Uniqueness property for spherical homogeneous spaces (Q1012325)

Let \(G\) be a connected reductive algebraic group over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, and \(X=G/H\) be a homogeneous \(G\)-variety. Recall that \(X\) is called spherical if a Borel subgroup \(B\subseteq G\) acts on \(X\) with an open orbit. An important problem is the classification of spherical homogeneous spaces. It is natural to perform the classification in terms of combinatorial invariants such as the weight lattice, the valuation cone and the set of \(B\)-stable prime divisors. An effective approach to this problem was proposed by \textit{D. Luna} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 94, 161--226 (2001; Zbl 1085.14039)]. Here a combinatorial description of spherical homogeneous spaces based on the methods of \textit{D. Luna} and \textit{Th. Vust} [Comment. Math. Helv. 58, 186--245 (1983; Zbl 0545.14010)] is established. In the framework of this approach one should first prove that the combinatorial invariants determine a spherical homogeneous space uniquely and then check the existence of the spherical homogeneous space corresponding to any set of invariants satisfying certain conditions. Luna completed this program for groups of type \(A\). Further results were obtained by P. Bravi and G. Pezzini. The main result of the present article is the proof of the uniqueness part of Luna's program. An advantage of the proposed approach is that it does not use long case-by-case considerations. Results of the paper allow to simplify significantly the author's proof of the Knop conjecture. They are also used in the recent author's proof of the Brion conjecture on the smoothness of Demazure embeddings. Further, the group of \(G\)-equivariant automorphisms of a spherical variety is recovered from the combinatorial invariants.