The variety of exterior powers of linear maps (Q2654050)

Let \(V\) and \(W\) be vector spaces of dimensions \(m\) and \(n\) over the field \(K\). The authors study the map \[ \Lambda_t: \Hom_K(V, W)\to \Hom_K\Biggl(\bigwedge^t V,\bigwedge^t W\Biggr),\quad \Lambda_t(\alpha)= \bigwedge^t\alpha. \] More precisely, they investigate the Zariski closure \(X_t(V, W)\) of the image \(Y_t(V, W)\) of this map. In the classical case \(t= m\leq n\), \(Y_t(V, W)\) is the cone over the Grassmannian \(G_m(W)\). In particular, it is Zariski closed. For \(1< t< \min(m, n)\) one has \(X_t(V, W)\neq Y_t(V, W)\). We quote the authors main result: Identify \(\Hom_K(\bigwedge^t V,\bigwedge^d W)\) with \(\wedge^t V^*\otimes \bigwedge^t W\), and consider \[ Y(V,W)= \bigcup_{t\geq 0} Y_t(V, W),\quad X(V,W)= \bigcup_{t\geq 0} JX_t(V, W) \] in the algebra \(\bigwedge V^*\otimes \bigwedge W\). If \(K\) is algebraically closed and of characteristic 0, then \(X(V, W)\) is the closure of \(Y(V, W)\) under the operation of \(V^*\times W\) by multiplication on \(\bigwedge V^*\otimes \bigwedge W\). The proof is based on an analysis of the natural action of \(\text{GL}(V)\times\text{GL}(W)\) on \(Y_t(V, W)\) and \(X_t(V, W)\). The orbits in \(X_t(V, W)\) are classified by the ordinary rank of elements \(\psi\in \Hom_K(\bigwedge^t V,\bigwedge^t W)\) and a further numerical invariant \(\text{sr}(\psi)\), the small rank of \(\psi\), which is the maximum of the ranks of \(\psi|\bigwedge^t U\), where \(U\) runs through the subspaces of \(V\) with \(\dim U\leq t+ 1\). The final section deals with the singular locus of \(X_t(V, W)\). If one leaves out of account some well-understood exceptional cases it consists of the elements of \(\text{rank\,}\leq 1\).