Polynomial automorphism, preserving a group action (Q1432023)

The author studies the polynomial automorphisms of \({\mathbb C}^3\) (equivalently, the automorphisms of \({\mathbb C}[x,y,z]\)), preserving the quadratic form \(y^2+xz\). These automorphisms form the nonlinear orthogonal group. The most famous automorphism belonging to this group is the Nagata automorphism \((x,y,z)\to (x-2y(y^2+xz)-z(y^2+xz)^2,y+z(y^2+xz),z)\). The author gives a description of the nonlinear orthogonal group using as the main tool automorphisms of the affine plane depending on a rational (or polynomial) parameter. As a corollary he proves that the nonlinear orthogonal group cannot be generated by the linear orthogonal group and Nagata like automorphisms, answering a question of Jie-Tai Yu and the reviewer. As another consequence the author shows that some very interesting automorphisms obtained with local slice constructions by Freudenburg can be obtained with the methods of the present paper. As an application, the paper contains the description of the polynomial automorphisms of \({\mathfrak g}{\mathfrak l}(2,{\mathbb C})={\mathbb C}^4\) and \({\mathfrak s}{\mathfrak l}(2,{\mathbb C})={\mathbb C}^3\) that preserve the orbits under the natural action of \(\text{GL}(2,{\mathbb C})\) and \(\text{SL}(2,{\mathbb C})\), respectively. The part of the main results, concerning the description of the nonlinear orthogonal group was announced in [\textit{St. Lamy}, C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 328, No. 10, 883--886 (1999; Zbl 1061.14508)].