On pairs of commuting nilpotent matrices (Q1024629)

Let \(M_n(F)\) be the algebra of all \(n \times n\) matrices over an algebraically closed field \(F\) and \({\mathcal N}\) be the variety of all nilpotent matrices in \(M_n(F)\). Let \(B \in {\mathcal N}\) be a nilpotent matrix and suppose that its Jordan canonical form is determined by a partition \(\lambda\). It is shown that \({\mathcal N}_B\) is an irreducible variety and that there is a unique partition \(\mu\) of \(n\) such that the intersection of the orbit of \(B\) and \({\mathcal N}_B\) is dense in \({\mathcal N}_B\). In the paper, the question if the map \({\mathcal D}(\lambda)\) of the partition \(\lambda\) is stable is discussed. The main result of the paper is the proof that \({\mathcal D}\) is idempotent map on nilpotent orbits of \(M_n(F)\). This answers the original question of \textit{A. Iarrobino} and \textit{R. Basili} [Workshop Algebraic Combinatorics Meets Inverse Systems, Montréal, Jan. 19--21 (2007)] if \({\mathcal D}\) is an idempotent map and also a special case of Panyushev's question stated in a more general setup of simple Lie algebras [cf. \textit{D. I. Panyushev}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 212, 774--779 (2008; Zbl 1137.17017)]. In the proof an extension of a lemma of \textit{V. Baranovsky} [Transform. Groups 6, No.~1, 3--8 (2001; Zbl 0980.15012)] is used. It is proved that a generic pair of commuting nilpotent matrices generates a Gorenstein algebra. Then the Macaulay's theorem on the Hilbert function of the intersection of two plane curves is used to prove that \({\mathcal D}\) is idempotent. Finally, the problem of describing \({\mathcal D}(\lambda)\) in terms of partition \(\lambda\) is discussed. The result of the work gives the answer in the case when \({\mathcal D}(\lambda)\) has at most two parts.