Degenerations of Hodge Structures

Abstract

Two interesting questions in algebraic geometry are: (i) how can a smooth projective varieties degenerate? and (ii) given two such degenerations, when can we say that one is "more singular/degenerate" than the other? Schmid's Nilpotent Orbit Theorem yields Hodge-theoretic analogs of these questions, and the Hodge-theoretic answers in turn provide insight into the motivating algebro-geometric questions, sometimes with applications to the study of moduli. Recently the Hodge-theoretic questions have been completely answered. This is an expository survey of that work.