Iterated destabilizing modifications for vector bundles with connection

Abstract

Given a vector bundle with integrable connection $(V,\nabla)$ on a curve, if $V$ is not itself semistable as a vector bundle then we can iterate a construction involving modification by the destabilizing subobject to obtain a Hodge-like filtration $F^p$ which satisfies Griffiths transversality. The associated graded Higgs bundle is the limit of $(V,t\nabla)$ under the de Rham to Dolbeault degeneration. We get a stratification of the moduli space of connections, with as minimal stratum the space of opers. The strata have fibrations whose fibers are Lagrangian subspaces of the moduli space.