Algebraic fiber spaces and curvature of higher direct images

Abstract

In this article we are interested in the differential geometric properties of certain higher direct images of exterior powers of the sheaf of relative differentials twisted with a line bundle. We obtain explicit curvature formulas, especially in case where the said line bundle satisfies a natural curvature assumption. Several applications are obtained, including a proof of a result by Viehweg-Zuo in the context of a canonically polarized family of maximal variation.