On support varieties and the Humphreys conjecture in type \(A\) (Q1744549)

Let \(G\) be a reductive algebraic group scheme defined over \(\mathbb{F}_p\) and let \(G_1\) be the Frobenius kernel of \(G\). To each finite-dimensional \(G_1\)-module \(M\) one can associate the \textit{support variety} \(V_{G_1}(M)\), which can be viewed as a closed subvariety in the nilpotent cone \(\mathcal{N}(G)\) of \(G\). If \(M\) is a \(G\)-module, \(V_{G_1}(M)\) is also \(G\)-stable. An important problem in representation theory is to determine \(V_{G_1}(M)\) for various types of \(G\)-modules. In the paper under review, this problem is considered for the \textit{tilting modules} of \(G\). The \textit{Lusztig bijection} establishes a correspondence between the nilpotent orbits in the nullcone \(\mathcal{O}_{[w]}\subset\mathcal{N}(G)\) and the \textit{right cells}, the collections of elements in the affine Weyl group \(W_p\) of \(G\). A combinatorial construction identifies the latter with the \textit{weight cells} \(c_{[w]}\): these are certain sets of dominant alcoves for \(W_p\), that provide a partition of the dominant chamber. In 1989, J. E. Humphreys conjectured that if the characteristic of the ground field \(p\) is greater than or equal to the Coxeter number \(h\) of \(G\), then for every dominant weight \(\lambda\in c_{[w]}\) the support variety \(V_{G_1}(T(\lambda))\) of the corresponding tilting module \(T(\lambda)\) is equal to the orbit \(\mathcal{O}_{[w]}\subset \mathcal{N}(G)\) given by the Lusztig bijection. In [Funct. Anal. Appl. 32, No. 4, 237--246 (1998; Zbl 0981.17010); translation from Funkts. Anal. Prilozh. 32, No. 4, 22--34 (1998)] \textit{V. V. Ostrik} proved an analogous conjecture for quantum groups of type \(A_n\), and in [Invent. Math. 166, No. 2, 327--357 (2006; Zbl 1123.17002)] \textit{R. Bezrukavnikov} extended this result to quantum groups of any type. In this paper, the Humphreys conjecture is proved for groups of type \(A_n\): namely, if \(G=\mathrm{SL}_{n+1}(k)\) and \(p>n+1\), then \(V_{G_1}(T(\lambda))=\overline{\mathcal{O}_{s(\lambda)^t}}\), where \(s(\lambda)^t\) is the partition conjugate to the partition associated to the weight \(\lambda\).