On symplectically harmonic forms on six-dimensional nilmanifolds

Abstract.

In the present paper we study the variation of the dimensions h _k of spaces of symplectically harmonic cohomology classes (in the sense of Brylinski) on closed symplectic manifolds. We give a description of such variation for all 6-dimensional nilmanifolds equipped with symplectic forms. In particular, it turns out that certain 6-dimensional nilmanifolds possess families of homogeneous symplectic forms $\omega_t$ for which numbers $h_k({\rm M},\omega_t)$ vary with respect to t. This gives an affirmative answer to a question raised by Boris Khesin and Dusa McDuff. Our result is in contrast with the case of 4-dimensional nilmanifolds which do not admit such variations by a remark of Dong Yan.