Moritz Kerz (Universität Regensburg)

Abstract: In the study of semi-stable degeneration of Lefschetz pencils one is led to a generalization of the classical Picard-Lefschetz formula for certain perverse sheaves on normal crossing spaces. In the talk I will recall the formalism of nearby cycle and vanishing cycle functors and I will explain how Hodge theory allows one to obtain the normal crossing Picard-Lefschetz formula. Joint work with A. Beilinson and H. Esnault.