Twisted constant scalar curvature Kahler metrics and Kahler slope stability

On a compact Ka ̈hler manifold we introduce a cohomological obstruction to the solvability of the constant scalar curvature (cscK) equation twisted by a semipositive form, appearing in works of Fine and Song-Tian. As a special case we find an obstruction for a manifold to be the base of a holomorphic submersion carrying a cscK metric in certain “adiabatic” classes. We apply this to find new examples of general type threefolds with classes which do not admit a cscK representative. When the twist vanishes our obstruction extends the slope stability of Ross-Thomas to effective divisors on a Kahler manifold. Thus we find examples of non-projective slope unstable manifolds.