A geometric analogue of a conjecture of Gross and Reeder

Abstract

Let G be a simple complex algebraic group. We prove that the irregularity of the adjoint connection of an irregular flat G-bundle on the formal punctured disk is always greater than or equal to the rank of G. This can be considered as a geometric analogue of a conjecture of Gross and Reeder. We will also show that the irregular connections with minimum adjoint irregularity are precisely the (formal) Frenkel-Gross connections.