Harmonic metrics of $\mathrm{SO}_{0}(n,n)$-Higgs bundles in the Hitchin section on non-compact hyperbolic surfaces

Weihan Ma

Published 2024-08-17Version 1

Let $X$ be a Riemann surface. Using the canonical line bundle $K$ and some holomorphic differentials $\boldsymbol{q}$, Hitchin constructed the $G$-Higgs bundles in the Hitchin section for a split real form $G$ of a complex simple Lie group. We study the ${\mathrm{SO}_0(n,n)}$ case. In our work, we establish the existence of harmonic metrics for these Higgs bundles, which are compatible with the ${\mathrm{SO}_0(n,n)}$-structure for any non-compact hyperbolic Riemann surface. Moreover, these harmonic metrics also weakly dominate $h_X$ which is the natural diagonal harmonic metric induced by the unique complete K\"ahler hyperbolic metric $g_X$ on $X$. Assuming that these holomorphic differentials are all bounded with respect to the metric $g_X$, we are able to prove the uniqueness of such a harmonic metric.