\(\mathsf{K}\)-orbit closures and Barbasch-Evens-Magyar varieties (Q2090288)

To study an algebraic group \(G\), its representation, and the corresponding algebraic combinatorics one often associates a space \(X\) to \(G\), together with a group action with finitely many orbits. The prototypical example is classical Schubert calculus, where the space is a (generalized) flag variety and the orbits closures are the Schubert varieties. In such situations important tools are obtained if one finds a well-understood resolution of singularities for the orbit closures. For example, these tools can be used to analyze singular loci of the orbit closures, to compute various characteristic classes of the orbits, and to relate geometry to Kazhdan-Lusztig type polynomials. In classical Schubert calculus the Bott-Samelson resolutions and Zelevinsky's resolution are important examples of such resolutions. The paper under review studies a parallel situation. The ambient space is still a generalized flag variety, but the group acting is now a ``symmetric'' subgroup of \(G\) -- the fixed points of an involution of \(G\). The algebraic combinatorial counterpart is the study of Kazhdan-Lusztig-Vogan polynomials. The authors -- building on works of \textit{D. Barbasch} and \textit{S. Evens} [J. Algebra 167, No. 2, 258--283 (1994; Zbl 0823.14037)] and \textit{P. Magyar} [Comment. Math. Helv. 73, No. 4, 603--636 (1998; Zbl 0951.14036)] -- define a class of smooth symplectic varieties (Barbasch-Evens-Magyar BEM-varieties) that map generically finitely to the named orbit closures, and in some situations are resolutions of singularities. The authors provide a stratification of BEM varieties to smaller BEM varieties; they describe a natural torus action (which turns out to be Hamiltonian) together with its fixed points, moment map, and moment polytope. In type \(A\), in particular for \(G=GL_{p+q}\), \(K=GL_p\times GL_q\), graphical-combinatorial description of the descriptions are presented.