Profinite completions and cohomology jump loci

Abstract

Let $X$ be a connected finite-type CW-complex with fundamental group $G$. We show that the profinite completion $\widehat{G}$ determines the cohomology jump loci $\mathcal{V}^q_s(X,\mathbb{C})$ under two hypotheses: that the loci are finite unions of torsion-translated subtori, as for smooth quasi-projective varieties, and that $\widehat{G}$ determines the Betti numbers of the finite cyclic covers of $X$ in degrees $\le q$, which holds unconditionally for $q=1$, and in all degrees when $X$ is aspherical and $G$ is good in the sense of Serre. When the isomorphism of completions is compatible with an identification of the abelianizations, the loci correspond exactly; in general, they correspond up to an isogeny. Applied to finite covers, this shows that the tropical bounds for the Bieri--Neumann--Strebel--Renz invariants are profinite invariants, and recovers the profinite invariance of the BNS invariant of K\"ahler groups due to Hughes, Llosa Isenrich, Py, Stover, and Vidussi. We also show that $\widehat{G}$ determines the graded abelian groups $\mathrm{gr}_r(G/W(G))$, torsion included, for every verbal subgroup $W(G)$; the cases $W(G)=1$ and $W(G)=G''$ give the lower central series quotients and the Chen groups. For hyperplane arrangements, it follows that no arithmetic Zariski pair is distinguished by any of these invariants, while two known lattice-isomorphic pairs show, respectively, that the profinite completion of an arrangement group is not combinatorially determined, and that it does not determine the group.