Essential dimension: a survey (Q2377158)

The essential dimension of an algebraic object can be informally viewed as the minimal number of algebraically independent parameters needed to define the object. It was first introduced by Buhler and Reichstein for the class of finite Galois field extensions with a given Galois group, and later extended to the class of \(G\)-torsors for an arbitrary algebraic group \(G\) (see [\textit{J. Buhler} and \textit{Z. Reichstein}, Compos. Math. 106, No. 2, 159--179 (1997; Zbl 0905.12003), and Transform. Groups 5, No. 3, 265--304 (2000; Zbl 0981.20033)], respectively). Many classical objects such as simple algebras, quadratic and hermitian forms, algebras with involutions etc. can be viewed as torsors under algebraic groups. The only property of a class of algebraic objects needed to define the essential dimension is that for every field extension \(K/F\) we must have a set \(\mathcal{F}(K)\) of isomorphism classes of objects, and for every field homomorphism \(K \to L\) over \(F\), a change of field map \(\mathcal{F}(K) \to \mathcal{F}(L)\). In other words, \(\mathcal{F}\) must be a functor from the category \(Fields _ F\) of field extensions of \(F\) to the category of sets. The essential dimension for an arbitrary functor \(Fields _ F \to Sets\) was defined by \textit{G. Berhuy} and \textit{G. Favi} [Doc. Math., J. DMV 8, 279--330 (2003; Zbl 1101.14324)]. The paper under review surveys research on the essential dimension. The studies in this area are motivated by various problems concerning the classification, structure and other properties of algebraic objects. As pointed out by the author, one of the leading contributors to the area, the highlights of the survey are the computations of the essential dimensions of finite groups, groups of multiplicative type and the spinor groups (the corresponding results are presented with self-contained proofs). In addition, the paper states theorems describing the structure of finite groups of essential dimension \(j\), for \(j = 1, 2\), and provides references to their classification. Lower and upper bounds on the essential dimensions of central simple algebras and exceptional algebraic groups are also presented as well as exact formulae for the canonical \(p\)-dimension of split semisimple algebraic groups (\(p\) is a prime number), and for the essential dimensions of quadratic forms, hypersurfaces and other algebro-geometric objects. The survey gives an idea of various aspects of the relations of the essential dimension and a number of other areas such as birational algebraic geometry, incompressible varieties, Chow motives, equivariant \(K\)-theory, Galois cohomology, representation theory of algebraic groups, fibered categories, valuation theory. The survey is comprehensive with a bibliography of 103 items.