Rationally triangulable automorphisms (Q1175210)

A rational action of an algebraic group \(G\), defined over the characteristic zero, algebraically-closed field \(k\), on the affine space \(A^ n(k)\), is said to be triangulable if coordinates \(x_ 1,\ldots,x_ n\) can be chosen so that the induced automorphism on the coordinate ring has the form \[ x_ i\mapsto\alpha_ ix_ i+F_ i(x_ 1,\ldots,x_{i-1}) \] with \(\alpha_ i\) in the multiplicative group of \(k\). An action of \(G\) on \(A^ n(k)\) is stably tame provided its extension to \(A^{n+m}(k)\) by fixing the last \(m\) coordinates is tame, and rationally triangulable if there are generators \(y_ 1,\ldots,y_ n\) of the field of rational functions so that each of the subfields \(k(y_ 1,\ldots,y_ i)\) is invariant under the group of \(k\)- automorphisms of the rational function field induced by \(G\). This paper provides a necessary and sufficient condition for the rational triangulability of actions of the additive group of \(k\) on an affine space. The criterion can be used to demonstrate the rational triangulability of all \(G_ a\) actions on \(A^ 3(k)\), as well as to prove, for arbitrary \(n\), that all \(G_ a\) actions are stably rationally triangulable.