The strong centre conjecture: an invariant theory approach (Q2376710)

Let \(\Delta\) be a spherical building. The centre conjecture of Tits asserts that if \(G\) is a group stabilizing a convex subcomplex \(\Sigma\) of \(\Delta\), then either \(G\) fixes a point of \(\Delta\) or \(\Sigma\) is completely reducible, meaning that every point of \(\Sigma\) has an opposite in \(\Sigma\). This conjecture was proved by a case-by-case analysis by \textit{B. Mühlherr} and \textit{J. Tits} [J. Algebra 300, No. 2, 687--706 (2006; Zbl 1101.51004)], \textit{B. Leeb} and \textit{C. Ramos-Cuevas} [Geom. Funct. Anal. 21, No. 3, 525--559 (2011; Zbl 1232.51008)] and \textit{C. Ramos-Cuevas} [Geom. Dedicata 166, 349--407 (2013; Zbl 1283.51006)]. However, it is possible to strenghten the conjecture to the case when \(\Sigma\) is only assumed to be a convex subset, not necessarily a subcomplex. In this paper, the authors prove this strengthened center conjecture for spherical buildings of reductive groups over algebraically closed fields. The methods of proof come from geometric invariant theory; one key step of the proof is a building-theoretic interpretation of previous results of \textit{G. R. Kempf} [Ann. Math. (2) 108, 299--316 (1978; Zbl 0406.14031)].