In this paper, we consider a generalization of the theory of Higgs bundles over a smooth complex projective curve in which the twisting of the Higgs field by the canonical bundle of the curve is replaced by a rank 2 vector bundle. We define a Hitchin map and give a spectral correspondence. We also state a Hitchin-Kobayashi correspondence for a generalization of the Hitchin equations to this situation. In a certain sense, this theory lies halfway between the theories of Higgs bundles on a curve and on a higher dimensional variety.
Let $X$ be a compact connected Riemann surface and $D$ an effective divisor on $X$. Let ${mathcal N}_H(r,d)$ denote the moduli space of $D$-twisted stable Higgs bundles (a special class of Hitchin pairs) on $X$ of rank $r$ and degree $d$. It is known that ${mathcal N}_H(r,d)$ has a natural holomorphic Poisson structure which is in fact symplectic if and only if $D$ is the zero divisor. We prove that ${mathcal N}_H(r,d)$ admits a natural enhancement to a holomorphic symplectic manifold which is called here ${mathcal M}_H(r,d)$. This ${mathcal M}_H(r,d)$ is constructed by trivializing, over $D$, the restriction of the vector bundles underlying the $D$-twisted Higgs bundles; such objects are called here as framed Higgs bundles. We also investigate the symplectic structure on the moduli space ${mathcal M}_H(r,d)$ of framed Higgs bundles as well as the Hitchin system associated to it.
Let $X$ be a compact connected Riemann surface, $D, subset, X$ a reduced effective divisor, $G$ a connected complex reductive affine algebraic group and $H_x, subsetneq, G_x$ a Zariski closed subgroup for every $x, in, D$. A framed principal $G$--bundle is a pair $(E_G,, phi)$, where $E_G$ is a holomorphic principal $G$--bundle on $X$ and $phi$ assigns to each $x, in, D$ a point of the quotient space $(E_G)_x/H_x$. A framed $G$--Higgs bundle is a framed principal $G$--bundle $(E_G,, phi)$ together with a section $theta, in, H^0(X,, text{ad}(E_G)otimes K_Xotimes{mathcal O}_X(D))$ such that $theta(x)$ is compatible with the framing $phi$ for every $x, in, D$. We construct a holomorphic symplectic structure on the moduli space $mathcal{M}_{FH}(G)$ of stable framed $G$--Higgs bundles. Moreover, we prove that the natural morphism from $mathcal{M}_{FH}(G)$ to the moduli space $mathcal{M}_{H}(G)$ of $D$-twisted $G$--Higgs bundles $(E_G,, theta)$ that forgets the framing, is Poisson. These results generalize cite{BLP} where $(G,, {H_x}_{xin D})$ is taken to be $(text{GL}(r,{mathbb C}),, {text{I}_{rtimes r}}_{xin D})$. We also investigate the Hitchin system for $mathcal{M}_{FH}(G)$ and its relationship with that for $mathcal{M}_{H}(G)$.