Rigidity of Bott-Samelson-Demazure-Hansen variety for \(F_4\) and \(G_2\) (Q2174842)

Let \(G\) be a connected simple algebraic group of the adjoint type over complex numbers, let \(B\) be a Borel subgroup, \(T\subset B\) a maximal torus and let \(W\) be the associated Weyl group. Let \(X:=G/B\) be the full flag variety. For any \(w\in W\), let \(X(w):=\overline{BwB/B}\) be the associated Schubert variety. Choosing a reduced expression \(\bar{w}\) of \(w\) we get the Bott-Samelson-Demazure-Hansen (for short BSDH) desingularization \(Z (\bar{w})\) of \(X (w)\). Let \(T_{Z (\bar{w})}\) be the tangent bundle of \(Z (\bar{w})\). In an earlier paper, \textit{B. N. Chary} et al. [Transform. Groups 20, No. 3, 665--698 (2015; Zbl 1326.14114)] studied the higher cohomoligies \(H^j(Z (\bar{w}), T_{Z (\bar{w})})\) and showed that it vanishes for all \(j\geq 2\). If \(G\) is simply-laced they proved this vanishing for all \(j\geq 1\). This gives the local rigidity of \(Z (\bar{w})\) for simply-laced \(G\). For non simply-laced \(G\), the vanishing of \(H^1(Z (\bar{w}), T_{Z (\bar{w})})\) depends on the choice of the reduced decmposition \(\bar{w}\) of \(w\). In earlier papers, the first author and \textit{P. Saha} [J. Lie Theory 29, No. 1, 107--142 (2019; Zbl 1415.14016)] (resp. \textit{B. N. Chary} and the first author [ibid. 27, No. 2, 435--468 (2017; Zbl 1429.14014)]) analyzed the vanishing of \(H^1(Z (\bar{w_0}), T_{Z (\bar{w_0})})\) for \(G= PSO(2n+1, \mathbb{C})\) for \(n\geq 3\) (resp. \(G=PSp(2n, \mathbb{C})\)), where \(w_0\) is the longest element of \(W\), i.e., \(X(w)\) is the full flag variety \(G/B\). In these cases they prove that, for some explicit choices of the reduced decompositions \(\bar{w_0}\) of \(w_0\) coming from the Coxeter elements, \(H^1(Z (\bar{w_0}), T_{Z (\bar{w_0})})\) vanishes providing the local rigidity of \(Z (\bar{w_0})\) in these cases. In the paper under review, they analyze the same question on the vanishing of \(H^1(Z (\bar{w_0}), T_{Z (\bar{w_0})})\) for \(G=F_4\) and \(G_2\).