The Decomposition Theorem and the Intersection Cohomology of Quotients in Algebraic Geometry

Abstract

This paper applies the decomposition theorem in intersection cohomology to geometric invariant theory quotients, relating the intersection cohomology of the quotient to that of the semistable points for the action. Suppose a connected reductive complex algebraic group $G$ acts linearly on a complex projective variety $X$. We prove that if $1 \to N \to G \to H \to 1$ is a short exact sequence of connected reductive groups, and $X^{ss}$ the set of semistable points for the action of $N$ on $X$, then the $H$-equivariant intersection cohomology of the geometric invariant theory quotient $X^{ss}//N$ is a direct summand of the $G$-equivariant intersection cohomology of $X^{ss}$.