On differential operators on complete symmetric varieties of type \(A_1\) and \(A_2\) (Q1630106)

\textit{A. Beilinson} and \textit{J. Bernstein} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 292, 15--18 (1981; Zbl 0476.14019)] and \textit{J. L. Brylinski} and \textit{M. Kashiwara} [Invent. Math. 64, 387--410 (1981; Zbl 0473.22009)] studied the sheaf of differential operators \(\mathcal{ D}_X\) on flag varieties \(X\), and on its algebra \(D_X\) of global sections, and have shown an equivalence of categories between left \(\mathcal{ D}_X\)-modules which are quasi-coherent as \(\mathcal{ O}_X\)-modules, and left \(D_X\)-modules, in order to answer a Kazhdan-Lusztig conjecture linking characters of Verma modules and characters of irreducible highest weight modules. When \(X\) is a flag variety, \textit{W. Borho} and \textit{J.-L. Brylinski} [Invent. Math. 69, 437--476 (1982; Zbl 0504.22015); Invent. Math. 80, 1--68 (1985; Zbl 0577.22014); Bull. Soc. Math. Fr. 117, No. 2, 167--210 (1989; Zbl 0702.22019)] proved that the morphism \(U(\mathfrak{g})\to D_X\) from the enveloping algebra \(U(\mathfrak{g})\) of a Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{g}\) of a semisimple group \(G\) to \(D_X\) given by the infinitesimal action of \(\mathfrak{g}\) is surjective, and that its kernel has an explicit description. Differential operators on toric varieties have been studied by \textit{I. M. Musson} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 95, No. 3, 303--315 (1994; Zbl 0824.14044)] and \textit{A. G. Jones} [Proc. Edinb. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 37, No. 1, 143--160 (1994; Zbl 0805.16024)], using combinatorial tools and a combinatorial description of toric varieties. Thus, with the exception of flag varieties and projective toric varieties, differential operators on projective varieties are still not well understood. Wonderful varieties are a natural generalization of flag varieties, since they are smooth projective varieties with a \(G\)-action with good properties. In particular, flag varieties \(G/P\) are exactly the \(G\)-wonderful varieties of rank 0. In the paper under review, the author studies the algebra of global differential operators \(D_X\) on wonderful compactifications \(X\) of symmetric spaces \(G/H\) of type \(A_1\) and \(A_2\) (of small positive rank). He constructs a global differential operator on these varieties that does not come from the infinitesimal action of \(\mathfrak{g}\), i.e., it does not lie in \(\text{im}(U(\mathfrak{g})\rightarrow D_X)\) [Theorem 2.3, Theorem 2.4, p. 348]. The author then focuses on wonderful compactifications of \(\mathrm{PGL}_3\), \(\mathrm{PGL}_3/\mathrm{PSO}_3\) and \(\mathrm{PGL}_6/\mathrm{PSp}_6\), all of which are of type \(A_2\). He uses a description of these compactifications as inverse limits of GIT quotients of some Grassmannian \(X\), which is exactly one of these GIT quotients. He then shows that \(D_X\) is an algebra of finite type, and that for any invertible sheaf \(\mathcal{ L}\) on \(X\), \(H^{0}(X,\mathcal{ L})\) is either 0 or a simple left \(D_{X,\mathcal{ L}}\)-module [Thm.~3.3, page 357]: let \(Y\) be \(\overline{\mathrm{PGL}_3}\), \(\overline{\mathrm{PGL}_3/\mathrm{PSO}_3}\), or \(\overline{\mathrm{PGL}_6/\mathrm{PSp}_6}\). Then let \(X^{\text{ss}}(0)\) be the set of semistable points corresponding to any ample line bundle on \(X\) with trivial linearization, and let \(\pi_0:X^{\text{ss}}(0)\rightarrow Y(0)\) be the quotient. Then \(Y \cong Y(0)\), Furthermore, \(D_Y\) is a \(\mathbb{C}\)-algebra of finite-type. Now, let \(\mathcal{L}\) be an invertible sheaf on \(Y\), \(\mathcal{D}_{Y,\mathcal{L}}=\mathcal{L}\otimes_{\mathcal{O}_Y}\mathcal{D}\otimes_{\mathcal{O}_Y}\mathcal{L}^{-1}\), and \(D_{Y,\mathcal{L}}=\Gamma(Y,\mathcal{D}_{Y,\mathcal{L}})\). Then \(H^0(Y,\mathcal{L})\) is either \(0\) or simple as a \(D_{Y,\mathcal{L}}\)-module. Finally, using local cohomology [\S4.1, p. 365], Dejoncheere shows that similar results hold for higher cohomology groups \(H^{i}(X,\mathcal{ L})\) [Theorem 4.15, p. 381]: for all invertible sheaves \(\mathcal{L}\) on \(Y\) and for all \(i\), the higher cohomology group \(H^i(Y,\mathcal{L})\) is either \(0\) or simple as a left \(D_{Y,\mathcal{L}}\)-module.