Support varieties for Weyl modules over bad primes. (Q2370235)

The study of cohomological support varieties has led to numerous advances in many areas of representation theory. However, there remains a need for explicit computations of support varieties. Let \(G\) be a reductive algebraic group over an algebraically closed field of prime characteristic \(p>0\), and let \(G_1\) denote the first Frobenius kernel of \(G\). The representation theory of \(G_1\) is equivalent to the representation theory of the restricted enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra of \(G\). A fundamental family of modules for \(G\) is the set of Weyl modules (parameterized by the dominant weights). These can be restricted to modules over \(G_1\). Under the assumption that \(p\) is good, the support varieties over \(G_1\) of Weyl modules were computed by \textit{D. K. Nakano, B. J. Parshall}, and \textit{D. C. Vella} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 547, 15-49 (2002; Zbl 1009.17013)], confirming a conjecture of \textit{J. C. Jantzen} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 19, 238-244 (1987; Zbl 0623.17008)]. The main result of this paper is a computation of these support varieties when \(p\) is not a good prime. In the bad prime case, a uniform description of the support varieties cannot be given. However, the authors do show that for all primes a common formula holds for the dimension of the support varieties in terms of a certain subset of roots determined by the highest weight of the Weyl module. In general, the support variety of a \(G_1\)-module is contained in the restricted nullcone of the Lie algebra of \(G\). Moreover, in the case that the module is a rational \(G\)-module (such as a Weyl module), the support variety is closed under the adjoint action of \(G\) on its Lie algebra. In the good prime case, the support variety of a Weyl module is always the closure of a Richardson orbit. The computations here involve investigations of orbits and previous computations of the restricted nullcone over bad primes by the authors [J. Algebra 292, No. 1, 65-99 (2005; Zbl 1124.17003)]. The paper concludes with some interesting observations: these support varieties are irreducible; for bad primes, the closures of all but possibly three orbits in the restricted nullcone can be realized as the support variety of a module; and all but one Richardson orbit in the restricted nullcone has closure equal to the support variety of a Weyl module.