\pi\left(1+|\gamma_1|^2+|\gamma_2|^2\right)^2}.
\]

Now we move to $\P^n$, and consider $X\subset \P^n$ a complete intersection of codimension $r$, or the zero set of polynomials $P_1=0,\dots,P_r=0$. Expressing some covectors in terms of others reduces the number of determinants we calculated above from $2n$ to $2(n-r)$. Then
\begin{align*}
P_{1,z_1}dz_1 + \cdots + P_{1,z_n}dz_n & = 0, & dz_n & = c_{n,1}dz_1 + \cdots + c_{n,n-r}dz_{n-r}, \\
& \ \ \vdots & & \ \ \vdots \\
P_{r,z_1}dz_1 + \cdots + P_{r,z_n}dz_n & = 0, & dz_{n-r+1} & = c_{n-r+1,1}dz_1 + \cdots + c_{n-r+1,n-r}dz_{n-r},
\end{align*}
for the $c_{i,j}$ some combinations of the $P_{k,z_\ell}$. By orthonormality of the basis vectors, and assuming that the $c_{i,j}$ are all non-zero, we find
\[
\frac\dy{\dy z_i} = \sum_{j=1}^{n-r} \frac1{(n-r)c_{i,j}}\frac\dy{\dy z_j},\hspace{2cm}
\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_i}} = \sum_{j=1}^{n-r} \frac1{(n-r)\overline{c_{i,j}}}\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_j}},
\]
for all integers $n-r<i\leqslant n$. This allows us to rewrite the path derivative as
\begin{align*}
\frac{d\gamma}{dt} & = \sum_{i=1}^n \overline \gamma_i'\frac\dy{\dy z_i} +\gamma_i'\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_i}} \\
& = \sum_{i=1}^{n-r} \left(\overline \gamma_i'\frac\dy{\dy z_i} +\gamma_i'\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_i}}\right) +\sum_{i=n-r+1}^n \left(\sum_{j=1}^{n-r} \frac{\overline \gamma_i'}{(n-r)c_{i,j}}\frac\dy{\dy z_j} + \sum_{j=1}^{n-r} \frac{\gamma_i'}{(n-r)\overline{c_{i,j}}}\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_j}}\right) \\
& = \sum_{i=1}^{n-r}\left(\overline\gamma_i' + \sum_{j=n-r+1}^n \frac{\overline\gamma_j'}{(n-r)c_{j,i}}\right)\frac\dy{\dy z_i} + \left(\gamma_i'+\sum_{j=n-r+1}^n \frac{\gamma_j'}{(n-r)\overline{c_{j,i}}}\right)\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_i}}.
\end{align*}

In the case of a curve in $\P^n$, when $r=n-1$, let $c_{1,1}=1$ and  $e = \frac\dy{\dy z_1} + \frac\dy{\dy \overline {z_1}} + \cdots + \frac\dy{\dy z_n} + \frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_n}}$ to get
\begin{align*}
 \frac{d\gamma}{dt} & = \left(\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\overline\gamma_j'}{c_{j1}}\right)\frac\dy{\dy z_1} + \left(\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\gamma_j'}{\overline{c_{j1}}}\right)\frac\dy{\dy \overline{z_1}},\\
 \left(\sum_{k,\ell=1}^n\chi_{k\ell}(\gamma)dz_k\wedge d\overline{z_\ell}\right)(e,e) & = \sum_{k,\ell=1}^n \left(1+\sum_{i=1}^n |\gamma_i|^2\right)\delta_{k\ell} - \overline{\gamma_kc_{\ell1}}\gamma_\ell c_{k1}, \\
(dz_1\wedge d\overline{z_1})\left(\frac{d\gamma}{dt},I\frac{d\gamma}{dt}\right) & = \det
\begin{bmatrix}
\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\overline\gamma_j'}{c_{j1}} & i \sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\overline\gamma_j'}{c_{j1}} \\[5pt]
\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\gamma_j'}{\overline{c_{j1}}} & -i\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\gamma_j'}{\overline{c_{j1}}}
\end{bmatrix} = -2i \left|\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\gamma_j'}{\overline{c_{j1}}}\right|^2.
\end{align*}
Hence
\[
g\left(\frac{d\gamma}{dt},\frac{d\gamma}{dt}\right) = \frac{\left(\sum_{k,\ell=1}^n \left(1+\sum_{i=1}^n |\gamma_i|^2\right)\delta_{k\ell} - \overline{\gamma_kc_{\ell1}}\gamma_\ell c_{k1}\right)\left|\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\gamma_j'}{\overline{c_{j1}}}\right|^2}{\pi \left(1+\sum_{i=1}^n |\gamma_i|^2\right)^2}.
\]
The terms $\overline{\gamma_kc_{\ell1}}\gamma_\ell c_{k1}$ may be rearranged into terms $|\gamma_kc_{\ell1}-\gamma_\ell c_{k1}|^2$, but it does not provide any enlightening results, similarly to the rest of this post.

The conditioning number of a projective curve

Let $C$ be a smooth algebraic curve in $\P^2$. That is, for some homogeneous $f\in \C[x_0,x_1,x_2]$ we let $C = \{x\in \P^2\ :\ f(x)=0\}$. Describe $C$ as a manifold via the usual open sets $U_i = \{x\in \P^2\ :\ x_i\neq 0\}$ and charts
\[
\begin{array}{r c l}
\varphi_0\ :\ U_0 & \to & \C^2, \\\
[x_0:x_1:x_2] & \mapsto & (\frac{x_1}{x_0},\frac{x_2}{x_0}),
\end{array}
\hspace{1cm}
\begin{array}{r c l}
\varphi_1\ :\ U_1 & \to & \C^2, \\\
[x_0:x_1:x_2] & \mapsto & (\frac{x_0}{x_1},\frac{x_2}{x_1}),
\end{array}
\hspace{1cm}
\begin{array}{r c l}
\varphi_2\ :\ U_2 & \to & \C^2, \\\
[x_0:x_1:x_2] & \mapsto & (\frac{x_0}{x_2},\frac{x_1}{x_2}).
\end{array}
\]
Let $w=[w_0:w_1:w_2]\in \P^2$ for which $f(w)=0$. The Jacobian of $C$ at $w$ is then
\[
J_w = \left[
\left.\frac{\dy f}{\dy x_0}\right|_w \ :\  \left.\frac{\dy f}{\dy x_1}\right|_w \ :\  \left.\frac{\dy f}{\dy x_2}\right|_w
\right] \in \P^2.
\]
Assume that $\left.\frac{\dy f}{\dy x_0}\right|_w\neq 0$ and pass to $\varphi_0(U_0)$ to get the Jacobian to be
\[
J_w^0 = \left(
\frac{\dy f/\dy x_1|_w}{\dy f/\dy x_0|_w}\ ,\ \frac{\dy f/\dy x_2|_w}{\dy f/\dy x_0|_w}\right)  \in \C^2.
\]
Assume that $w_0\neq 0$, so the tangent line to $\varphi_0(C)\subset \C^2$ at $\varphi_0(w)=(w_1/w_0,w_2/w_0)$ is
\[
T_{\varphi_0(w)}= \{\varphi_0(w)+tJ_w^0\ :\ t\in \C\}\subset \C^2.
\]
A vector orthogonal to the Jacobian $J_w^0$ is
\[
\bar J_w^0 = \left(-\frac{\dy f/\dy x_2|_w}{\dy f/\dy x_0|_w}\ ,\ \frac{\dy f/\dy x_1|_w}{\dy f/\dy x_0|_w}\right) \in \C^2,
\]
so the space space normal to $T_{\varphi_0(w)}$ is given by
\[
T_{\varphi_0(w)}^\perp = \{\varphi_0(w)+t\bar J_w^0\ :\ t\in \C\}\subset \C^2.
\]

Example: Let $C\subset \P^2$ be the zero locus of $f(x_0,x_1,x_2) = x_0^2+x_1x_2-x_1x_0$. The Jacobian is $J = [2x_0-x_1:x_2-x_0:x_1]$, and as $J=0$ implies $x_0=x_1=x_2=0$, but $0\not\in\P^2$, the curve $C$ is smooth. Consider two points $w=[1:1:0],z=[2:1:-2]\in C$, at which the Jacobian is
\[
J_w = [1:-1:1]
\hspace{1cm},\hspace{1cm}
J_z = [3:-4:1].
\]
Both $w_0$ and $z_0$ are non-zero, with $\varphi_0(w)=(1,0)$ and $\varphi_0(z)=(1/2,-1)$, giving the tangent and normal spaces to be
\begin{align*}
T_{(1,0)} & = \{(1,0)+t(-1,1)\ :\ t\in \C\}, & T_{(1/2,-1)} & = \{(1/2,-1)+s(-4/3,1/3)\ :\ s\in \C\}, \\
T^\perp_{(1,0)} & = \{(1,0)+t(-1,-1)\ :\ t\in \C\}, & T_{(1/2,-1)}^\perp & = \{(1/2,-1)+s(-1/3,-4/3)\ :\ s\in \C\}.
\end{align*}
The two normal spaces intersect at $(t,s)=(1/3,-1/2)$ at distances of $1/3\cdot ||(-1,-1)|| = \sqrt 2/3\approx 0.471$ and $1/2\cdot||(-1/3,-4/3)|| = \sqrt{17}/3\approx 1.374$ from the points $\varphi_0(w),\varphi_0(z)$, respectively. Hence the conditioning number of $C$ is at most $\sqrt 2/3$.

Given a smooth projective curve and a finite set of points, this Sage code will calculate the conditioning number from that collection of points.

Smooth projective varieties as Kähler manifolds

Definition: Let $k$ be a field and $\P^n$ projective $n$-space over $k$. An algebraic variety $X\subset \P^n$ is the zero locus of a collection of homogeneous polynomials $f_i\in k[x_0,\dots,x_n]$.

Here we let $k=\C$, the complex numbers. Complex projective space $\C\P^n$ may be described as a complex manifold, with open sets $U_i = \{(x_0:\cdots:x_n)\ :\ x_i\neq 0\}$ and maps
\[
\begin{array}{r c l}
\varphi_i\ :\ U_i & \to & \C^n, \\
(x_0:\cdots:x_n) & \mapsto & \left(\frac{x_0}{x_i},\dots,\widehat{\frac{x_i}{x_i}},\dots,\frac{x_n}{x_i}\right),
\end{array}
\]
which can be quickly checked to agree on overlaps. In this context we assume all varieties are smooth, so they are submanifolds of $\C\P^n$.

Definition: An almost complex manifold is a real manifold $M$ together with a vector bundle endomorphism $J:TM\to TM$ (called a complex structure) with $J^2=-\id$.

Note that every complex manifold admits an almost complex structure on its underlying real manifold. Indeed, given standard coordinates $z_i=x_i+y_i$ for $i=1,\dots,n$ on $\C^n$, we get a basis $\partial/\partial x_1, \dots, \partial /\partial x_n$, $\partial/\partial y_1, \dots, \partial/\partial y_n$ on the underlying real tangent space $T_pU$, for $p\in M$ and $U\owns p$ a neighborhood. Then $J$ is defined by
\[
J\left(\frac\partial{\partial x_i}\right) = \frac\partial{\partial y_i}
\hspace{1cm},\hspace{1cm}
J\left(\frac\partial{\partial y_i}\right) = -\frac\partial{\partial x_i}.
\]
Write $T_\C M=TM\otimes_\R\C$ for the complexification of the tangent bundle, which admits a canonical decomposition $T_\C M = T^{1,0}M\oplus T^{0,1}M$, where $J|_{T^{1,0}}=i\cdot \id$ and $J|_{T^{0,1}}=(-i)\cdot \id$. We call $T^{1,0}M$ the holomorphic tangent bundle of $M$ and $T^{0,1}M$ the antiholomorphic tangent bundle of $M$, even though it is extraneous to consider any related map here as holomorphic. Define vector bundles (or sheaves, to consider sections on open sets)
\[
A^k_M = \textstyle \bigwedge^k(T_\C M)^*,
\hspace{1cm}
A^{p,q}_M = \textstyle \bigwedge^p(T^{1,0}M)^* \otimes_\C \bigwedge^q(T^{0,1}M)^*,
\]
where we drop the subscript $M$ when the context makes it clear. There is a canonical decomposition $A^k = \bigoplus_{p+q=k} A^{p,q}$, which yields projection maps $\pi^{p,q}:A^k \to A^{p,q}$. The exterior differential $d$ on $T^*M$ may be extended $\C$-linearly to $(T_\C M)^*$, and hence also to $A^k$. Define two new maps
\begin{align*}
\partial = \pi^{p+1,q}\circ d|_{A^{p,q}}\ :\ &\ A^{p,q} \to A^{p+1,q}, \\
\bar\partial = \pi^{p,q+1}\circ d|_{A^{p,q}}\ :\ &\ A^{p,q} \to A^{p,q+1}.
\end{align*}
These satisfy the Leibniz rule and (under mild assumptions) $\partial^2 = \bar\partial^2 = 0$ and $\partial \bar \partial = -\bar \partial \partial$.

From now on, the manifold $M$ will be complex with the natural complex structure described above.

Definition: A Riemannian metric on $M$ is a function $g:TM\times TM \to C^\infty(M)$ such that for all $V,W\in TM$,

• $g(V,W)=g(W,V)$, and
• $g_p(V_p,V_p)\geqslant 0$ for all $p\in M$, with equality iff $V=0$.

A Riemannian manifold is a pair $(M,g)$ where $g$ is Riemannian.

Locally we write $g_p:T_pM\times T_pM \to \R$, defined as $g_p(V_p,W_p)=g(V,W)(p)$. If $x_1,\dots,x_n$ are local coordinates on some open set $U\subset M$, then $g=\sum_{i,j}g_{ij}dx_i\wedge dx_j\in A^2(M)$, for $g_{ij} = g(\frac\partial{\partial x_i},\frac \partial{\partial x_j})\in C^\infty(U)$. Writing $V = \sum_if_i\frac\partial{\partial x_i}$ and $W=\sum_jg_j\frac\partial{\partial x_j}$, we get the local expression
\[
g_p(V_p,W_p) = \sum_{i,j}g_{ij}(p)f_i(p)g_j(p).
\]

Definition: A Hermitian metric on a complex manifold $M$ is a Riemannian metric $g$ such that $g(JV,JW)=g(V,W)$ for all $V,W\in TM$. A Hermitian manifold is a pair $(M,g)$ where $g$ is Hermitian.

There is an induced form $\omega:TM \times TM\to C^\infty(M)$ given by $\omega (V,W)=g(JV,W)$, called the fundamental form. From $g$ being Hermitian it follows that $\omega\in A^{1,1}(M)\subset A^2(M)$. Note also that any two of the structures $J,g,\omega$ determine the remaining one.

Definition: A Kähler metric on a complex manifold $M$ is a Hermitian metric whose fundamental form is closed (that is, $d\omega = 0$). A Kähler manifold is a pair $(M,g)$ where $g$ is Kähler.

Example: Recall the atlas given to $\C\P^n$ above. There is a metric (canonical in some sense) on each $U_j$ given by
\[
\omega_j = \frac i{2\pi} (\partial \circ \bar\partial) \left(\log\left(\sum_{\ell=0}^n \left|\frac{x_\ell}{x_j}\right|^2 \right)\right),
\]
called the Fubini--Study metric. Each $\omega_j$ is a section of $A^{1,1}(U_j)$, and as a quick calculation shows that $\omega_j|_{U_j\cap U_k} = \omega_k|_{U_j\cap U_k}$, there is a global metric $\omega_{FS}\in A^{1,1}(\C\P^n)$ such that $\omega_{FS}|_{U_j} = \omega_j$ for all $j$.

Hence $\C\P^n$ is a Kähler manifold. If we have a smooth projective variety $X\subset \C\P^n$, then it is a submanifold of $\C\P^n$, so by restricting $\omega_{FS}$ to $X$, we get that $X$ is also a Kähler manifold. Therefore all smooth projective varieties are Kähler.

References: Huybrechts (Complex Geometry, Chapters 1.3, 2.6, 3.1), Lee (Riemannian manifolds, Chapter 3)