Abstract

Rank one symmetric differentials, a concept introduced by Taubes, play a significant role in gauge theory and differential geometry. In this talk, we’ll dive into the world of rank one symmetric differentials over projective varieties. We’ll explore how rank one symmetric differentials are connected to Higgs bundles and a recent proposal by Chen-Ngo. Furthermore, we will explain how rank one symmetric differentials could play a role in the Simpson integral conjecture. We will discuss a new proof using Finsler metric rigidity to prove characteristic rigidity and integrality for arithematic varieties with rank bigger than one. This talk is based on collaborated work with J.Liu and another work with J.Liu and N.Mok.