Differential forms on free and almost free divisors

We introduce a variant of the usual Kähler forms on singular free divisors, and show that it enjoys the same depth properties as Kähler forms on isolated hypersurface singularities. Using these forms it is possible to describe analytically the vanishing cohomology, and the Gauss–Manin connection, in families of free divisors, in precise analogy with the classical description for the Milnor fibration of an isolated complete intersection singularity, due to Brieskorn and Greuel. This applies in particular to the family Formula of discriminants of a versal deformation Formula of a singularity of a mapping

Adjoint divisors and free divisors

We describe two situations where adding the adjoint divisor to a divisor D with smooth normalization yields a free divisor. Both also involve stability or versality. In the first, D is the image of a corank one stable germ of a map from complex n-space to complex (n+1)-space, and is not free. In the second, D is the discriminant of a versal deformation of a weighted homogeneous function with isolated critical point (subject to certain numerical conditions on the weights). Here D itself is already free. We also prove an elementary result, inspired by these first two, from which we obtain a plethora of new examples of free divisors. The presented results seem to scratch the surface of a more general phenomenon that is still to be revealed.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figur

Linear free divisors and quiver representations

Linear free divisors are free divisors, in the sense of K.Saito, with linear presentation matrix (example: normal crossing divisors). Using techniques of deformation theory on representations of quivers, we exhibit families of linear free divisors as discriminants in representation spaces for real Schur roots of a finite quiver. We review some basic material on quiver representations, and explain in detail how to verify whether the discriminant is a free divisor and how to determine its components and their equations, using techniques of A. Schofield. As an illustration, the linear free divisors that arise as the discriminant from the highest roots of Dynkin quivers of type E7 and E8 are treated explicitly.Comment: 27 pages; to appear in Singularities and Computer Algebra, papers in honour of G.-M.Greuel's 60th birthda

Milnor number equals Tjurina number for functions on space curves

The equality of the Milnor number and Tjurina number for functions on space curve singularities, as conjectured recently by V. Goryunov, is proved. As a consequence, the discriminant in such a situation is a free divisor

Tjurina and Milnor numbers of matrix singularities

To gain understanding of the deformations of determinants and Pfaffians resulting from deformations of matrices, the deformation theory of composites f ◦ F with isolated singularities is studied, where f : Y −→C is a function with (possibly non-isolated) singularity and F : X −→Y is a map into the domain of f, and F only is deformed. The corresponding T1(F) is identified as (something like) the cohomology of a derived functor, and a canonical long exact sequence is constructed from which it follows that τ = μ(f ◦ F) − β0 + β1, where τ is the length of T1(F) and βi is the length of ToriOY(OY/Jf, OX). This explains numerical coincidences observed in lists of simple matrix singularities due to Bruce, Tari, Goryunov, Zakalyukin and Haslinger. When f has Cohen–Macaulay singular locus (for example when f is the determinant function), relations between τ and the rank of the vanishing homology of the zero locus of f ◦ F are obtained

Partial normalizations of coxeter arrangements and discriminants

We study natural partial normalization spaces of Coxeter arrangements and discriminants and relate their geometry to representation theory. The underlying ring structures arise from Dubrovin’s Frobenius manifold structure which is lifted (without unit) to the space of the arrangement. We also describe an independent approach to these structures via duality of maximal Cohen–Macaulay fractional ideals. In the process, we find 3rd order differential relations for the basic invariants of the Coxeter group. Finally, we show that our partial normalizations give rise to new free divisors