The slice method for \(G\)-torsors (Q2411330)

The goal of this paper is to introduce a refined notion of slices and discuss some applications. The notion of slices was originally introduced for a complex variety with an algebraic group action by \textit{P. I. Katsylo} [Math. USSR, Izv. 22, 23--32 (1984; Zbl 0569.14026); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 47, No. 1, 26--36 (1983)]. Here, this notion is refined for a scheme with an algebraic group action over an arbitrary field \(F\). If \(G\) is an algebraic group acting on a scheme \(V\) and \(N\) is a subgroup of \(G\), a \((G,N)\)-slice of \(V\) is a non-empty \(N\)-stable subscheme \(S_0\subset V\) such the induced morphism of algebraic spaces \((G\times S_0)/N\to V\) is an open immersion. A slice can be easily produced if there exists a stabilizer in general position (SGP). Namely, if \(H\) is an SGP for the \(G\)-action on a geometrically irreducible variety \(V\) and \(N:=N_G(H)\) its normalizer, then there exists an open \(N\)-stable subscheme \(S_0\) of \(V^H\) which is a \((G,N)\)-slice. Applying this to the case \(V\) is a linear presentation of \(G\) with an SGP \(H\), we see that every \(G\)-torsor over an infinite extension \(L/F\) comes from an \(N\)-torsor. This paper also discusses several applications of the slice method. The first one is to show that two central simple algebras of the same degree, whose tensor product is of index \(\leq2\), have a commom maximal étale subalgebra. Another application is to show that a split simply connected algebraic group of type \(E_7\) over a field of characteristic \(\neq2,3\) has the essential dimension \(\leq11\). This is indeed a strong result since the best upper bound for \(\mathrm{ed}(E_7)\) known before this paper was \(29\).