Über die Glattheit von Quotientenabbildungen

Let G be a semisimple group acting linearly on a complex vector space V. Let h(t) be the generating function of the graded algebra C[V]^G of G-invariants. Then it was known that h(t) satisfies a functional equation h(1/t)=±t^q h(t) where q is some integer. The principal result is the proof of a conjecture of V.L.Popov: q<=dim V.

As a corollary, one obtains a pretty good necessary criterion for C[V]^G to be a polynomial ring: dim V <= 2dim G, provided V^G=0.

The principal technique is to calculate the canonical module of C[V]^G using the following observation: the categorical quotient morphism V-->V//G is smooth in codimension one.

Appeared in: Manuscripta Mathematica 56 (1986) 419-427

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Remark: In a later paper with Peter Littelmann, all representations with q<dim V are classified when G is simple or V is irreducible. There is also another follow-up paper, in which the methods are extended to arbitrary reductive groups.

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Last updated: August 25, 2006