Serre polynomials of $S{L}_n$- and $PG{L}_n$-character varieties of free groups

Abstract

Let $G$ be a complex reductive group and ${\mathcal{X}}_{r}G$ denote the $G$-character variety of the free group of rank $r$. Using geometric methods, we prove that $E({\mathcal{X}}_{r}S{L}_n)=E({\mathcal{X}}_{r}PG{L}_n)$, for any $n,r\in \mathbb{N}$, where E(X) denotes the Serre (also known as E-) polynomial of the complex quasi-projective variety $X$, settling a conjecture of Lawton-Muñoz in [LM]. The proof involves the stratification by polystable type introduced in [FNZ], and shows moreover that the equality of E-polynomials holds for every stratum and, in particular, for the irreducible stratum of ${\mathcal{X}}_{r}S{L}_n$ and ${\mathcal{X}}_{r}PG{L}_n$. We also present explicit computations of these polynomials, and of the corresponding Euler characteristics, based on our previous results and on formulas of Mozgovoy-Reineke for $G{L}_n$-character varieties over finite fields.

Added details and corrections in some proofs; a couple of citations included

References in corpus (4)

• The topology of moduli spaces of free group representations
• Topology of singular algebraic varieties
• E-polynomials of $PGL(2,\mathbb{C})$-character varieties of surface groups
• On Hodge polynomials of Singular Character Varieties

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Motive of the $S{L}_4$-character variety of torus knots
• Plethystic exponential calculus and characteristic polynomials of permutations
• $e$-polynomials of character varieties