On the isotropy group of a simple derivation (Q2318374)

Let \(R\) be an affine \(K\)-algebra, where \(K\) is a field of characteristic zero. The set of all \(K\)-derivations on \(R\), denoted by Der\(_K(R),\) are well studied through their respective isotropy groups, which is defined as follows. The algebra of \(K\)-automorphisms, Aut\(_K(R),\) acts on Der\(_K(R)\) through conjugation and the isotropy group of a derivation \(d\in \mathrm{Der}_K(R)\) is defined as \[\mathrm{Aut}_K(R)_d := \{ \rho\in Aut_K(R):\rho d \rho^{-1}=d \}.\] \textit{R. Baltazar} [An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc. 88, No. 4, 2031--2038 (2016; Zbl 1373.13026)] found that isotropy group of a simple Shamsuddin derivation on \(K[X,Y]\) is trivial and along with Pan, he conjectured that isotropy group of a simple derivation is always finite. A work [\textit{L. G. Mendes} and \textit{I. Pan}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 221, No. 4, 875--882 (2017; Zbl 1362.13023)] showed that \(Aut_K(K[X,Y])_d\) is trivial whenever \(d\) is simple. In this paper the author generalises the results of \textit{R. Baltazar} [An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc. 88, No. 4, 2031--2038 (2016; Zbl 1373.13026)] and provides further evidence to the above mentioned conjecture by showing that the isotropy group of a simple Shamsuddin derivation on \(K[X; Y_1,Y_2,\cdots, Y_n]\) is trivial. The authors also compute the isotropy groups of certain derivations (not necessarily simple derivations) on \(K[X,Y]\) of \(Y\)-degree \(n\) greater than or equal to \(2.\) They show in this case that the isotropy group is a subgroup of the multiplicative group of \((n-1)^{th}\) roots of unity. The authors also conjecture that a Shamsuddin derivation is simple if and only if its isotropy group is trivial and this conjecture is recently settled by D.Yan.