Normality of nilpotent varieties in \(E_{6}\). (Q1419014)

The author determines which nilpotent orbits in \(E_6\) have closures which are normal varieties and which do not. He formulates and proves the following statement: Theorem 1. The orbits in \(E_6\) with normal closure are (in the notation of Bala-Carter) \(E_6, E_6(a_1), D_5, E_6(a_3), D_5(a_1), A_5, A_4+A_1, D_4, D_4(a_1), 2A_2+A_1, A_2+2A_1, A_2, 3A_1, 2A_1, A_1, 0\). The other \(5\) orbits do not have normal closure. At the same time he also uses the same techniques to prove directly a conjecture about functions on nilpotent orbit covers stated in his earlier paper [\textit{E. Sommers}, Comment. Math. Univ. St. Pauli 49, 101--104 (2000; Zbl 0953.22015)]. Recall that a small representation is an irreducible highest weight representation where twice a root is not a weight. Then the author shows that the multiplicity of a small representation in the graded functions on the first orbit coincides with its multiplicity in the graded functions on the second orbit (or orbit cover).