[proofplan]
We identify the sheaf cohomology group $H^q(X,K_X\otimes E)$ with Dolbeault cohomology represented by smooth $E$-valued $(n,q)$-forms, and then use Hodge theory on the compact Kähler manifold to choose the unique harmonic representative of any cohomology class. The Bochner-Kodaira-Nakano identity expresses the Dolbeault Laplacian on that representative as a sum of nonnegative connection terms plus the curvature commutator $[i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]$. Nakano positivity makes this commutator strictly positive on $E$-valued $(n,q)$-forms when $q>0$, so the harmonic representative must have zero $L^2$ norm. Therefore every cohomology class is zero.
[/proofplan]
[step:Represent a cohomology class by a harmonic $E$-valued $(n,q)$-form]
Fix an integer $q>0$. Let $\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)$ denote the space of smooth $E$-valued $(n,q)$-forms on $X$, and let
\begin{align*}
\bar\partial_E:\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)&\to \mathcal A^{n,q+1}(X,E)
\end{align*}
be the Dolbeault operator induced by the holomorphic structure on $E$.
Let $[\alpha]\in H^q(X,K_X\otimes E)$ be arbitrary. By the Dolbeault isomorphism for holomorphic vector bundles on compact complex manifolds (citing a result not yet in the wiki: Dolbeault Theorem for Vector Bundles), there exists a $\bar\partial_E$-closed form $\alpha\in\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)$ representing $[\alpha]$.
Equip $\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)$ with the $L^2$ inner product induced by $\omega$ and $h$. Let $d\mu_\omega$ be the Riemannian measure associated to the Kähler metric $\omega$, equivalently $d\mu_\omega=\omega^n/n!$. For $u,v\in\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)$ define
\begin{align*}
(u,v)_{L^2}:=\int_X \langle u(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}\,d\mu_\omega(x),
\end{align*}
where $\langle\cdot,\cdot\rangle_{\omega,h}$ is the pointwise Hermitian inner product induced by $\omega$ on forms and by $h$ on $E$.
Since $X$ is compact Kähler, Hodge theory for the elliptic Dolbeault Laplacian applies (citing a result not yet in the wiki: Hodge Theorem for the Dolbeault Laplacian). Thus the class $[\alpha]$ has a harmonic representative
\begin{align*}
u\in\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)
\end{align*}
satisfying
\begin{align*}
\bar\partial_E u=0,\qquad \bar\partial_E^*u=0,
\end{align*}
where $\bar\partial_E^*:\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)\to\mathcal A^{n,q-1}(X,E)$ is the $L^2$ adjoint of $\bar\partial_E$.
[guided]
We start with an arbitrary cohomology class and convert it into an analytic object to which curvature estimates can be applied. The Dolbeault theorem for vector bundles identifies
\begin{align*}
H^q(X,K_X\otimes E)
\end{align*}
with the $q$-th cohomology of the complex
\begin{align*}
\mathcal A^{n,0}(X,E)\xrightarrow{\bar\partial_E}\mathcal A^{n,1}(X,E)\xrightarrow{\bar\partial_E}\cdots .
\end{align*}
Thus an element $[\alpha]\in H^q(X,K_X\otimes E)$ can be represented by a smooth $E$-valued $(n,q)$-form $\alpha$ with $\bar\partial_E\alpha=0$.
The compact Kähler metric supplies an $L^2$ inner product. Explicitly, if $d\mu_\omega=\omega^n/n!$ denotes the measure determined by $\omega$, then for $u,v\in\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)$ we set
\begin{align*}
(u,v)_{L^2}:=\int_X \langle u(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}\,d\mu_\omega(x).
\end{align*}
This defines the formal adjoint $\bar\partial_E^*$ of $\bar\partial_E$. Since $X$ is compact, the Dolbeault Laplacian
\begin{align*}
\Box_{\bar\partial_E}:=\bar\partial_E\bar\partial_E^*+\bar\partial_E^*\bar\partial_E
\end{align*}
is elliptic, and Hodge theory gives a unique harmonic representative in each Dolbeault cohomology class. Therefore we may choose
\begin{align*}
u\in\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)
\end{align*}
representing $[\alpha]$ such that
\begin{align*}
\Box_{\bar\partial_E}u=0.
\end{align*}
Taking the $L^2$ inner product with $u$ gives
\begin{align*}
0=(\Box_{\bar\partial_E}u,u)_{L^2}
=\|\bar\partial_Eu\|_{L^2}^2+\|\bar\partial_E^*u\|_{L^2}^2,
\end{align*}
so both terms vanish:
\begin{align*}
\bar\partial_Eu=0,\qquad \bar\partial_E^*u=0.
\end{align*}
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Apply the Bochner-Kodaira-Nakano identity to the harmonic representative]
Let
\begin{align*}
\nabla^E:\mathcal A^{p,q}(X,E)&\to \mathcal A^{p+1,q}(X,E)\oplus\mathcal A^{p,q+1}(X,E)
\end{align*}
be the Chern connection of $(E,h)$, decomposed as $\nabla^E=\partial_E+\bar\partial_E$. Let
\begin{align*}
\Lambda:\mathcal A^{p,q}(X,E)&\to\mathcal A^{p-1,q-1}(X,E)
\end{align*}
be the adjoint of wedging with $\omega$.
The Bochner-Kodaira-Nakano identity for $E$-valued forms on a Kähler manifold states (citing a result not yet in the wiki: Bochner-Kodaira-Nakano Identity) that
\begin{align*}
\Box_{\bar\partial_E}=\Box_{\partial_E}+[i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda],
\end{align*}
where $\Theta_h(E)\in\mathcal A^{1,1}(X,\operatorname{End}(E))$ is the Chern curvature and
\begin{align*}
\Box_{\partial_E}:=\partial_E\partial_E^*+\partial_E^*\partial_E.
\end{align*}
Taking the $L^2$ inner product with the harmonic form $u$ gives
\begin{align*}
0
&=(\Box_{\bar\partial_E}u,u)_{L^2} \\
&=(\Box_{\partial_E}u,u)_{L^2}+([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]u,u)_{L^2} \\
&=\|\partial_Eu\|_{L^2}^2+\|\partial_E^*u\|_{L^2}^2+([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]u,u)_{L^2}.
\end{align*}
The first two terms are nonnegative [real numbers](/page/Real%20Numbers) because they are squared $L^2$ norms.
[guided]
The next step is the analytic heart of the proof. The Chern connection $\nabla^E$ associated to the Hermitian holomorphic bundle $(E,h)$ decomposes into types:
\begin{align*}
\nabla^E=\partial_E+\bar\partial_E.
\end{align*}
The Kähler form $\omega$ defines the Lefschetz operator $L$ by wedging with $\omega$, and $\Lambda$ denotes the $L^2$ adjoint of $L$.
The Bochner-Kodaira-Nakano identity compares the two Laplacians associated to $\partial_E$ and $\bar\partial_E$:
\begin{align*}
\Box_{\bar\partial_E}=\Box_{\partial_E}+[i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda].
\end{align*}
Here $\Theta_h(E)$ is the curvature of the Chern connection, and $[i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]$ is the graded commutator acting on $E$-valued forms. This identity applies because $X$ is Kähler and $\nabla^E$ is the Chern connection of a Hermitian holomorphic vector bundle.
Since $u$ is harmonic for $\Box_{\bar\partial_E}$, we have $\Box_{\bar\partial_E}u=0$. Taking the $L^2$ inner product of the identity with $u$ gives
\begin{align*}
0
&=(\Box_{\bar\partial_E}u,u)_{L^2} \\
&=(\Box_{\partial_E}u,u)_{L^2}+([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]u,u)_{L^2}.
\end{align*}
By definition,
\begin{align*}
\Box_{\partial_E}=\partial_E\partial_E^*+\partial_E^*\partial_E.
\end{align*}
Using the definition of an adjoint in the $L^2$ inner product,
\begin{align*}
(\partial_E\partial_E^*u,u)_{L^2}=\|\partial_E^*u\|_{L^2}^2,\qquad
(\partial_E^*\partial_Eu,u)_{L^2}=\|\partial_Eu\|_{L^2}^2.
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
0=\|\partial_Eu\|_{L^2}^2+\|\partial_E^*u\|_{L^2}^2+([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]u,u)_{L^2}.
\end{align*}
The first two summands are nonnegative because they are squared norms, so the only remaining issue is to understand the sign of the curvature commutator.
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Use Nakano positivity to bound the curvature commutator below]
We claim that there is a constant $c>0$ such that every $v\in\mathcal A^{n,q}(X,E)$ satisfies
\begin{align*}
([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v,v)_{L^2}\ge c\|v\|_{L^2}^2.
\end{align*}
Fix $x\in X$. Choose holomorphic coordinates $(z_1,\dots,z_n)$ centred at $x$ which are unitary for $\omega$ at $x$, and choose a local $h$-unitary frame $(e_1,\dots,e_r)$ for $E$ at $x$. Write the curvature tensor at $x$ as
\begin{align*}
i\Theta_h(E)_x
=
i\sum_{i,j=1}^n\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\,
dz_i\wedge d\bar z_j\otimes e_\beta\otimes e^\alpha,
\end{align*}
where $(e^\alpha)$ is the dual frame.
For $v(x)\in\Lambda^{n,q}T_x^*X\otimes E_x$, write
\begin{align*}
v(x)=\sum_{|K|=q}\sum_{\alpha=1}^r v_{K,\alpha}(x)\,
dz_1\wedge\cdots\wedge dz_n\wedge d\bar z_K\otimes e_\alpha.
\end{align*}
For an ordered multi-index $J$ of length $q-1$, define coefficients $v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)$ by the rule that $v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)$ is the signed coefficient of the component with anti-holomorphic index set $\{i\}\cup J$, and set $v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)=0$ when $i\in J$.
The standard local form of the Nakano curvature commutator on $(n,q)$-forms gives
\begin{align*}
\langle [i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}
=
\sum_{|J|=q-1}
\sum_{i,j=1}^n
\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\,
v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)\overline{v_{jJ,\beta}(x)}.
\end{align*}
For each fixed $J$, the array $\xi_{i\alpha}=v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)$ defines an element of $T_x^{1,0}X\otimes E_x$. Nakano positivity makes each summand nonnegative, and because $X$ is compact and the smallest Nakano eigenvalue of the continuous curvature tensor is strictly positive at every point, there exists $\lambda>0$ such that
\begin{align*}
\sum_{i,j=1}^n\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\xi_{i\alpha}\overline{\xi_{j\beta}}
\ge \lambda
\sum_{i=1}^n\sum_{\alpha=1}^r |\xi_{i\alpha}|^2
\end{align*}
for every $x\in X$ and every $\xi\in T_x^{1,0}X\otimes E_x$.
Applying this estimate to $\xi_{i\alpha}=v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)$ and summing over $J$ yields
\begin{align*}
\langle [i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}
&\ge
\lambda
\sum_{|J|=q-1}\sum_{i=1}^n\sum_{\alpha=1}^r |v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)|^2 \\
&=
\lambda q
\sum_{|K|=q}\sum_{\alpha=1}^r |v_{K,\alpha}(x)|^2 \\
&=
\lambda q\, |v(x)|_{\omega,h}^2.
\end{align*}
Set $c:=\lambda q>0$. Integrating over $X$ with respect to $d\mu_\omega$ gives
\begin{align*}
([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v,v)_{L^2}
=
\int_X \langle [i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}\,d\mu_\omega(x)
\ge
c\int_X |v(x)|_{\omega,h}^2\,d\mu_\omega(x)
=
c\|v\|_{L^2}^2.
\end{align*}
[guided]
We now explain why Nakano positivity is exactly the positivity notion needed for $(n,q)$-forms. Fix a point $x\in X$. Choose holomorphic coordinates $(z_1,\dots,z_n)$ centred at $x$ that are unitary for the Kähler metric at $x$, and choose an $h$-unitary local holomorphic frame $(e_1,\dots,e_r)$ for $E$ at $x$. In these coordinates and frame, the curvature has the form
\begin{align*}
i\Theta_h(E)_x
=
i\sum_{i,j=1}^n\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\,
dz_i\wedge d\bar z_j\otimes e_\beta\otimes e^\alpha.
\end{align*}
An $E$-valued $(n,q)$-form at $x$ can be written as
\begin{align*}
v(x)=\sum_{|K|=q}\sum_{\alpha=1}^r v_{K,\alpha}(x)\,
dz_1\wedge\cdots\wedge dz_n\wedge d\bar z_K\otimes e_\alpha.
\end{align*}
The commutator $[i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]$ contracts one anti-holomorphic index against the curvature tensor. Its local Nakano form on $(n,q)$-forms is
\begin{align*}
\langle [i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}
=
\sum_{|J|=q-1}
\sum_{i,j=1}^n
\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\,
v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)\overline{v_{jJ,\beta}(x)}.
\end{align*}
Here $J$ ranges over ordered anti-holomorphic multi-indices of length $q-1$, and $v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)$ denotes the signed coefficient obtained by adjoining $i$ to $J$. If $i\in J$, this coefficient is defined to be $0$.
For each fixed $J$, the coefficients
\begin{align*}
\xi_{i\alpha}:=v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)
\end{align*}
form a tensor $\xi\in T_x^{1,0}X\otimes E_x$. Nakano positivity says exactly that the Hermitian quadratic form
\begin{align*}
\xi\mapsto
\sum_{i,j=1}^n\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\xi_{i\alpha}\overline{\xi_{j\beta}}
\end{align*}
is positive definite. Since $X$ is compact and the curvature tensor depends continuously on $x$, the minimum of its smallest Nakano eigenvalue over $X$ is a positive number. Denote this number by $\lambda>0$. Then for every $x\in X$ and every tensor $\xi\in T_x^{1,0}X\otimes E_x$,
\begin{align*}
\sum_{i,j=1}^n\sum_{\alpha,\beta=1}^r
R_{i\bar j\alpha\bar\beta}(x)\xi_{i\alpha}\overline{\xi_{j\beta}}
\ge \lambda
\sum_{i=1}^n\sum_{\alpha=1}^r|\xi_{i\alpha}|^2.
\end{align*}
Applying this inequality separately for each $J$ gives
\begin{align*}
\langle [i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}
&\ge
\lambda
\sum_{|J|=q-1}\sum_{i=1}^n\sum_{\alpha=1}^r |v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)|^2.
\end{align*}
Each coefficient $v_{K,\alpha}(x)$ with $|K|=q$ appears exactly $q$ times in the sum on the right, once for each choice of the distinguished anti-holomorphic index removed from $K$. Therefore
\begin{align*}
\sum_{|J|=q-1}\sum_{i=1}^n\sum_{\alpha=1}^r |v_{iJ,\alpha}(x)|^2
=
q\sum_{|K|=q}\sum_{\alpha=1}^r |v_{K,\alpha}(x)|^2.
\end{align*}
Thus
\begin{align*}
\langle [i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v(x),v(x)\rangle_{\omega,h}
\ge
\lambda q\, |v(x)|_{\omega,h}^2.
\end{align*}
Because $q>0$, the constant $c:=\lambda q$ is strictly positive. Integrating this pointwise inequality over $X$ with respect to $d\mu_\omega$ gives
\begin{align*}
([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]v,v)_{L^2}
\ge c\|v\|_{L^2}^2.
\end{align*}
This is the step where the hypothesis $q>0$ is used: when $q=0$, the anti-holomorphic index contraction above has no index to remove, and this argument gives no vanishing.
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Conclude that the harmonic representative is zero]
Apply the curvature estimate from the previous step to the harmonic representative $u$. The Bochner-Kodaira-Nakano identity gives
\begin{align*}
0
=
\|\partial_Eu\|_{L^2}^2+\|\partial_E^*u\|_{L^2}^2+([i\Theta_h(E),\Lambda]u,u)_{L^2}
\ge
c\|u\|_{L^2}^2.
\end{align*}
Since $c>0$, this implies $\|u\|_{L^2}=0$. Hence
\begin{align*}
\int_X |u(x)|_{\omega,h}^2\,d\mu_\omega(x)=0.
\end{align*}
The function $x\mapsto |u(x)|_{\omega,h}^2$ is continuous and nonnegative, so it vanishes everywhere on $X$. Therefore $u=0$.
Since $u$ represents the arbitrary class $[\alpha]\in H^q(X,K_X\otimes E)$, we have $[\alpha]=0$. Thus
\begin{align*}
H^q(X,K_X\otimes E)=0
\end{align*}
for every integer $q>0$.
[/step]