Principal bundles over the projective line (Q2655026)

Let \(G\) be a connected reductive linear algebraic group defined over a field \(k\) and \(E_G\) a principal \(G\)-bundle over the projective line \({\mathbb P}^1_k\) satisfying the condition that \(E_G\) is trivial over some \(k\)-rational point of \({\mathbb P}^1_k\). It is proven that the principal \(G\)-bundle \(E_G\) admits a reduction of structure group to the multiplicative group \({\mathbb G}_m\). This is done for arbitrary field \(k\) and extends results of \textit{G. Harder} [Invent. Math. 6, 107--149 (1968; Zbl 0186.25902)] and \textit{V. B. Mehta} and \textit{S. Subramanian} [Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., Math. Sci. 112, No. 3, 393--397 (2002; Zbl 1057.14042)] Another result proven and used in the article is splitting of the principal bundle \(E_G\) over projective line if \(G\) is connected linear reductive algebraic group over \(k\) and \(E_G\) is trivial over some \(k\)-rational point.