Additive group actions with finitely generated invariants (Q2372375)

Additive group actions on complex affine varieties are investigated. An action of \(\mathbb{G}_a\) on a variety \(X\) is said to be trivial if \(X\simeq Y\times\mathbb{G}_a\), where \(\mathbb{G}_a\) acts on the second factor by translations, and locally trivial if \(X\) is covered by open \(\mathbb{G}_a\)-stable subvarieties with trivial action. While an affine variety with a trivial action has a finitely generated algebra of invariants \(\mathbb{C}[X]^{\mathbb{G}_a}\simeq\mathbb{C}[Y]\), there exist locally trivial actions on normal affine varieties with nonfinitely generated invariants [Transform. Groups 2, No.~2, 137--145 (1997; Zbl 0913.14012)]. However it is proved in this note that locally trivial actions on factorial affine varieties have finitely generated invariants. A proper \(\mathbb{G}_a\)-action on \(\mathbb{A}^n\) is known to be locally trivial if \(\mathbb{C}[\mathbb{A}^n]\) is a flat extension of \(\mathbb{C}[\mathbb{A}^n]^{\mathbb{G}_a}\) or if \(W=\text{Spec}\,\mathbb{C}[\mathbb{A}^n]^{\mathbb{G}_a}\) is smooth [Osaka J. Math. 39, No.~2, 275--282 (2002; Zbl 1054.13002)]. A criterion of triviality for \(n=4\) is given: if \(W\) and the complement of \(\text{Im}\,\pi\) in \(W\) are smooth, where \(\pi:\mathbb{A}^4\to W\) is the quotient map, then the action is trivial. An example of a free improper \(\mathbb{G}_a\)-action on \(\mathbb{A}^4\) with \(W\) having non-isolated singularities is provided. On the other hand, it is conjectured that \(W\) is smooth for a proper \(\mathbb{G}_a\)-action on \(\mathbb{A}^4\), whence the action is locally trivial and even trivial provided it is triangular [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 132, No. 10, 2841--2848 (2004; Zbl 1077.14093)].