L²-topology and Lagrangians in the space of connections over a Riemann surface

We examine the $L^2$-topology of the gauge orbits over a closed Riemann surface. We prove a subtle local slice theorem based on the div-curl Lemma of harmonic analysis, and deduce local pathwise connectedness and local uniform quasiconvexity of the gauge orbits. Using these, we generalize compactness results for anti-self-dual instantons with Lagrangian boundary counditions to general gauge invariant Lagrangian submanifolds. This provides the foundation for the construction of instanton Floer homology for pairs of a $3$-manifold with boundary and a Lagrangian in the configuration space over the boundary.