Vector invariants of \(U_ 2(\mathbb{F}_ p)\): A proof of a conjecture of Richman (Q1354670)

Let \(p\) be an odd prime and let \(A_n\) denote the polynomial ring \(\mathbb{F}_p [x_i,y_i]\), \(1\leq i\leq n\). Let \(\sigma\) be the \(\mathbb{F}_p\)-algebra automorphism of \(A_n\) which maps \(x_i\) to \(x_i\) and \(y_i\) to \(x_i+y_i\) for each \(1\leq i\leq n\). Clearly \(\sigma\) has order \(p\). We define the \(\sigma\)-invariant subalgebra of \(A_n\) by \(A_n^\sigma= \{a\in A_n:\sigma(a)=a\}\). Given \(a\in A_n\), its trace \(\text{Tr}(a)= \sum_{j=0}^{p-1} \sigma^j(a)\) and its norm \(N(a)= \prod_{j=0}^{p-1} \sigma^j(a)\). This paper settles affirmatively a conjecture of Richman by showing that \(A_n^\sigma= \mathbb{F}_p[x_i,N(y_i), u_{i_j}\text{Tr}(z)]\), where \(u_{i_j}= x_iy_j- x_jy_i\), \(z\) divides \((y_1\dots y_n)^{p-1}\), \(1\leq i\leq n\) and \(1\leq i<j\leq n\). The proof requires a good deal of detailed calculations. One of the key ideals is that of so-called flat monomials \(\prod_{i\in S}x_i\prod_{j\in S'}y_j\) where \(S,S'\) are non-empty disjoint sets such that \(S\cup S'=\{1,\dots,n\}\).