Remarks on contact structures and vector fields on isolated complete intersection singularities

Abstract

Let $(X,0)$ be an isolated complete intersection complex singularity ($X$ can also be smooth at 0). Let $K$ be its link, $\cal X$ its canonical contact structure and $\D_X$ the complex vector bundle associated to $\cal X$. We prove that the bundle $\D_X$ is trivial if and only if the Milnor number of $X$ satisfies $\mu(X,0) \equiv (-1)^{n-1}$ modulo $(n-1)!$. This follows from a general theorem stating that the complex orthogonal complement of a vector field in $X$ with an isolated singularity at 0 is trivial iff the GSV-index of $v$ is a multiple of $(n-1)!$. We have also an application to foliation theory: a holomorphic foliation $\cal F$ in a ball $\B_r$ around the origin in $\C^3$, with an isolated singularity at 0, admits a $C^\infty$ normal section (away from 0) iff its multiplicity (or local index) is even, and this happens iff its normal bundle in $\B_r \setminus \{0\}$ is topologically trivial.