Compactifications of a representation variety. (Q2882820)

Let \(F\) be a group with finite set of generators \(\Delta\). Let \(G\) be a linear algebraic group over an algebraically closed field \(k\) and let \(R(F,G)\) be the variety of representations from \(F\) to \(G\). Choose an embedding of \(G\) into some \(\mathrm{PGL}_n(k)\) and let \(\overline G\) be the closure in \(\mathbb P(M_n(k))\) of the image of \(G\). The author defines a compactification \(R_\Delta(F,\overline G)\) of \(R(F,G)\). It is functorial in \((F,\Delta\cup\{1\})\). He shows that one really needs \(\Delta\) in order to get functoriality. As a particular case he studies the functor for a group extension \(1\to N\to F\to Q\to 1\).