Polytopal linear groups (Q1306911)

Let \(P\) be a convex \(n\)-dimensional polytope in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) with vertices in \(\mathbb{Z}^n\). It is also assumed that the lattice points of \(P\) generate the whole group \(\mathbb{Z}^n\). The additive subsemigroup of \(\mathbb{Z}^{n+1}\) generated by \(\{(x,1)\mid x\in P\cap\mathbb{Z}^n\}\) is denoted by \(S_P\). The semigroup algebra \(K[S_P]\) over a field \(K\) is graded in a natural way, with \(S_P\) consisting of homogeneous elements and the lattice points of \(P\) yielding degree 1 elements of \(S_P\). The paper is concerned with the group \(\Gamma_K(P)\) of graded automorphisms of the algebra \(K[S_P]\). These groups can be identified with certain closed subgroups of \(\text{GL}_N(K)\) where \(N\) is the cardinality of \(P\cap\mathbb{Z}^n\). The main theorem establishes existence of a (non-unique) normal form of elements of \(\Gamma_K(P)\) as a composition of toric and elementary automorphisms and symmetries of \(P\). This is a generalization of the fact that elements of \(\text{GL}_n(K)\), viewed as the automorphism group of the polynomial ring \(K[x_1,\dots,x_n]\), are products of elementary matrices, diagonal matrices and permutation matrices. A description of the automorphism group of an arbitrary projective toric variety is derived.