Invariants of finite Hopf algebras. (Q1826708)

Let \(H\) be a finite-dimensional \(K\)-Hopf algebra for some field \(K\), and let \(A\) be an \(H\)-comodule algebra. If \(H\) is commutative, then it is well known that \(A\) is an integral extension of \(A^H\), the ring of invariants of \(A\) under the coaction of \(H\). The issue of whether this result is true for \(H\) noncommutative was posed by Montgomery; subsequent work by Zhu illustrated a counterexample, however it also showed integrality in two special cases. It is this integrality question that is investigated here. In the commutative case, the argument is usually shown by constructing the characteristic polynomial for \(A\otimes H\) over \(A\) viewing \(A\otimes H\) as an \(A\)-algebra via the first tensorand. For \(a\in A\) we can write \[ P_{A\otimes H/A}(\delta a,t)=\sum_{i=0}^nc_it^i\text{ for some }c_i\in A \] where \(n=\dim H\) and \(\delta\colon A\to A\otimes H\) is the coaction. In the commutative case it is clear that \(c_i\in A^H\) for all \(i\). Here the first main result is that \(c_i\in A^H\) whenever \(A\) has no nonstable \(H\)-costable ideals (i.e. is \(H\)-reduced). Thus it follows that in this case \(A\) is integral over \(A^H\). Afterwards, the author then continues by showing \(A/A^H\) is integral for other cases as well. Specifically, if \(K\) is of finite characteristic, or \(H\) is cosemisimple, or if there exists a total integral \(H\to A\), integrality is proved. In the latter case it follows that \(A^H\) is Cohen-Macaulay whenever \(A\) is Cohen-Macaulay and weakly reductive. Following the example of the commutative case one can then consider the canonical map \(\pi\colon\text{Spec\,}A\to\text{Spec\,}A^H\). It is shown that \(\pi\) has finite fibers, is open, and satisfies the going-down property (i.e. if \({\mathfrak q}'\in \text{Spec\,}A^H\) satisfies \({\mathfrak q}'\subset{\mathfrak p}\cap A^H\) then there exists a \({\mathfrak p}'\in\text{Spec\,}A\), \({\mathfrak q}'={\mathfrak p}'\cap A^H\) such that \({\mathfrak p}'\subset{\mathfrak p}\)). In the case where \(A\) is \(H\)-reduced and the function \({\mathfrak p}\mapsto\dim O(\mathfrak p)\) is locally constant on \(\text{Spec\,}A\), where \(O(\mathfrak p)\) is the orbital subalgebra, then the following results are proved. First, \(A^H\) is a finitely generated projective \(A^H\)-module whose rank at \({\mathfrak q}\in\text{Spec\,}A^H\) is \(\dim O(\mathfrak p)\) for any \(\mathfrak p\) lying over \(\mathfrak q\). Also, the functor \(M\mapsto M^H\) is an equivalence between the category of right \((H,A)\)-Hopf modules \(M\) with \(M=M^HA\) and the category of \(A^H\)-modules with inverse functor \(N\mapsto N\otimes_{A^H}A\). Finally, a correspondence between \(H\)-costable ideals of \(A\) and the ideals of \(A^H\) is given in the obvious way: \(I\mapsto I\cap A^H\). It is stated at the end of the introduction that it is not really necessary to insist that \(K\) be a field. Using a commutative ring instead does not change the results.