# Signature via Novikov numbers

## 2

Let us explain the terms used in the statement of Theorem 1.

First note that any symplectic manifold has a canonical orientation, and the signature $`\sigma (M)`$ is understood with respect to this orientation.

Let $`\omega `$ denote the symplectic form of $`M`$. The $`S^1`$ action is assumed to be symplectic, which means that for any $`gS^1`$ holds $`g^{}\omega =\omega `$. Let $`X`$ denote the vector field generating the $`S^1`$-action. Then

$$\theta =\iota (X)\omega $$
$`2`$   
is a closed 1-form on $`M`$, which is called the generalized moment map. We consider the De Rham cohomology class $`\xi =[\theta ]H^1(M;)`$ of $`\theta `$.

For the definition of the Novikov numbers $`b_i(\xi )`$ we refer to \[BF\], \[F\], \[N\].

For $`n`$ odd both sides of formula (1) vanish. Indeed, we follow the convention that the signature of any $`4k+2`$-dimensional manifold is zero. The RHS of (1) vanishes because of the relation $`b_i(\xi )=b_{2ni}(\xi )`$, which follows directly from definition 1.2 in \[BF\] of the Novikov numbers and the classical Poincaré duality.

## 3. Proof of Theorem 1

The first part of the proof is identical to the arguments used in \[JR\]. The second part uses the Novikov - Morse inequalities established in \[BF\].

For any fixed point $`pM`$ of the circle action, we obtain a linear representation of the circle $`S^1`$ on the tangent space $`T_p(M)`$ having no fixed vectors. This defines a complex structure on $`T_p(M)`$ and hence a canonical orientation. We will set $`\eta (p)=+1`$ (or $`\eta (p)=1`$) depending whether this orientation coincides (or is opposite) with the orientation on $`T_p(M)`$ given by the symplectic form.

Example: For the standard rotation of the two-sphere $`S^2`$ around the North and the South poles $`p_N`$ and $`p_S`$, holds $`\eta (p_N)=1`$ and $`\eta (p_S)=1`$.

In \[JR\] it is proven, using the Atiyah - Bott fixed point theorem, that

$$\sigma (M)=\eta (p),$$
$`3`$   
where the sum is taken over all the fixed points $`p`$ of the circle action.

Let us apply theorem 0.3 of \[BF\] to the generalized moment map $`\theta `$ given by (2). The critical points of $`\theta `$ are precisely the fixed points $`p`$ of the circle action. It is well known (cf. \[A\], §§2.1, 2.2 and also \[JR\]) that all these critical points are non-degenerate. Also, the indices of the critical points of $`\theta `$ are all even and

$$\eta (p)=(1)^{\mathrm{ind}(p)/2},$$
$`4`$   
cf. \[A\], \[JR\]. Applying Theorem 0.3 of \[BF\], we obtain that the Morse counting polynomial

$$_\theta (\lambda )=c_j(\theta )\lambda ^j$$

has only terms of even degree (where $`c_j(\theta )`$ denotes the number of critical points of $`\theta `$ having index $`j`$). Hence the polynomial $`𝒬(\lambda )`$ in (0.7) of \[BF\] vanishes (by the Morse lacunary principle). Therefore we obtain that all odd-dimensional Novikov numbers $`b_{2j1}(\xi )`$ vanish and for the even-dimensional Novikov numbers

$$b_{2j}(\xi )=c_{2j}(\theta ).$$
$`5`$   
From (3) and (4) we have $`\sigma (M)=(1)^jc_{2j}(\theta )`$. Combining this with formula (5) completes the proof. ∎

We will consider below another generalization of the theorem of \[JR\]: we will allow fixed point sets of symplectic circle actions of a more general nature.

An oriented manifold $`N`$ will be said to be an $`i`$-manifold (where $`i=\sqrt{1}`$) if all the odd-dimensional Betti numbers $`b_{2j1}(N)`$ vanish and the signature $`\sigma (N)`$ equals $`_{j=0}^{dim(N)/2}(1)^jb_{2j}(N)`$. In other words, the signature of $`N`$ equals evaluation at $`\lambda =i`$ of the Poincaré polynomial of $`N`$.

A point (with its canonical orientation) is an $`i`$-manifold. Any complex projective space $`P^n`$ (with its complex orientation) is an $`i`$-manifold. If $`N_1`$ and $`N_2`$ are $`i`$-manifolds then so is their product $`N_1\times N_2`$.

The result of \[JR\] can be restated as follows: any symplectic manifold admitting a Hamiltonian circle action with isolated fixed points is an $`i`$-manifold. This gives many examples of $`i`$-manifolds.

For more examples of $`i`$-manifolds we refer to D. Metzler \[M\].

Theorem 1 remains true if we allow $`i`$-manifolds (instead of isolated points) as connected components of the circle action:

###### 4. Theorem

Let $`M^{2n}`$ be a symplectic manifold with a symplectic circle action. Suppose that each component of the fixed point set is an $`i`$-manifold. Then the signature of $`M`$ can be expressed in terms of the Novikov numbers as follows

$$\sigma (M)=\underset{j=0}{\overset{n}{}}(1)^jb_{2j}(\xi ),$$
$`6`$   
where $`\xi H^1(M;)`$ is the cohomology class of the generalized moment map.

Note that for each connected component $`ZM`$ of the fixed point set of the circle action, $`\omega |_Z`$ is a symplectic form on $`Z`$, cf. \[A\], where $`\omega `$ denotes the symplectic form on $`M`$. Hence $`Z`$ has a canonical orientation and in Theorem 5 we assume that $`Z`$ is an $`i`$-manifold with respect to this orientation.

## 5. Proof of Theorem 4

For each connected component $`ZM`$ of the fixed point set we will define a sign $`\eta (Z)=\pm 1`$ as follows. The orientation of the tangent bundle to $`M`$ and the orientation of the tangent bundle to $`Z`$ (determined by the symplectic form) define an orientation of the normal bundle $`\nu (Z)`$ to $`Z`$ in $`M`$. Another orientation of $`\nu (Z)`$ is determined by the circle action: for any point $`pZ`$ the circle $`S^1`$ acts on $`\nu _p(Z)`$ with no fixed vectors and hence it defines a complex structure and an orientation of $`\nu _p(Z)`$. We will set $`\eta (Z)=1`$ if these two orientations of $`\nu _p(Z)`$ agree; we will set $`\eta (Z)=1`$ if these two orientations of $`\nu _p(Z)`$ are opposite.

Using the arguments similar to \[JR\] one obtains the following formula (generalizing (3)) for the signature

$$\sigma (M)=\underset{Z}{}\eta (Z)\sigma (Z),$$
$`7`$   
where the sum is taken over the set of connected components $`Z`$ of the fixed point set. Using Theorem 0.3 of \[BF\] and the lacunary principle as above we find

$$\underset{Z}{}\lambda ^{\mathrm{ind}(Z)}𝒫_Z(\lambda )=\underset{j0}{}\lambda ^jb_j(\xi ),$$
$`8`$   
where the sum on the left is taken over the connected components $`Z`$ of the fixed point set and $`𝒫_Z(\lambda )`$ denotes the Poincaré polynomial of $`Z`$. Hence we obtain (using our assumptions that $`𝒫_Z(\lambda )`$ does not involve odd powers) that all odd-dimensional Novikov numbers $`b_{2j1}(\xi )`$ vanish.

Similarly to (4) we have

$$\eta (Z)=(1)^{\mathrm{ind}(Z)/2}.$$
$`9`$   
Hence, substituting $`\lambda =i`$ in (8) and using our assumption $`\sigma (Z)=𝒫_Z(i)`$ we obtain (6). ∎

###### 6. Corollary

Let $`M^{2n}`$ be a symplectic manifold with a Hamiltonian circle action such that each component of the fixed point set is an $`i`$-manifold. Then $`M`$ is an $`i`$-manifold. ∎