Computing invariants of reductive groups in positive characteristic (Q1397611): Difference between revisions

Let \(G\) be a reductive algebraic group over an algebraically closed field \(K\) acting on an affine variety \(X\). Even though reductive groups in positive characteristic are usually not linearly reductive, M.~Nagata has shown that the algebra of invariants \(K[X]^G\) is finitely generated. This paper gives an algorithm for computing a generating set of the algebra \(K[X]^G\). Previously, such algorithms were only known for the cases of linearly reductive groups [\textit{H.~Derksen}, Adv. Math. 141, 366--384 (1999; Zbl 0927.13007)] and finite groups [\textit{G.~Kemper}, J. Symb. Comput. 21, 351--366 (1996; Zbl 0889.13004)]. One may assume that \(X=V\) is a \(G\)-module. The algorithm consists of three steps. At the first step a finite separating set of invariants is computed. This step requires two fairly large Gröbner basis computations, and it is in some ways similar to Derksen's algorithm. The author also proposes a new algorithm that computes all invariants of a given degree and works for any (not necessarily reductive) linear algebraic group \(G\). The second step is the computation of the normalization of a separating subalgebra. Here an adaption of de Jong's algorithm (for computing the normalization of a finitely presented algebra) in the case where the algebra (and consequently its normalization) is embedded into a polynomial algebra is presented. At the third step an inseparable closure is computed. It is proved that the algebra of invariants \(K[V]^G\) coincides with the inseparable closure of the normalization of a finitely generated graded separating subalgebra. The last section of the paper is devoted to concrete implementations (in MAGMA) of the algorithm. In particular, the author computes the degrees of the minimal generating set of invariants for some \(SL(2)\)-representations in binary forms in characteristic \(p=0,2,3,5\).