A new generic vanishing theorem on homogeneous varieties and the positivity conjecture for triple intersections of Schubert cells

Abstract: In this paper we prove a new generic vanishing theorem for $X$ a complete homogeneous variety with respect to an action of a connected algebraic group. Let $A, B_0\subset X$ be locally closed affine subvarieties, and assume that $B_0$ is smooth and pure dimensional. Let $\mathcal{P}$ be a perverse sheaf on $A$ and let $B=g B_0$ be a generic translate of $B_0$. Then our theorem implies $$(-1)^{{\operatorname{codim}} B}\chi(A\cap B, \mathcal{P}|_{A\cap B})\geq 0$$. As an application, we prove in full generality a positivity conjecture about the signed Euler characteristic of generic triple intersections of Schubert cells. Such Euler characteristics are known to be the structure constants for the multiplication of the Segre-Schwartz-MacPherson classes of these Schubert cells.