Semiorthogonal decompositions of derived categories of equivariant coherent sheaves

Let X be an algebraic variety with an action of an algebraic group G. Suppose X has a full exceptional collection of sheaves, and these sheaves are invariant under the action of the group. We construct a semiorthogonal decomposition of bounded derived category of G-equivariant coherent sheaves on X into components, equivalent to derived categories of twisted representations of the group. If the group is finite or reductive over the algebraically closed field of zero characteristic, this gives a full exceptional collection in the derived equivariant category. We apply our results to particular varieties such as projective spaces, quadrics, Grassmanians and Del Pezzo surfaces.Comment: 28 pages, uses XY-pi

Symmetries and invariants of twisted quantum algebras and associated Poisson algebras

We construct an action of the braid group B_N on the twisted quantized enveloping algebra U'_q(o_N) where the elements of B_N act as automorphisms. In the classical limit q -> 1 we recover the action of B_N on the polynomial functions on the space of upper triangular matrices with ones on the diagonal. The action preserves the Poisson bracket on the space of polynomials which was introduced by Nelson and Regge in their study of quantum gravity and re-discovered in the mathematical literature. Furthermore, we construct a Poisson bracket on the space of polynomials associated with another twisted quantized enveloping algebra U'_q(sp_{2n}). We use the Casimir elements of both twisted quantized enveloping algebras to re-produce some well-known and construct some new polynomial invariants of the corresponding Poisson algebras.Comment: 29 pages, more references adde

Geometric Phantom Categories

In this paper we give a construction of phantom categories, i.e. admissible triangulated subcategories in bounded derived categories of coherent sheaves on smooth projective varieties that have trivial Hochschild homology and trivial Grothendieck group. We also prove that these phantom categories are phantoms in a stronger sense, namely, they have trivial K-motives and, hence, all their higher K-groups are trivial too.Comment: LaTeX, 18 page

Deformation theory of objects in homotopy and derived categories I: general theory

This is the first paper in a series. We develop a general deformation theory of objects in homotopy and derived categories of DG categories. Namely, for a DG module $E$ over a DG category we define four deformation functors \Def ^{\h}(E), \coDef ^{\h}(E), \Def (E), \coDef (E). The first two functors describe the deformations (and co-deformations) of $E$ in the homotopy category, and the last two - in the derived category. We study their properties and relations. These functors are defined on the category of artinian (not necessarily commutative) DG algebras.Comment: Alexander Efimov is a new co-author of this paper. Besides some minor changes, Proposition 7.1 and Theorem 8.1 were correcte

Grothendieck ring of varieties, D- and L-equivalence, and families of quadrics

We discuss a conjecture saying that derived equivalence of smooth projective simply connected varieties implies that the difference of their classes in the Grothendieck ring of varieties is annihilated by a power of the affine line class. We support the conjecture with a number of known examples, and one new example. We consider a smooth complete intersection X of three quadrics in P5 and the corresponding double cover Y→P2 branched over a sextic curve. We show that as soon as the natural Brauer class on Y vanishes, so that X and Y are derived equivalent, the difference [X]−[Y] is annihilated by the affine line class

Deformation theory of objects in homotopy and derived categories III: abelian categories

This is the third paper in a series. In part I we developed a deformation theory of objects in homotopy and derived categories of DG categories. Here we show how this theory can be used to study deformations of objects in homotopy and derived categories of abelian categories. Then we consider examples from (noncommutative) algebraic geometry. In particular, we study noncommutative Grassmanians that are true noncommutative moduli spaces of structure sheaves of projective subspaces in projective spaces.Comment: Alexander Efimov is a new co-author of this paper. Besides some minor changes, a new part (part 3) about noncommutative Grassmanians was adde

Cohomological descent theory for a morphism of stacks and for equivariant derived categories

In the paper we answer the following question: for a morphism of varieties (or, more generally, stacks), when the derived category of the base can be recovered from the derived category of the covering variety by means of descent theory? As a corollary, we show that for an action of a reductive group on a scheme, the derived category of equivariant sheaves is equivalent to the category of objects, equipped with an action of the group, in the ordinary derived category.Comment: 28 page

Bounded derived categories of very simple manifolds

An unrepresentable cohomological functor of finite type of the bounded derived category of coherent sheaves of a compact complex manifold of dimension greater than one with no proper closed subvariety is given explicitly in categorical terms. This is a partial generalization of an impressive result due to Bondal and Van den Bergh.Comment: 11 pages one important references is added, proof of lemma 2.1 (2) and many typos are correcte

A Point's Point of View of Stringy Geometry

The notion of a "point" is essential to describe the topology of spacetime. Despite this, a point probably does not play a particularly distinguished role in any intrinsic formulation of string theory. We discuss one way to try to determine the notion of a point from a worldsheet point of view. The derived category description of D-branes is the key tool. The case of a flop is analyzed and Pi-stability in this context is tied in to some ideas of Bridgeland. Monodromy associated to the flop is also computed via Pi-stability and shown to be consistent with previous conjectures.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, ref adde

Noncommutative Geometry in the Framework of Differential Graded Categories

In this survey article we discuss a framework of noncommutative geometry with differential graded categories as models for spaces. We outline a construction of the category of noncommutative spaces and also include a discussion on noncommutative motives. We propose a motivic measure with values in a motivic ring. This enables us to introduce certain zeta functions of noncommutative spaces.Comment: 19 pages. Minor corrections and one reference added; to appear in the proceedings volume of AGAQ Istanbul, 200