A result about Picard-Lefschetz monodromy

Abstract

Let $f$ and $g$ be reduced homogeneous polynomials in separate sets of variables. We establish a simple formula that relates the eigenspace decomposition of the monodromy operator on the Milnor fiber cohomology of $fg$ to that of $f$ and $g$ separately. We use a relation between local systems and Milnor fiber cohomology that has been established by D. Cohen and A. Suciu.