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# Opers and Theta Functions

## 1. Introduction.

Let $`X`$ be a compact connected Riemann surface (or equivalently, a connected smooth projective algebraic curve over $``$). Let $`𝔐_X(n)`$ denote the moduli space of semistable vector bundles over $`X`$ of rank $`n`$ and Euler characteristic zero (hence of degree $`n(g1)`$), and $`𝔑_X(n)𝔐_X(n)`$ is the moduli space of vector bundles with fixed determinant $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n}{2}}`$ (for a fixed theta–characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$ on $`X`$). Let $`\mathrm{\Theta }_X(n)`$ denote the canonical theta divisor; its complement $`_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ is an affine variety, parametrizing rank $`n`$ vector bundles with vanishing cohomology.

The theory of nonabelian theta functions provides an embedding of the $`(n^21)(g1)`$–dimensional affine variety $`𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ into an affine space of dimension $`n^g`$. Specifically, by restricting the canonical theta function to the image of the Jacobian $`\mathrm{Jac}_X`$ in $`𝔐_X(n)`$ obtained by translating a given $`E𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ by line bundles, we obtain elements of the $`n\mathrm{\Theta }`$ linear series on the Jacobian.

It is tempting to look for lower–dimensional parametrizations of $`𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ which come closer to giving explicit coordinates on the moduli space. Optimistically, one can hope for a natural finite map of $`𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ to affine space of the same dimension. In this paper we give a construction of such a map to affine space, which we conjecture is finite, and explain its relations to theta functions, projective structures, and differential operators on the Riemann surface.

Our construction assigns special differential operators, or opers, on $`X`$ to a vector bundle $`E`$ with vanishing cohomologies. We define a map, the Wirtinger map $`𝕎`$, from $`𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ to the space of all opers, which is an affine space for the Hitchin base space of $`X`$. The dimension of the space of opers is same as that of the moduli space (namely, $`(n^21)(g1)`$). By realizing the opers as kernel functions on $`X\times X`$ we define the Klein map $`𝕂`$, sending the moduli space to a (somewhat bigger) affine space of bidifferentials. Our main result establishes the finiteness of the Klein map (for all $`X`$) and the Wirtinger map (for generic $`X`$) when restricted to the moduli space of torus bundles – the generalized Kummer variety $`𝔎_X(n)𝔑_X(n)`$.

The case $`n=2`$ provides new finite parametrizations of $`\mathrm{Jac}_X\mathrm{\Theta }`$ (factoring through the Kummer $`𝔎_X(2)=\mathrm{Jac}_X/\{^{}\}`$) in affine spaces of dimensions $`\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)`$ and $`3g3`$ (that is, quadratic and linear in the genus $`g`$), improving on the parametrization given by the $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$ linear series (which requires exponential dependence $`2^g`$ on the genus to embed the Kummer). As a side–note we obtain that the collection of second logarithmic derivatives of the theta function (considered in \[Mu1\]) suffice to give a (generically) finite parametrization of the Jacobian, and hence of a generic abelian variety. Our proof uses the behavior of the (abelian) Szegö kernel near the theta divisor (in fact near blowups of Brill–Noether loci) to show that the maps are proper, hence finite, on the affine varieties $`𝔎_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ (giving finite extensions of the Gauss map of the theta divisor).

The Klein and Wirtinger maps may be defined either in terms of restrictions of theta functions, or in terms of determinants of nonabelian Szegö kernels. From the point of view of theta functions, the maps appear as certain quotients of the theta linear series, obtained by restricting the theta function first from $`𝔑_X(n)`$ to $`\mathrm{Jac}_X`$, then to $`X\times X`$ (via the difference map that sends $`(x,y)X\times X`$ to $`𝒪_X(xy)`$) and further to the $`n`$th order infinitesimal neighborhood of the diagonal. The theta function thereby defines kernel functions, sections on $`X\times X`$ of certain sheaves of differentials. Such kernel functions, expanded near the diagonal, are naturally interpreted as differential operators acting between different line bundles on $`X`$. On the $`n`$th order infinitesimal neighborhood of the diagonal, we obtain monic differential operators with vanishing subprincipal symbol, which we interpret as $`\text{SL}_n`$–opers on $`X`$.

Opers (for a reductive group $`G`$) are special principal bundles with connection, which play a central rôle in integrable systems and representation theory of loop algebras. They were introduced in \[BD\] in the context of the geometric Langlands program, providing a coordinate–free expression for the connections which appeared first in \[DS\] as the phase space of the generalized Korteweg–de Vries hierarchies. Opers form an affine space, modeled on the vector space which is the base of Hitchin’s integrable system on the cotangent bundle of the moduli space of bundles. For $`G`$ a classical group, opers are identified with certain differential operators acting between line bundles on $`X`$. In the case $`G=\text{SL}_2`$, opers are identified (after the choice of a theta characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$, which we fix) with projective connections (or projective structures) on $`X`$.

By writing opers in terms of their kernel function, we obtain explicit constructions of opers, generalizing the constructions of projective structures from theta functions due to Klein and Wirtinger (\[Ty\]). This helps clarify some constructions of differential operators on Riemann surfaces with projective structure (\[BR\]).

Another point of view on the Klein and Wirtinger maps is given by matrix opers and the Szegö kernel. We define matrix opers by applying the oper interpretation of differential operators to matrix differential operators. Matrix opers combine the structures of connections on a vector bundle and oper in a natural way (they play the same rôle for multicomponent soliton equations that opers play for KdV). A special class of matrix opers, the extended connections (combining connections with projective structures) appear in \[BS\] (implicitly) and \[BB\] (explicitly) as twisted cotangent spaces to the universal moduli space of vector bundles on Riemann surfaces. In analogy with the Hitchin system, we may apply invariant polynomials to matrix opers, and obtain (scalar) opers. For extended connections, we show the determinant map in fact gives a deformation of the quadratic Hitchin map, which appears in the theory of Virasoro–Kac–Moody algebras and isomonodromic deformation (\[BF\]).

To every vector bundle $`E`$ off of the theta divisor, there is a canonical matrix oper on $`E`$, defined by the nonabelian Szegö kernel of Fay (\[Fa2, Fa3, BB\]). Applying the determinant map to the Szegö kernel we recover the pullback of the theta function, and thus the Klein and Wirtinger maps. This point of view is motivated by conformal field theory, where this map appears from taking correlation functions associated to $`𝒲`$–algebra symmetries of current algebras. We hope to describe this point of view in future work, and expect it to facilitate the precise description of the Wirtinger map and the proof of our finiteness conjecture.

Since we believe the point of view provided by opers is important in understanding the rôle of Klein and Wirtinger maps, we describe their structure in some detail in the first section. However, we recommend readers to first jump ahead to the last two sections (which can be read largely independently) where the maps are described in elementary terms. The paper is organized as follows: in § 2 we review the description of differential operators as kernel functions, review some basics of opers, and describe matrix opers, extended connections and their analogue of the Hitchin map. In § 3 we introduce the Klein and Wirtinger maps via the Szegö kernel, and prove the finiteness theorem for Kummers, Theorem 3.1.7. Finally in § 4 we explain the relation with classical constructions with theta functions, and draw conclusions about $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$ functions and logarithmic derivatives on Jacobians.

## 2. Differential operators and kernels

### 2.1. Notations.

Let $`X`$ be a compact connected Riemann surface of genus $`g`$ (a connected smooth complex projective curve – unless explicitly noted, all constructions will be algebraic). Let $`p_i:X\times XX`$, $`i=1,2`$, be the projection to the $`i`$-th factor. The diagonal divisor on $`X\times X`$ will be denoted by $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$. The involution on $`X\times X`$ given by interchange of factors will be denoted by $`\sigma `$, so $`\sigma (x,y)=(y,x)`$. Given holomorphic vector bundles $`V`$ and $`W`$ on $`X`$, we denote vector bundles on $`X\times X`$ by

$$VW:=p_1^{}Vp_2^{}W,VW(n\mathrm{\Delta }):=p_1^{}Vp_2^{}W𝒪_{X\times X}(n\mathrm{\Delta })$$

In particular $`p_1^{}V=V𝒪`$ and $`p_2^{}W=𝒪W`$. For a vector bundle $`V`$ on $`X`$ we denote by $`V^{}=V^{}\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ the Serre dual vector bundle, where $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ is the holomorphic cotangent bundle of $`X`$. For a sheaf $`W`$, we will denote by $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(W)=H^0(X,W)`$ and $`h^i(W)=dimH^i(X,W)`$.

Given a holomorphic vector bundle $`V`$ over a complex manifold $`M`$, a torsor, or affine bundle, for $`V`$ over $`M`$ is a submersion of complex manifolds $`\pi :AM`$ with a simply transitive, holomorphic action of the sheaf of sections of $`V`$ on the sections of $`A`$. So the map $`A\times _MVA\times _MA`$ defined by $`(a,v)(a,a+v)`$ is an isomorphism. In particular, for $`xM`$ the fiber $`A_x`$ is an affine space over the vector space $`V_x`$.

Fix a theta characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$ on $`X`$ – in other words a holomorphic line bundle $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$ equipped with an isomorphism $`(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}})^2\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$. If $`X`$ is compact of genus $`g`$, there are $`2^{2g}`$ possible (distinct) choices. For any $`m`$, we will denote $`(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}})^m`$ by $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{m}{2}}`$. The constructions below are independent of the choice of $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$ (see Remark 2.3.4).

### 2.2. Kernel functions.

Let $`V`$, $`W`$ be vector bundles over the Riemann surface $`X`$, and $`\mathrm{Diff}^n(V,W)`$ the sheaf of differential operators over $`X`$ of order $`n`$ from $`V`$ to $`W`$. Differential operators are a bimodule over the sheaf $`𝒪`$ of holomorphic functions, via pre– and post–multiplication. We identify $`𝒪_X`$–bimodules with sheaves on $`X\times X`$ (via the two pullback maps from $`𝒪_X`$ to $`𝒪_{X\times X}`$). This way (following Grothendieck and Sato) differential operators are identified with “integral kernels” on $`X\times X`$ (see e.g. \[BS, FB\]): there is a canonical isomorphism of $`𝒪_X`$–bimodules (supported on the divisor $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$)

$$\mathrm{Diff}^n(V,W)=\frac{WV^{}((n+1)\mathrm{\Delta })}{WV^{}}.$$

This is a coordinate–free reformulation of the Cauchy integral formula: differential operators of order $`n`$ on functions may be realized as kernel functions of the form $`\psi (z_1,z_2)dz_2`$ with pole of order $`(n+1)`$ at $`z_1=z_2`$, via the assignment

$$f(z)\mathrm{Res}_{z_1=z_2}f(z_1)\psi (z_1,z_2)dz_2.$$

The resulting differential operator depends only on the polar part of $`\psi `$, equivalently on the restriction of $`\psi `$ in $`𝒪_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X((n+1)\mathrm{\Delta })|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}`$. For example, the de Rham differential $`d:𝒪_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ is given by a holomorphic section $`\mu _d`$ of $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X(2\mathrm{\Delta })`$ over $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$. In local coordinates this section is given by $`{\displaystyle \frac{dz_1dz_2}{(z_1z_2)^2}}`$, where $`z_i`$ the pullback of a coordinate function $`z`$ on $`X`$ using the projection to the $`i`$th factor.

#### 2.2.1. Connections as kernels.

Let $`\nu `$ be an integer, and consider the line bundle

$$_\nu =\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{\nu }{2}}\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{\nu }{2}}(\nu \mathrm{\Delta })$$

over $`X\times X`$. As we have observed in § 2.2, the de Rham differential $`d`$ defines a section $`\mu _d`$ of $`_2`$ over $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$. In fact, for any $`\nu `$ there is a unique trivialization $`\mu _\nu `$ of $`_\nu |_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ such that

1. $`_\nu |_\mathrm{\Delta }𝒪_X`$ is the natural trivialization (defined by adjunction) (in other words, $`\mu _\nu |_\mathrm{\Delta }=1`$);
2. the trivialization is symmetric, i.e., respects the identification $`_\nu \sigma ^{}_\nu `$ in the sense that $`\sigma ^{}\mu _\nu =(1)^\nu \mu _\nu `$.

(Recall that $`\sigma :X\times XX\times X`$ is the interchange of factors.) In particular note that $`\mu _d=\mu _2`$ and $`\mu _\nu =(\mu _1)^\nu `$. For a vector bundle $`E`$, denote by $`_\nu (E)`$ the vector bundle

$$_\nu (E)=EE^{}_\nu =(E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{\nu }{2}})(E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{\nu }{2}})(\nu \mathrm{\Delta })$$

on $`X\times X`$.

Consider the space $`𝒞onn(E)`$ of holomorphic connections on $`E`$. A connection is given, following Grothendieck, by an isomorphism between the two pullbacks $`p_1^{}E=E𝒪`$ and $`p_2^{}E=𝒪E`$ over $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ (the first–order infinitesimal neighborhood of the diagonal), which restricts to the identity automorphism of $`E`$ on the diagonal. In other words, a connection is determined by a section of $`_0(E)=EE^{}`$ on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ with “symbol” the identity map $`\text{Id}_E`$ on the diagonal.

A connection on $`E`$ may also be described as a first–order differential operator

$$:EE\mathrm{\Omega }_X$$

whose symbol is the identity map $`\text{Id}_E`$. Thus $``$ gives rise to a section of

$$_2(E)=(E\mathrm{\Omega }_X)(E^{}\mathrm{\Omega }_X)(2\mathrm{\Delta })$$

on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ with biresidue the identity. These two formulations are related by tensoring with the de Rham kernel $`\mu _2=\mu _d`$ trivializing $`_2`$ on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$. Similarly we can identify connections with sections of $`_\nu (E)|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ for any $`\nu `$. Note also that the difference between any two connection kernels is a section of $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{End}E`$. Thus $`𝒞onn(E)`$ is an affine space for the space $`H^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{End}E)`$ of endomorphism–valued one–forms, or Higgs fields, on $`E`$.

Any holomorphic connection on a Riemann surface is flat (since there are no nonzero holomorphic two–forms on $`X`$.) This means that the identification between nearby fibers of $`E`$ can be uniquely extended to an isomorphism $`p_1^{}Ep_2^{}E`$ to any order along $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ (in fact to local trivializations in the analytic topology). Equivalently there is a canonical extension from sections of $`EE^{}|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ which are identity on the diagonal to sections $`\kappa _\nu `$ on $`\nu \mathrm{\Delta }`$ for any $`\nu >0`$, which in terms of a local flat basis of sections $`\{e_i\}`$ with dual basis $`\{e_i^{}\}`$, is given by

$$\kappa _n=e_ie_i^{}\mathrm{\Gamma }((EE^{})|_{n\mathrm{\Delta }}).$$

In particular we obtain an isomorphism $`EE^{}|_{n\mathrm{\Delta }}p_1^{}\mathrm{End}E|_{n\mathrm{\Delta }}`$. In the language of kernels this map may be described as the composition

$$EE^{}\stackrel{\kappa _n^t}{}\mathrm{End}E\mathrm{End}E\stackrel{\mathrm{tr}_E\mathrm{Id}}{}𝒪\mathrm{End}E.$$

Here $`\kappa _n^t=\sigma ^{}\kappa _n\mathrm{\Gamma }(E^{}E|_{n\mathrm{\Delta }})`$ is the transpose of $`\kappa _n`$, and $`\mathrm{tr}_E`$ is the trace divided by the rank of $`E`$.

Note that this extension is nonlinear with respect to the affine structure on $`𝒞onn(E)`$: it involves solving the differential equation defining flat sections.

### 2.3. Opers and kernel functions

We would like to consider monic $`n`$th order differential operators

$$L=_t^nq_1_t^{n1}q_2_t^{n2}\mathrm{}q_{n1}_tq_n$$

on a Riemann surface $`X`$. To make this notion coordinate–independent, we take $`L:𝒜𝒜^{}`$ to be a $`n`$th order operator between two holomorphic line bundles, whose principal symbol is an isomorphism. Since the symbol is a section of $`\mathrm{Hom}(𝒜,𝒜^{}\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n)`$, we must have $`𝒜^{}𝒜\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n`$.

It is convenient to label the differential operator $`L`$ not by the line bundle $`𝒜`$ but by its twist $`=𝒜\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n1}{2}}`$:

#### 2.3.1. Definition.

A $`\text{GL}_n`$–oper on $`X`$ consists of the data of a line bundle $``$ and a monic $`n`$th order differential operator

$$L\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{Diff}^n(𝒜,𝒜\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n))=\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{Diff}^n(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1n}{2}},\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1+n}{2}}))$$

over $`X`$ where $`𝒜=\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1n}{2}}`$. The space of all $`\text{GL}_n`$–opers on $`X`$ is denoted by $`𝒪p_n`$, and opers for given $``$ by $`𝒪p_n()`$.

#### 2.3.2.

It follows from the differential operator–kernel dictionary that $`\text{GL}_n`$–opers for given $``$ correspond to kernel functions in $`_{n+1}()`$ on $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$, whose restriction to the diagonal is the constant $`1`$ (by the trivialization defined using adjunction).

Moreover, note that restricting the kernel function to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ we obtain a section of $`_{n+1}()|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$, which by § 2.2.1 defines a connection on $``$. (This is the reason for labeling opers by $``$ rather than by $`𝒜`$.) Thus we have a morphism $`𝒪p_n()𝒞onn()`$. In particular, for $`=𝒪`$, we can look for opers which induce the trivial connection on $`𝒪`$, so that the associated kernel on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is the de Rham kernel $`\mu _{n+1}`$. In terms of differential operators, the induced connection (restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$) is determined by the subprincipal symbol $`q_1`$. Thus we are considering differential operators $`L`$ of the form

$$L=_t^nq_2_t^{n2}\mathrm{}q_n.$$

(Conversely the vanishing of the subprincipal symbol forces $``$ and the associated connection to be trivial.)

#### 2.3.3. Definition.

A $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper on $`X`$ (for fixed theta characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$) is a monic $`n`$th order differential operator

$$L\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{Diff}^n(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1n}{2}},\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1+n}{2}}))$$

with vanishing subprincipal symbol. Equivalently, $`L`$ is defined by a section of $`_{n+1}`$ on $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$, whose restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ agrees with $`\mu _{n+1}`$. The space of $`\text{SL}_n`$–opers (for fixed $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$) is denoted by $`𝒪p_n^{}`$.

#### 2.3.4. Remark.

The restriction of the bundles $`_n`$ to any neighborhood $`k\mathrm{\Delta }`$ are independent of the choice of theta characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}.`$ This follows from the fact that the ratio of two theta characteristic is a bundle of order two, $`^2=𝒪_X`$, and so carries a canonical flat connection (inducing the trivial connection on $`𝒪_X`$), which gives rise to a trivialization of $`^{}`$ on $`n\mathrm{\Delta }`$ for any $`n`$. This may also be seen from the universal form of the transition functions defining $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{\nu }{2}}\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{\nu }{2}}|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ – in fact these transition functions make sense for an arbitrary complex number $`\nu `$, since the Taylor expansion of an expression $`{\displaystyle \frac{dz_1^\nu dz_2^\nu }{(z_1z_2)^{2\nu }}}`$ in terms of a new coordinate $`w=w(z)`$ has coefficients which are polynomials (with integer coefficients) in $`\nu `$. In other words, all of these bundles are attached to natural representations of the group of formal changes of coordinates on $`X`$ (see \[FB, 7.2\]).

Thus the spaces of opers for different choices of $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$ are all isomorphic. Alternatively, one can define $`\text{PSL}_n`$–opers and then identify $`\text{SL}_n`$–opers with pairs consisting of a $`\text{PSL}_n`$–oper and a theta characteristic (\[BD\]).

#### 2.3.5. Example.

On $`^1`$, there is a unique $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper for every $`n`$ (here $`\mathrm{\Omega }_^1^{\frac{1}{2}}=𝒪_^1(1)`$ is the unique theta characteristic). It is defined by the kernel function

(2.3.1)
$$\gamma _\nu =\frac{dz^{\frac{n+1}{2}}dz^{\frac{n+1}{2}}}{(z_1z_2)^{n+1}}$$

on $`(n+1)`$, where $`z`$ is the natural coordinate function on $`\{\mathrm{}\}=^1`$. This $`\gamma _\nu `$ is a holomorphic section over $`^1\times ^1`$, and it invariant under the diagonal action of $`\text{PSL}_2`$ on $`^1\times ^1`$.

#### 2.3.6. Lemma.

There is a canonical isomorphism $`𝒪p_n()=𝒞onn()\times 𝒪p_n^{}`$.

#### 2.3.7. Proof.

An oper $`L𝒪p_n()`$ defines a connection on $``$ as above. Solving the connection defines a trivialization $`\kappa _{n+1}`$ of $`^{}`$ on $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$. This trivialization gives an isomorphism $`_{n+1}()_{n+1}`$, which sends $`L`$ to an $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper $`L^{}`$. The kernel of $`L^{}`$ is explicitly given by $`\kappa _{n+1}^1`$ times the kernel of $`L`$, from which it is obvious that the restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is indeed $`\mu _{n+1}`$.

#### 2.3.8. Projective Structures.

A projective structure on a Riemann surface $`X`$ (see \[Gu\], \[De\]) is an equivalence class of atlases $`\{U_\alpha ,\phi _\alpha \}_{\alpha I}`$ on $`X`$, where $`\phi _\alpha `$ is a holomorphic embedding of the open set $`U_\alpha `$ in $`^1`$, so that the transition maps $`\phi _\beta \phi _\alpha ^1`$ are Möbius (or fractional linear) transformations (elements of $`\text{PSL}_2`$). The space of projective structures will be denoted $`𝒫roj`$. A projective structure on $`X`$ allows us to pull back any $`\text{PSL}_2`$–invariant construction from $`^1`$ to $`X`$. In particular, we may pull back the $`\text{SL}_n`$ opers on $`^1`$ (and their kernel functions $`\gamma _{n+1}`$) to define $`\text{SL}_n`$–opers for every $`n`$, or equivalently monic differential operators $`D_n`$ with vanishing subprincipal symbol. The symbol of each such operator is the constant function $`1`$. The operator $`D_0`$ is the identity automorphism of $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$. The operator $`D_1`$ is the exterior derivative $`d:𝒪_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$. The operator $`D_2\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{Diff}^2(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}},\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{3}{2}}))`$ over $`X`$ is the Sturm–Liouville operator, or projective connection, associated with a projective structure. Thus $`D_2`$ is the differential operator which in projective local coordinates has the form $`_t^2`$.

The projective structure can be recovered from the associated projective connection, setting up a bijection $`𝒫roj𝒪p_2^{}`$: the projective atlases are defined by the ratios of any two local linearly independent solutions of the Sturm–Liouville operator $`D_2`$.

### 2.4. Opers as connections.

Opers have an interpretation in terms of vector bundles with connection, which also enables the generalization from $`\text{GL}_n`$ to an arbitrary reductive group. This observation and its current formulation are due to Drinfeld–Sokolov \[DS\] and Beilinson–Drinfeld \[BD\], respectively. Recall that the study of the differential operator

$$L=_t^nq_1_t^{n1}q_2_t^{n2}\mathrm{}q_n$$

is equivalent to that of the system of $`n`$ first–order equations which can be written in terms of the first–order matrix operator

$$_t\left(\begin{array}{ccccc}q_1& q_2& q_3& \mathrm{}& q_n\\ 1& 0& 0& \mathrm{}& 0\\ 0& 1& 0& \mathrm{}& 0\\ \mathrm{}& \mathrm{}& \mathrm{}& \mathrm{}& \mathrm{}\\ 0& 0& \mathrm{}& 1& 0\end{array}\right).$$

Now suppose $`L`$ is a $`\text{GL}_n`$–oper on $`X`$ for the line bundle $`𝒜`$. It is not hard to see that the above first–order systems patch together to define a connection $`:FF\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ on a rank $`n`$ vector bundle $`F`$, which carries a filtration $`0=F_0F_1\mathrm{}F_n=F`$, with $`F_1𝒜`$. The key features of the above matrix system are the appearance of zeros beneath the subdiagonal (Griffiths transversality) and $`1`$s on the subdiagonal (nondegeneracy). Locally, the bundle and flag $`(F,F_{})`$ admit a unique trivialization so that the connection has the above form. Moreover for the connection to be an $`\text{SL}_n`$–connection (so that the determinant line bundle and its connection are trivial) the subprincipal symbol $`q_1`$ must vanish, so that we obtain $`\text{SL}_n`$–opers.

#### 2.4.1. Proposition.

(\[BD\]) $`\text{GL}_n`$–opers on $`X`$ correspond canonically to the data of a rank $`n`$ vector bundle $`F`$, equipped with a flag

$$0F_1\mathrm{}F_{n1}F_n=F,$$

and a connection $``$, satisfying

1. $`(F_i)F_{i+1}\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$.
2. The induced maps $`F_i/F_{i1}(F_{i+1}/F_i)\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ are isomorphisms for all $`i`$.

$`\text{SL}_n`$–opers are $`\text{GL}_n`$–opers for which the determinant line bundle of the flat vector bundle $`(F,)`$ is trivial.

#### 2.4.2.

In fact, the transversality condition on the connection is sufficiently rigid to force the underlying vector bundle $`F`$ to be the $`(n1)`$st jet bundle $`FJ^{n1}(F/F_{n1})`$, with its canonical filtration.

Note that from the connection point of view, the extension of projective connections to $`n`$th order operators is simply the operation of inducing an $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper from a $`\text{SL}_2`$–oper by taking the associated bundle for the $`(n1)`$st symmetric power representation of $`\text{SL}_2`$ into $`\text{SL}_n`$.

### 2.5. The Hitchin base.

An important non-obvious feature of opers (for fixed $``$) is that they form an affine space over the Hitchin base space of $`X`$ (\[Hi\]),

$$\mathrm{Hitch}_n(X)=\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X)\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)\mathrm{}\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n).$$

This generalizes the statement that projective structures form an affine space over quadratic differentials $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)`$.

#### 2.5.1. Proposition.

(\[BD\]) There is a canonical isomorphism

$$𝒞onn()\times 𝒫roj\times \mathrm{Hitch}_n^{>2}𝒪p_n().$$

#### 2.5.2. Remarks on proof.

Geometrically, the proposition is an expression of the fact that the tangent bundle to $`^{n1}`$ restricted to the rational normal curve splits canonically (i.e., $`\text{PSL}_2`$–equivariantly) into a sum of line bundles. Namely, the stabilizer in $`\text{PSL}_2`$ of a point on the rational normal curve (which is isomorphic to upper triangular matrices $`B_0`$) acts on the tangent space at that point through its $`^\times `$–quotient. In fact since a $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper naturally gives rise to a projective structure (on restriction to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$), the proposition reduces to this fact since any infinitesimal (or complex-local) statement on $`^1`$ which is $`\text{PSL}_2`$–equivariant generalizes to any Riemann surface with projective structure. In particular, given an oper $`F`$ induced from a $`\text{SL}_2`$–oper, one identifies a subbundle $`𝒱_1^n\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^i)`$ inside the Higgs fields $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{End}F\mathrm{\Omega }_X)`$. Addition of sections from $`𝒱`$ acts transitively on oper connections on $`F`$ – in particular the action of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X)`$ changes the connection, while that of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)`$ changes the projective structure.

#### 2.5.3. Remark.

It follows from the proposition that the dimensions of $`𝒪p_n`$ and $`𝒪p_n^{}`$ on a compact Riemann surface $`X`$ of genus $`g`$ are $`(g1)(n^21)+g`$ and $`(g1)(n^21)`$ respectively.

### 2.6. Shifted opers.

The projection from $`𝒪p_n^{}`$ to $`𝒫roj`$ may be described conveniently using kernels. Given an $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper with kernel $`s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }})`$, its restriction to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$ defines an element of the space

$$𝒫roj(k)=\{s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})|s|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}=\mu _{n+1}\}.$$

These “shifted” projective kernels are however naturally identified with projective structures. Note that the difference between any two sections of $`𝒫roj(k)`$ vanishes on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$, and so may be identified with a section of $`_k(2\mathrm{\Delta })|_\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2`$, that is, a quadratic differential on $`X`$. It follows that $`𝒫roj(k)`$ is a torsor for the quadratic differentials $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)`$ on $`X`$. Recall that we may rescale the torsor structure on a fixed affine bundle by any scalar $`\lambda ^\times `$, keeping the manifold $`\pi :AM`$ the same but making $`vV`$ act by $`\lambda v`$.

#### 2.6.1. Lemma.

The spaces $`𝒫roj(k)`$ for $`k0`$ are all isomorphic (with rescaled torsor structure over quadratic differentials).

#### 2.6.2. Proof.

The $`k`$–th power map $`\rho \rho ^n|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ identifies the sheaves $`𝒫roj(1)`$ and $`𝒫roj(k)`$. On affine structures, this has the effect of rescaling by $`k`$:

$$(\rho +q)^k|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}=(\rho ^k+kq)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}$$

(since all higher terms vanish on $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$). Note that multiplication by $`k`$ sends $`𝒫roj(1)`$ isomorphically to sections of $`_1|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ whose restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ is $`k\mu _1`$, and has the same effect on torsor structures.

#### 2.6.3.

It follows that the restriction of a $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$ may be naturally identified with a projective structure on $`X`$. (For $`\text{GL}_n`$–opers, we must twist by the connection on $``$ given by the restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }.`$)

One naturally encounters other kernel realizations of the spaces of opers:

#### 2.6.4. Definition.

The space of $`k`$–shifted opers on $``$ is defined to be the space

$$𝒪p_n()(k)=\{s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_k()|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }})|s|_\mathrm{\Delta }=1\}.$$

#### 2.6.5.

(Note that for $`k>n`$ shifted opers form a quotient of $`𝒪p_{k1}^{}`$ by differential operators of order $`kn2`$.) The restriction of a shifted oper to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$ defines an element of $`𝒫roj(k)`$, hence a projective structure on $`X`$. It follows that we may identify all shifted opers canonically with honest opers. Explicitly, this is done by tensoring with the kernels $`\gamma _{n+1k}`$ obtained from the projective structure by (2.3.1), which trivializes $`_{n+1k}`$ to any order near the diagonal.

### 2.7. Projective kernels and projective connections.

Many projective connections arising in Riemann surface theory arise naturally from projective kernels, or global bidifferentials of the second kind, with biresidue one:

#### 2.7.1. Definition.

1. A $`\text{SL}_n`$–oper kernel on $`X`$ is a global section $`s\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)`$ with $`s|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}=\mu _n`$. The space of oper kernels is denoted by $`𝒦ern_n`$.
2. A projective kernel on $`X`$ is a symmetric $`\text{SL}_2`$–oper kernel. In other words, a bidifferential

$$\omega \mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X(2\mathrm{\Delta }))^{\text{sym}}$$

with biresidue one on $`X\times X`$. The space of projective kernels is denoted by $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}𝒦ern_2`$.

By $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X(2\mathrm{\Delta }))^{\text{sym}}`$ we mean section invariant under the involution $`\sigma `$.

#### 2.7.2.

The difference between two projective kernels is a holomorphic symmetric bidifferential on $`X`$, so that $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}`$ is an affine space for $`\mathrm{Sym}^2\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega })`$, of dimension $`\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)`$. Restriction to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$ defines a map $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}𝒫roj_2`$, which is surjective for $`X`$ non–hyperelliptic.

A key rôle of the spaces $`𝒫roj`$ and $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}`$ is in relation to moduli spaces. Namely, $`\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)`$ is the cotangent space to the moduli space of curves (or Teichmüller space) at $`X`$, and $`\mathrm{Sym}^2\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X)`$ is the cotangent space to the moduli of abelian varieties (or Siegel upper half space) at the Jacobian $`\mathrm{Jac}_X`$ of $`X`$. The spaces $`𝒫roj`$ and $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}`$ are naturally identified as the fibers, at $`X`$ and $`\mathrm{Jac}_X`$ respectively, of the space of connections on a natural (Hodge or theta) line bundles on the respective moduli spaces (in other words the fibers of appropriate twisted cotangent bundles). (See \[Ty, BB\].)

An important example of a projective kernel is the Bergman kernel $`\omega _B`$. Let $`\omega _i`$ ($`i=1,\mathrm{},g`$) be the normalized basis of holomorphic differentials on $`X`$, with respect to a normalized homology basis $`A_i,B_j`$, and $`\frac{}{z_i}`$ the dual basis of vector fields on the Jacobian. The Bergman kernel is characterized by having vanishing $`A`$ periods, and the forms $`\omega _i`$ as its $`B`$–periods.

### 2.8. Matrix opers.

In this section we describe a matrix version of opers. Thus we consider $`n`$th order differential operators with matrix coefficients,

$$L=_t^nq_1_t^{n1}q_2_t^{n2}\mathrm{}q_n$$

where the $`q_{n+1}`$ are now $`k`$ by $`k`$ matrices, acting on $`^r`$. Let $`L:E_1E_2`$ be a $`n`$th order differential operator between vector bundles $`E_1,E_2`$ on $`X`$, whose symbol is an isomorphism, so that $`E_2E_1\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n`$.

#### 2.8.1. Definition.

A $`n`$th order matrix oper on $`E`$ is an $`n`$th order differential operator $`L\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{Diff}^n(E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1n}{2}},E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1+n}{2}}))`$ over $`X`$ with principal symbol the identity $`\mathrm{Id}_E`$. The space of matrix opers on $`E`$ is denoted by $`𝒪p_n[E]`$.

#### 2.8.2.

We may follow the same procedure as in § 2.4 to describe $`n`$th order matrix opers $`L`$ by first order matrix systems, now of rank $`nk`$. The resulting connections were called coupled connections in \[Bi\]. We have the following statement (see \[Bi\] for more details):

#### 2.8.3. Proposition.

Let $`E`$ be a vector bundle. There is a natural identification between matrix opers $`L:EE\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n`$ of order $`n`$, and vector bundles $`F`$ equipped with a filtration $`0=F_0F_1\mathrm{}F_n=F`$, with $`F_1E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1n}{2}}`$, and a connection $`:FF\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ satisfying the two conditions

1. $`:F_\nu F_{\nu +1}\mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ (Griffiths transversality), and
2. the homomorphism $`F_\nu /F_{\nu 1}F_{\nu +1}/F_\nu \mathrm{\Omega }_X`$ induced by $``$ is an isomorphism for all $`\nu `$.

#### 2.8.4. Proof.

Recall that a $`n`$th order operator $`L\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{Diff}^n(E_1,E_1\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n))`$ over $`X`$ is a homomorphism from $`J^n(E_1)`$ to $`E_1\mathrm{\Omega }_X^n`$. This is equivalent to a splitting of the jet sequence

$$0E_1\mathrm{\Omega }_X^nJ^n(E_1)J^{n1}(E_1)0,$$

and thus to a lift $`J^{n1}(E_1)`$ to $`J^n(E_1)`$. However there is a natural homomorphism $`J^n(E_1)J^1(J^{n1}(E_1))`$ for any bundle. Thus we have constructed a lifting from $`J^{n1}(E_1)`$ to its sheaf of $`1`$–jets, in other words a connection on $`J^{n1}(E_1)`$. The strict Griffiths transversality with respect to the natural connection on $`J^{n1}(E)`$ follows automatically.

In the reverse direction, given a filtered vector bundle $`F`$ and a connection $``$ on $`F`$ as above, consider the homomorphism

$$\psi _k:FJ^k(F)J^k(F/F_{n1})$$

where the first arrow is the flat extension map given by the connection and the second is the projection. The transversality condition ensures that $`\psi _{n1}`$ is an isomorphism. Therefore, $`\psi _n\psi _{n1}^1:J^{n1}(F/F_{n1})J^n(F/F_{n1})`$ gives a splitting of the jet sequence as above, in other words, a differential operator as desired.

#### 2.8.5. Developing maps.

A geometric description of coupled connections $``$ as in Proposition 2.8.3, generalizing the description of projective structures via period maps, is given in \[Bi\]. Namely consider the Grassmannian bundle $`G_k(F)`$ of $`k`$–dimensional subspaces of $`F`$. This inherits a connection from $``$ and a section from $`F_1`$, which is nowhere flat. It follows that on simply connected opens (or on the universal cover of $`X`$) we obtain period maps to $`G_k(^{nk})`$ using the connection to trivialize $`G_k(F)`$ and the section to map. These period maps satisfy natural nondegeneracy conditions. Conversely such nondegenerate period maps with transitions coming from the action of $`\text{GL}_{nk}`$ on $`G_k`$ give rise to coupled connections.

#### 2.8.6. Decomposition of matrix opers.

Matrix opers of order $`n`$ on $`E`$ correspond to kernel functions in $`_{n+1}(E)|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}`$, that is a section of $`_{n+1}(E)`$ over $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$, whose restriction to the diagonal is

$$\mathrm{Id}_E\mathrm{End}E_{n+1}(E)|_\mathrm{\Delta }.$$

For example, if $`E=`$ is a line bundle, then matrix opers and $`\text{GL}_n`$–opers for $``$ are the same. It follows that by restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$, a matrix oper defines a section of $`_{n+1}(E)|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ with residue $`\mathrm{Id}_E`$ and thus a flat connection on $`E`$ (§ 2.2.1). So there is a canonical projection $`𝒪p_n(E)𝒞onn(E)`$.

The induced connection on $`E`$ allows us to identify $`_{n+1}(E)`$ with $`_{n+1}p_1^{}\mathrm{End}E`$ to any order near $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$. Thus, if $`p[𝔤l_n]^{\text{GL}_n}`$ is an invariant polynomial on matrices (i.e., a coefficient of the characteristic polynomial) we obtain a map

$$p_{}:𝒪p_n(E)𝒪p_n^{}$$

by applying $`p`$ to $`\mathrm{End}E`$ and identifying the resulting shifted oper with an oper.

Together with Proposition 2.5.1, this gives a very simple description of matrix opers. Let

$$\mathrm{Hitch}_n^{>1}(E)^{}=\underset{i=2}{\overset{n}{}}\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{End}^{}E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^i),$$

the space of traceless $`\mathrm{End}E`$–valued polydifferentials.

#### 2.8.7. Proposition.

There is a canonical isomorphism

$$𝒞onn(E)\times 𝒪p_n^{}\times \mathrm{Hitch}_n^{>1}(E)^{}𝒪p_n(E).$$

#### 2.8.8. Proof.

We describe the isomorphism in the languages of kernels and of coupled connections.

We define the map $`𝒞onn(E)\times 𝒪p_n^{}𝒪p_n(E)`$ using the tensor decomposition of $`_n(E)`$ by taking the tensor product of sections. It follows that the decomposition (Proposition 2.5.1) of sections of $`_{n+1}`$ gives rise to a direct sum decomposition of sections of this tensor product. We identify $`𝒪p_n^{}`$ with the scalar endomorphisms, thereby obtaining the proposition. The projection back to $`\text{SL}_n`$–opers is given by the induced map $`\mathrm{tr}_{}`$ for $`p(A)=\mathrm{tr}(A)/\mathrm{rk}(E)`$ above.

Viewing an oper through the corresponding flat bundle $`(F,F_{},)`$, where $`F_{}`$ is a filtration of subbundles of $`F`$, we may take the tensor product of vector bundles $`EF`$, with its induced filtration and connection. The result is a coupled connection, which we consider as a matrix oper on $`E`$. Inside the space of Higgs fields on $`EF`$ compatible with the filtration we find the tensor product of $`\mathrm{End}E`$ with the space $`𝒱`$ of Higgs fields from Proposition 2.5.1, so we can modify the coupled connection by $`\mathrm{End}E`$–valued polydifferentials. Again one checks this gives a bijective parametrization of coupled connections.

To see the compatibility of the constructions, note that a vector bundle with connection is canonically trivialized to any order near a point $`xX`$, up to a constant matrix (the change of trivialization of its fiber at $`x`$). Hence the compatibility reduces to the (equivariant) compatibility in the case of the trivial bundle, which is obvious.

#### 2.8.9. The determinant.

The determinant map for matrix opers may also be described directly, without solving the associated connection. Let $`s`$ be a section of $`(E_1E_2)`$, where $`E_1,E_2`$ are vector bundles on $`X`$ of the same rank $`k`$ and $``$ is a line bundle on $`X\times X`$. Then we may define the determinant section $`dets=^ks`$ of $`(detE_1detE_2)^k`$ (e.g. consider $`s`$ as a homomorphism from $`p_1^{}E_1`$ to $`p_2^{}E_2`$ of rank $`k`$ vector bundles and take its determinant).

If $`sEE^{}|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ is a connection on $`E`$, then $`dets\mathrm{\Gamma }(detEdetE^{}|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }})`$ is the determinant connection on $`detE`$. More generally, the determinant defines a canonical map

$$det:𝒪p_n(E)𝒪p_n(detE)$$

Namely, the determinant of $`s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_n(E)|_{k\mathrm{\Delta }})`$ defines a section

$$dets\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n\mathrm{rk}E}(detE)|_{k\mathrm{\Delta }})$$

which is the identity on the diagonal, i.e., a shifted oper, and which we identify with an (unshifted) oper as in § 2.6. There is a commutative diagram

$$\begin{array}{ccc}𝒪p_n(E)& & 𝒞onn(E)\times \mathrm{\Gamma }(_np_1^{}\mathrm{End}E)\\ & & \\ 𝒪p_n(detE)& & 𝒞onn(detE)\times 𝒪p_n^{}\end{array}$$

where the horizontal arrows are given by trivializing $`E,detE`$ using the connection, and the vertical arrows are the determinant maps on kernels and on endomorphisms. This identifies the determinant map for matrix opers above with the determinant of the associated kernel.

### 2.9. Extended Connections.

The splitting in Proposition 2.8.7 picks out a particularly interesting subspace $`𝒞onn(E)\times 𝒫roj`$ of matrix opers on $`E`$, the extended connections on $`E`$. In fact extended connections most naturally appear as a quotient of matrix opers. Their rôle is as an affine space for the cotangent space of the moduli of the pair $`(X,E)`$. As such they do not split as a product: the splitting in Proposition 2.8.7 is nonlinear (since it involves solving the connection to some order), and in fact a deformation the quadratic part of the Hitchin map.

#### 2.9.1. Definition.

The space $`x𝒞onn_{n+1}(E)`$ of extended connections on $`E`$ is the space of monic sections of the quotient of $`_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ by the subsheaf of sections vanishing on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and with vanishing trace on $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$.

#### 2.9.2.

Here trace refers to the composition

$$_{n+1}(E)(2\mathrm{\Delta })\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2\mathrm{End}E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2,$$

and monic sections are sections restricting to $`\mathrm{Id}_E`$ on the diagonal. Thus we have modified $`_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ by forgetting all but the trace of the lowest–order term.

It follows that restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$ makes $`x𝒞onn_{n+1}(E)`$ an affine bundle for quadratic differentials $`H^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)`$ over $`𝒞onn(E)`$. Consider the space of extended Higgs fields

$$xiggs(E)=\{s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}(E)|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }})|s|_\mathrm{\Delta }=0\}/\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}(E)^{}|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}).$$

Note that this space $`xiggs(E)`$ is independent of $`n+1`$ since $`_{n+1}|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ is canonically trivialized. The space of extended connections is clearly a torsor over extended Higgs fields. The importance of the latter is as the cotangent space at $`(X,E)`$ to the moduli of pairs of Riemann surfaces and vector bundles. They form an extension

$$0H^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)xiggs(E)H^0(X,\mathrm{End}E\mathrm{\Omega }_X)0$$

of Higgs fields on $`E`$ by quadratic differentials. It is proven in \[BB\] that the torsors $`x𝒞onn_{n+1}(E)`$ over $`xiggs(E)`$ for varying $`X,E`$ form a twisted cotangent bundle over the moduli space: in particular there is an isomorphism

$$x𝒞onn_1𝒞onn(\mathrm{\Theta })$$

with the affine bundle of connections on the theta line bundle over the moduli space.

#### 2.9.3. Lemma.

For every $`n`$, the map

$$𝒞onn(E)\times 𝒫roj_{n+1}\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}/_{n+1}(E)^{})$$

defines an isomorphism $`𝒞onn\times 𝒫rojx𝒞onn_{n+1}(E)`$ and thereby lifts the latter to $`𝒪p_2(E)(n+1)`$ (and hence $`𝒪p_n`$ for every $`n`$).

#### 2.9.4. The deformed quadratic Hitchin map.

The projection

$$x𝒞onn_{n+1}(E)𝒫roj$$

of extended connections back to projective structures may be described in several ways. Following § 2.8.6, it is given by sending $`_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}_{n+1}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}\mathrm{End}E`$ via the connection and thence to $`𝒫roj(n+1)`$ via trace of sections. Alternatively, it can be deduced from the determinant map

$$det:_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}_{k(n+1)}(detE)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}.$$

We identify the resulting $`\text{GL}_2`$–oper with an element of $`𝒫roj(k(n+1))`$ by tensoring with the connection of $`detE`$ as in Lemma 2.3.6, and thence with an element of $`𝒫roj(n+1)`$ by Lemma 2.6.1. (This agrees with the trace map since we are restricting to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$, thereby keeping only the leading term of the determinant.)

Another description of the projection is given by taking the trace of the square of the kernel. More precisely, for $`s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})`$, its transpose $`s^t=\sigma ^{}s_{n+1}(E^{})|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$, so that the tensor product lives in

$$ss^t(\mathrm{End}E\mathrm{End}E)_{2(n+1)}$$

over $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$. We apply trace to both factors, obtaining

$$S(s)=\mathrm{tr}_E\mathrm{tr}_E(ss^t)\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{2(n+1)}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})$$

which is monic if $`s`$ is. To compare this with the other constructions, suppose $`\rho _{n+1}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ is a projective structure, $``$ is a connection and $`\kappa EE^{}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ is the corresponding kernel function giving the isomorphism $`p_2^{}Ep_1^{}E`$. Note that

$$(\mathrm{Id}\mathrm{tr}_E)(\kappa \kappa ^t)=\mathrm{Id}_E1\mathrm{End}E𝒪,$$

simply expressing the fact that $`\kappa ^t`$ is the flat kernel for the inverse map $`p_1^{}Ep_2^{}E`$. It follows that $`S(\rho \kappa )=\rho `$, so that $`S`$ is indeed the projection back on projective structures.

This description of the determinant map for extended connections presents it as a deformation of the quadratic Hitchin map. Namely let

$$x𝒞onn_{n+1}^\lambda (E)=\{s\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}(E)|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})|s|_\mathrm{\Delta }=\lambda \mathrm{Id}\}/\mathrm{\Gamma }(_{n+1}(E)^{}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})$$

be the family deforming extended connections to extended Higgs fields.

#### 2.9.5. Proposition.

The determinant map $`x𝒞onn_{n+1}(E)𝒫roj(n+1)`$ deforms to a map

$$x𝒞onn_{n+1}^\lambda (E)𝒫roj(\lambda (n+1))$$

(for $`\lambda `$), which for $`\lambda =0`$ factors through the quadratic Hitchin map

$$xiggs(E)\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{End}E)\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^2)=𝒫roj(0),$$

sending $`\eta \mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{End}E)`$ to $`\mathrm{tr}_E(\eta ^2)`$.

#### 2.9.6. Proof.

If $`s|_\mathrm{\Delta }=\lambda \mathrm{Id}_E`$ then $`S(s)|_{2\mathrm{\Delta }}=\lambda ^2\mu _{2(n+1)}`$ (by symmetry with respect to transposition of factors). For $`\lambda 0`$ the space of such kernels is isomorphic (by rescaling and taking square–root, Lemma 2.6.1) with projective structures. In fact the resulting map $`x𝒞onn_{n+1}^\lambda (E)𝒫roj(\lambda (n+1))`$ is a morphism of torsors for quadratic differentials (the square root $`𝒫roj(2\lambda (n+1))𝒫roj(\lambda (n+1))`$ compensates for the quadratic expression $`ss^t`$.) This map clearly descends to $`x𝒞onn_{n+1}^\lambda (E)`$. On the other hand, for $`\lambda =0`$, we obtain a quadratic differential, realized as a section of $`_{n+1}|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ vanishing on $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$. This quadratic differential depends only on the Higgs field $`\eta `$ underlying the extended Higgs field $`s`$, and equals $`\mathrm{tr}_E(\eta ^2)`$ (the first trace squares $`\eta `$ by contracting indices, while the other trace takes trace of the resulting matrix).

## 3. The Klein and Wirtinger maps.

Let $`𝔐_X(n)`$ denote the moduli space of semistable vector bundles over $`X`$ of rank $`n`$ and Euler characteristic $`0`$. It is known that $`𝔐_X(n)`$ is an irreducible normal projective variety of dimension $`(g1)(n^21)+g`$. In particular, $`𝔐_X(1)=\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$, the moduli of degree $`g1`$ line bundles. Let $`𝔐_X(n)_0`$ denote the moduli space of semistable vector bundles of rank $`n`$ and degree $`0`$. The chosen theta characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$ gives an isomorphism

$$𝔐_X(n)𝔐_X(n)_0,EE_0=E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}$$

(since tensoring by a line bundle preserves semistability).

The determinant map $`EdetE`$ sends $`𝔐_X(n)`$ to $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{n(g1)}`$. We may identify a closed subvariety

$$𝔑_X(n)=\mathrm{det}^1(\{\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n}{2}}\})𝔐_X(n)$$

which is isomorphic, via $`EE_0=E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$, to the moduli of semistable $`\text{SL}_n`$–bundles. The dimension of $`𝔑_X(n)`$ is $`(g1)(n^21)`$.

The subvariety

$$\mathrm{\Theta }:=\{V𝔐_X(n)|\mathrm{H}^0(X,V)\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}\}$$

is a (reduced) divisor, the generalized theta divisor, that gives the ample generator of the Picard group $`\mathrm{Pic}(𝔑_X(n))`$ \[DN\]. Note that for any $`E`$ in $`𝔐_X(n)`$, we have $`h^0(E)=h^1(E)`$. The condition $`h^0(E)=h^1(E)=0`$ also guarantees that $`E`$ is semistable. Indeed, if a subbundle $`F`$ of $`E`$ contradicts the semistability condition of $`E`$, then the Riemann–Roch theorem ensures that $`h^0(F)>0`$, thus contradicting the condition that $`h^0(E)=0`$. The smooth locus of the theta divisor $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$ is precisely the subvariety $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{}`$ of vector bundles $`E`$ with $`\mathrm{h}^0(E)=\mathrm{h}^1(E)=1`$.

Let $`𝔎_X(n)𝔑_X(n)`$ denote the subvariety consisting of vector bundles, which are isomorphic to a direct sum of line bundles. Thus for $`n=2`$, $`𝔎_X(2)`$ consists of vector bundles of the form $`^{}^{}`$, so that $`𝔎_X(2)`$ is isomorphic to the Kummer variety $`𝔎_X(2)=\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}/\{^{}\}`$.

### 3.1. The Szegö kernel.

For $`E𝔐_X(n)`$, with $`E_0=E\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}𝔐_X(n)_0`$, denote by $`(E)`$ the sheaf

$$(E)=_1(E_0)EE^{}(\mathrm{\Delta }).$$

(By Remark 2.3.4 $`(E)|_{n\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ is independent of $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$.) Let $`(E)^{}`$ denote the subsheaf

$$(E)^{}=\{s(E):s|_\mathrm{\Delta }=\lambda \mathrm{Id}_E(\lambda )\}.$$

When $`E𝔐_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$, there is a canonical kernel function associated to $`E`$, the nonabelian Szegö kernel of Fay \[Fa2, Fa3\] (see also \[BB\]). In particular we will use the following characterization of the Szegö kernel:

#### 3.1.1. Proposition.

(\[BB\])

1. If $`\mathrm{h}^0(E)=\mathrm{h}^1(E)=0`$, then $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,(E)^{})=𝔰_E`$, where $`𝔰_E`$, the Szegö kernel of $`E`$, is the unique section with $`𝔰_E|_\mathrm{\Delta }=\mathrm{Id}_E`$.
2. Otherwise, the inclusion

$$\mathrm{H}^0(X,E)\mathrm{H}^0(X,E^{})\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,EE^{})\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,(E)^{})$$

is an isomorphism. In other words, all global sections of $`(E)^{}`$ vanish on $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$.

#### 3.1.2.

Thus $`𝔰_E|_{k\mathrm{\Delta }}𝒪p_k(E_0)(1)`$ is a canonical (shifted) matrix oper on $`E_0`$ (§ 2.8). The proposition follows from Serre duality and the long exact sequence of cohomologies of $`EE^{}`$ with poles along the diagonal.

We would like to apply the determinant map to the Szegö kernel:

$$det𝔰_E\mathrm{\Gamma }(_n(detE_0)).$$

Restricting to $`k\mathrm{\Delta }`$ defines a (shifted) $`\text{GL}_k`$–oper for the line bundle $`detE_0`$. (We will identify shifted opers with opers, using § 2.6.)

#### 3.1.3. Definition.

1. The Wirtinger oper associated to a bundle $`E𝔐_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ is the $`\text{GL}_n`$–oper $`det𝔰_E|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}\mathrm{\Gamma }(_n(detE_0)|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }})`$. The resulting map

$`𝕎:𝔐_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ $``$ $`𝒪p_n`$
$`𝕎:𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ $``$ $`𝒪p_n^{}`$
is the Wirtinger map (of rank $`n`$).
2. The Klein oper kernel associated to a bundle $`E𝔐_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ is the kernel $`det𝔰_E\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n(detE))`$. The resulting map

$$𝕂:𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }𝒦ern_n$$

is the Klein map (of rank $`n`$).

#### 3.1.4.

Note that the dimensions of $`𝔐_X(n)`$ and $`𝒪p_n`$ agree, as do those of $`𝔑_X(n)`$ and $`𝒪p_n^{}`$. Thus if we knew $`𝕎`$ to be a finite map, it would give a canonical system of étale coordinates on an open subvariety of the moduli space. This leads us to conjecture:

#### 3.1.5. Conjecture.

1. The Klein map is finite onto its image for all $`X`$.
2. The Wirtinger map is finite for generic $`X`$.

#### 3.1.6.

We will prove the conjecture in the case of torus bundles, i.e., along $`𝔎_X(n)𝔑_X(n)`$. We first describe the Szegö kernel and its determinant for torus bundles. Suppose $`E_1_2\mathrm{}_n`$. Then $`E𝔐_n(X)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ if and only if each $`_i\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta }`$. Moreover in this case $`𝔰_E=𝔰__1\mathrm{}𝔰__n`$, and $`det𝔰_E=_{i=1}^n𝔰__i`$. If $`E𝔑_X(n)`$ then we have in addition $`_{i=1}^n_i=\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n}{2}}.`$ For example, if $`n=2`$, $`E=^{}`$ and $`𝔰_E=𝔰_{}𝔰_{^{}}=𝔰_{}𝔰_{}^t`$.

Recall the Petri map

$$\mathrm{H}^0(X,)\mathrm{H}^0(X,^{})\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega })$$

obtained by tensoring of sections \[ACGH, p. 127\]. Under the Künneth isomorphism

$$\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,^{})=\mathrm{H}^0(X,)\mathrm{H}^0(X,^{}),$$

the Petri map is identified with the restriction to the diagonal

$$\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,^{})\mathrm{\Gamma }(^{}|_\mathrm{\Delta })=\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }).$$

Thus injectivity of the Petri map implies that global sections of $`^{}`$ are determined by their restriction to the diagonal. The curve $`X`$ is called Brill–Noether general if the Petri map is injective for every line bundle $``$. By the Petri conjecture (Lazarsfeld’s Theorem), this condition is satisfied by a generic curve of genus $`g`$.

We then having the following result in the direction of the finiteness conjecture:

#### 3.1.7. Theorem.

1. The Klein map for Kummers $`𝕂:𝔎_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }𝒦ern_n`$ is finite onto its image for all $`X`$.
2. The Wirtinger map for Kummers $`𝕎:𝔎_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }𝒪p_n^{}`$ is finite onto its image for Brill–Noether general $`X`$.

#### 3.1.8. Proof of (1).

Consider the subvariety of $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1})^n`$ of line bundles $`(_1,\mathrm{},_n)`$ with $`_{i=1}^n_i\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n}{2}}`$. (We identify this with $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1})^{n1}`$ through the first $`n1`$ $`_i`$.) For $`(1)`$, it clearly suffices to show that the map from $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1})^{n1}`$ to $`𝒦ern_n`$ given by

$$(_1,\mathrm{},_{n1})\underset{i=1}{\overset{n}{}}𝔰__i$$

is finite. To do so we consider $`𝒦ern_n`$ as a subvariety of $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)`$ (contained in the affine open of sections with nonzero trace on the diagonal), and complete $`𝕂`$ to a morphism

$$𝕂:(𝒫^{g1})^{n1}\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)$$

from a partial resolution of the singular locus of $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$. Here $`𝒫^{g1}\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$ is a projective morphism, which is an isomorphism off the singular part of the theta divisor. (In fact $`𝒫^{g1}`$ will be the union, for $`X`$ Brill–Noether general, of the projectivized conormal bundles to the Brill–Noether loci $`W^{g1,i}\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$.) Hence the extended map is automatically proper, and a closer examination shows it remains proper when restricted to $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta })^{n1}`$, and hence finite.

We construct $`𝒫^{g1}`$ as the moduli of pairs $`(,s)`$ consisting of a line bundle $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$ and a nonzero section $`s`$ of $`()`$, up to scalar (i.e., a divisor in the complete linear series $`|()|`$ on $`X\times X`$.) This is a projective variety mapping to $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$, with the fibers the projective spaces $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,^{}(\mathrm{\Delta }))`$. The construction of this projective variety follows from that of the Hilbert scheme of divisors, of the same degree as $`()`$, on the surface $`X\times X`$. This Hilbert scheme fibers over the Picard group of $`X\times X`$, and we pull it back to $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$ over the morphism $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{Pic}(X\times X)`$ sending $``$ to $`()`$.

It follows from Proposition 3.1.1 that over $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta }`$ the projection $`𝒫^{g1}\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$ is an isomorphism, since the Szegö kernel is the unique section of $`()`$ up to scalars. In fact, the morphism remains an isomorphism on the smooth locus of $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$, since for $`h^0()=1`$ we have $`h^0(())=h^0()h^0(^{})=1.`$ Since by Proposition 3.1.1 every section of $`()`$ for $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$ defines a section of $``$ and one of $`^{}`$, it follows that the inverse image in $`𝒫^{g1}`$ over $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$ (for the projection of $`𝒫^{g1}`$ to $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$) is given by

$$𝒫^{g1}|_\mathrm{\Theta }\mathrm{Sym}^{g1}X\times _{\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}}i^{}\mathrm{Sym}^{g1}X,$$

where $`i:^{}`$ – in other words, the inverse image is the space of pairs of divisors for $``$ and $`^{}`$. (Thus $`𝒫^{g1}`$ restricts, for $`X`$ Brill–Noether general, to the union of blowups of the Brill–Noether loci in $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$.)

We now extend the morphism $`𝕂`$ from $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1})^{n1}`$ to $`𝒫_n^{g1}`$, the inverse image of $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1})^{n1}(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1})^n`$ in $`(𝒫^{g1})^n`$, i.e., $`𝒫_n^{g1}`$ parametrizes $`(_1,s_1;\mathrm{};_n,s_n)`$ where the $`_i`$ add up to $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n}{2}}`$. To such a tuple we assign the line $`[_{i=1}^ns_i]`$ in

$$\underset{i=1}{\overset{n}{}}(\pi _{X\times X})_{}(_i)=(\pi _{X\times X})_{}(\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{n}{2}}),$$

where $`s_i`$ are the tautological sections of $`_i`$ given by the $`i`$th point in $`𝒫^{g1}`$ (taken up to scalar). The right hand side is the vector space $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)`$, independently of the $`_i`$, so we have constructed the desired extension

$$𝕂:𝒫_n^{g1}\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n).$$

The completed morphism $`𝕂`$ is a morphism of projective varieties, hence proper. We claim its restriction to $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta })^{n1}`$ is also proper. Let

$$\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)$$

denote the hyperplane of sections vanishing on the diagonal. By Proposition 3.1.1, for $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$, all sections of $`()`$ automatically vanish on the diagonal, while for $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta }`$ all nonzero sections give nonzero constant functions on the diagonal. Hence the preimage of the complement of this hyperplane is precisely $`\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta }`$. We obtain that the morphism $`𝕂`$ from the affine variety $`(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta })^{n1}`$ is proper, hence finite.

#### 3.1.9. Proof of (2).

We embed the affine space $`𝒪p_n^{}`$ in the projective space

$$\overline{𝒪p}_n^{}=\mathrm{\Gamma }(_n|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}).$$

Thus $`𝕎`$ gives rise to a map

$$𝕎:(\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta })^{n1}\overline{𝒪p}_n^{}.$$

In order to prove finiteness of $`𝕎`$, we would like to extend it to $`𝒫^{g1}`$, whenever possible.

Let $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$. Then by Proposition 3.1.1, global sections of $`^{}(\mathrm{\Delta })`$ vanish on $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$. If the Petri map of $``$ is injective, however, such sections are determined by their restriction to $`2\mathrm{\Delta }`$. So we take $`X`$ to be Brill–Noether general. It follows that for a collection of nonzero sections $`s_i\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,(_i))`$, the restriction $`(_{i=1}^ns_i)|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}`$ is also nonzero. Thus the $`s_i`$ define a point in $`\overline{𝒪p}_n^{}`$, and we have completed $`𝕎`$ to a map

$$𝕎:(𝒫^{g1})^{n1}\overline{𝒪p}_n^{}.$$

Again the inverse image of the hyperplane of sections vanishing on the diagonal is precisely the inverse image of the theta divisor, so the map remains proper off $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$, implying finiteness as before.

## 4. Relations with theta functions.

### 4.1. The theta linear series.

The Klein and Wirtinger maps have natural interpretations as quotients of the theta linear series on $`𝔐_X(n)`$ and $`𝔑_X(n)`$. For $`E𝔐_X(n)`$, consider the sequence of maps

$$((n+1)\mathrm{\Delta })X\times X\stackrel{\delta }{}\mathrm{Jac}_X\stackrel{\tau _E}{}𝔐_X(n).$$

Here

$$\tau _E:\mathrm{Jac}_X:=\text{Pic}^0(X)𝔐_X(n),\tau _E()=E$$

is the translation map, $`\delta (x,y)=yx`$ and the composition $`\tau _E\delta `$ is the difference map

$$\delta _E:X\times X𝔐_X(n),\delta _E(x,y)=E(yx).$$

It is well–known that for $`E𝔑_X(n)`$, the pullback of nonabelian theta functions

$$\tau _E^{}[𝒪_{𝔐_X(n)}(\mathrm{\Theta })]=𝒪_{\mathrm{Jac}_X}(n\mathrm{\Theta })$$

are weight $`n`$ abelian theta functions. Moreover the resulting map

$$\tau ^{}:𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪_{\mathrm{Jac}_X}(n\mathrm{\Theta }))$$

is an embedding (see \[Be\]). (Note that we have fixed a theta characteristic $`\mathrm{\Omega }_X^{\frac{1}{2}}`$, which allows us to principally polarize the Jacobian and pass from line bundles $``$ of degree $`n(g1)`$ to $`_0`$ of degree $`0`$.) Pulling back further to $`X\times X`$ or $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$, we obtain sections of the pullback $`\delta _E^{}𝒪_{𝔐_X(n)}(\mathrm{\Theta })=_n\mathrm{\Theta }|_E,`$ the tensor of the line bundle $`_n`$ by the complex line $`\mathrm{\Theta }|_E`$, the fiber of $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$. (See e.g. \[BB\].)

It follows that we have a sequence of pullback maps

$$\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪_{\mathrm{Jac}_X}(n\mathrm{\Theta }))\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)\mathrm{\Gamma }(_n|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }}),$$

and consequently rational maps on the corresponding projective spaces. Composing these with $`\tau ^{}`$ we obtain rational maps from $`𝔑_X(n)`$ (if the image of $`\tau ^{}`$ is not contained in the kernels of the projections).

We will use the following description of the Szegö kernel:

#### 4.1.1. Theorem.

(\[BB\], see also \[GP, Po\]) $`\mathrm{det}𝔰_E=\delta _E^{}\theta /\theta (E)`$.

#### 4.1.2. Corollary.

The Klein and Wirtinger maps

$`𝕂:𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ $``$ $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_n)`$
$`𝕎:𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{\Theta }`$ $``$ $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(_n|_{(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }})`$
are equal to the composition of the theta linear series $`\tau ^{}`$ with the restrictions to $`X\times X`$ and $`(n+1)\mathrm{\Delta }`$, respectively.

### 4.2. The linear series $`|2\mathrm{\Theta }|`$.

Let us consider the case $`n=2`$. (Our reference for $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$ functions is \[Do\].) The map $`\tau ^{}:𝔑_X(n)\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪(2\mathrm{\Theta }))`$ restricts on the Kummer variety $`\mathrm{Jac}_X𝔎_X(2)𝔑_X(2)`$ to the map

$$\mathrm{Jac}_Xe\mathrm{\Theta }_e+\mathrm{\Theta }_e$$

(where $`\mathrm{\Theta }_e`$ denotes the translate of $`\mathrm{\Theta }`$ by $`e`$). The Riemann quadratic identity and Kummer identification theorem provide a natural isomorphism between this map and the $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$ linear series

$$|2\mathrm{\Theta }|_{}:\mathrm{Jac}_X\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪(2\mathrm{\Theta }))^{}$$

which naturally maps to the dual projective space.

By the symmetry properties of $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$ it follows that the image of $`\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪(2\mathrm{\Theta }))`$ in $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,_2)`$ consists of symmetric bidifferentials. In fact there is a short exact sequence

$$0\mathrm{\Gamma }_{00}\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪(2\mathrm{\Theta }))\stackrel{\delta ^{}}{}\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{\Omega }(2\mathrm{\Delta }))^{\text{sym}}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0},$$

where the kernel $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{00}`$ can be characterized as the subspace of $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$–functions vanishing to fourth order at $`0`$. The right hand side is a vector space of dimension $`\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)+1`$. Its projective space $`\overline{𝒦ern_2^{sym}}^{\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)}`$ contains as an affine open the space $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}`$ of projective kernels. This vector space has a further quotient $`\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_X\mathrm{\Omega }_X(2\mathrm{\Delta })|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }})^{\text{sym}}`$, obtained by restricting kernels to $`3\mathrm{\Delta }`$. Its projective space $`\overline{𝒫roj}^{3g3}`$ contains as an affine open the space $`𝒫roj`$ of projective structures. Note that the image of $`𝕂:𝔑_X(2)\mathrm{\Theta }𝒦ern_2`$ lies in $`𝒦ern_2^{sym}`$, while $`𝕎`$ defines a map $`𝕎:𝔑_X(2)\mathrm{\Theta }𝒫roj`$. We may thus reinterpret the finiteness theorem as follows:

#### 4.2.1. Corollary.

1. The rational map $`\mathrm{Jac}_X^{\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)}`$ defined by the composition of $`|2\mathrm{\Theta }|_{}`$ with projection by $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{00}`$ is a finite morphism on $`\mathrm{Jac}_X\mathrm{\Theta }`$.
2. For $`X`$ generic, the further projection $`\mathrm{Jac}_X^{3g3}`$ remains finite on $`\mathrm{Jac}_X\mathrm{\Theta }`$.

#### 4.2.2. Formulas.

The explicit description of the Szegö kernel for line bundles is

(4.2.1)
$$𝔰_{}(x,y)=\frac{\theta (yx+_0)}{\theta (_0)E(x,y)},$$

where $`E(x,y)`$ is the prime form (this is the rank one case of Theorem 4.1.1.) Thus the Klein map on the Kummer $`𝔎_X(2)`$ becomes

(4.2.2)
$$𝕂(^{})=𝔰_{}𝔰_{^{}}=\frac{\theta (yx+_0)\theta (yx_0)}{\theta (_0)^2E(x,y)^2}.$$

The relation to $`2\mathrm{\Theta }`$ is easily seen explicitly. Let

$$\stackrel{}{\theta }:^g\mathrm{H}^0(\mathrm{Jac}_X,𝒪(2\mathrm{\Theta }))^{}$$

defined by

$$\stackrel{}{\theta }(e)=\underset{\alpha ,\beta \mathrm{Jac}_X[2]}{}\theta _2\left[\begin{array}{c}\alpha \\ \beta \end{array}\right](e)$$

be the generating vector of the second order theta functions with characteristics. By Riemann’s quadratic identity (\[Mu1\]), we may rewrite the expression $`𝕂(^{})`$ of (4.2.2) as follows:

(4.2.3)
$$\frac{\theta (yx+_0)\theta (yx_0)}{\theta (_0)^2E(x,y)^2}=\frac{\stackrel{}{\theta }(yx)\stackrel{}{\theta }(_0)}{\theta (_0)^2E(x,y)^2}.$$

### 4.3. The Gauss map.

Let $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{}\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}`$ denote the smooth part of the theta divisor. The Gauss map for the theta divisor sends

$$𝔊:\mathrm{\Theta }^{}\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }).$$

Since $`\mathrm{H}^0(X,)=l`$ is one dimensional for $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{}`$, the Petri map for $``$,

$$ll^{},$$

also defines a line in $`\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega })`$, which is known to agree with the Gauss line for $``$. On the other hand the extension of $`𝕎`$ to $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{}𝒫^{g1}`$ sends

$$(ll^{})(l^{}l)|_\mathrm{\Delta }=(ll^{})^2,$$

which defines a line in $`\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega })\overline{𝒫roj}`$. Thus the tensor square of the Gauss map agrees with the morphism $`𝕎`$:

#### 4.3.1. Corollary.

For a Brill–Noether general curve, the square of the Gauss map

$$𝔊^2:\mathrm{\Theta }^{}\mathrm{H}^0(X,\mathrm{\Omega }^2)$$

extends to a finite morphism

$$𝕎:\mathrm{Pic}_X^{g1}\mathrm{\Theta }^{sing}\overline{𝒫roj}.$$

#### 4.3.2. Remark.

It is interesting to note that this relation of the Klein map to the theta divisor fails completely in higher rank. Namely, for $`E\mathrm{\Theta }^{}`$ we still have $`\mathrm{H}^0(X,E)=s`$. It follows that the Higgs field

$$ss^{}\mathrm{End}E\mathrm{\Omega }=(EE^{})|_\mathrm{\Delta }$$

is nilpotent. In fact as $`E`$ varies over $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{}`$ we obtain this way an irreducible component of the global nilpotent cone in the moduli of Higgs bundles. Thus the “Hitchin–Gauss” map, applying characteristic polynomials to this canonical line of Higgs bundles along $`\mathrm{\Theta }^{}`$, is identically zero. In particular the determinant $`detss^{}=0`$ vanishes identically on $`X\times X`$, so we cannot use this to extend the Klein map across the theta divisor.

### 4.4. Logarithmic derivatives of theta.

In \[Mu1\], Mumford cites three general techniques for constructing meromorphic functions on Jacobians out of theta functions, of which the third is that of taking second logarithmic derivatives. Namely, there is a collection of $`\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)`$ meromorphic functions

$$\frac{^2\mathrm{log}\theta }{z_iz_j}$$

on the Jacobian – or more invariantly, a rational map

(4.4.1)
$$e\underset{1}{\overset{g}{}}\frac{^2\mathrm{log}\theta }{z_iz_j}(e)\omega _i(x)\omega _j(y).$$

from the Jacobian to holomorphic symmetric bidifferentials on $`X`$, $`\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{\Omega })^{\text{sym}}`$.

By translating these holomorphic bidifferentials by the Bergman kernel $`\omega _B`$ (§ 2.7), we obtain the Klein projective kernels $`\omega _e𝒦ern_2^{sym}`$ (\[Ty\]):

(4.4.2)
$$\omega _e=\omega _B(x,y)+\underset{1}{\overset{g}{}}\frac{^2\mathrm{log}\theta }{z_iz_j}(e)\omega _i(x)\omega _j(y).$$

Here the point $`e\mathrm{Jac}_X\mathrm{\Theta }`$. Classically $`e`$ is taken to be a two–torsion point, so that $`\omega _e`$ is written in terms of theta functions with characteristics. The corresponding projective connections $`\omega _e|_{3\mathrm{\Delta }}𝒫roj`$ are known (\[Ty\]) as the Wirtinger connections.

The relation of these classical kernels with our Klein and Wirtinger maps is provided by the “second corollary to the trisecant identity” of J. Fay (\[Fa1\], Corollary 2.12; also \[Mu2\]):

$$𝕂()=\frac{\theta (yx+_0)\theta (yx_0)}{\theta (_0)^2E(x,y)^2}=\omega _B(x,y)+\underset{1}{\overset{g}{}}\frac{^2\mathrm{log}\theta }{z_iz_j}(_0)\omega _i(x)\omega _j(y)=\omega __0.$$

#### 4.4.1. Corollary.

The second logarithmic derivatives of $`\theta `$ provide a finite parametrization of the complement of the theta divisor in the Jacobian in affine space of dimension $`\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{g}{2}\right)`$. Namely, the holomorphic map

$$\mathrm{Jac}_X\mathrm{\Theta }\mathrm{H}^0(X\times X,\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{\Omega })^{\text{sym}}$$

of (4.4.1) is finite onto its image.

#### 4.4.2. Remark.

It also follows from Corollary 4.4.1 that the second logarithmic derivative map is generically finite for generic abelian varieties, since it is finite on the Jacobian locus.

Acknowledgments: We would like to thank Ron Donagi and Matthew Emerton for useful discussions. We are especially grateful to Mohan Ramachandran for suggesting the use of properness to establish finiteness.