Adjoint representation of \(E_{8}\) and del Pezzo surfaces of degree 1 (Q424841)

Let \(G\) be a connected split simple algebraic group of type \(E_8\) over a field of characteristic zero and let \(\mathcal O\) be the \(G\)-orbit of the highest weight vector of the adjoint representation of \(G\). The authors construct a locally closed embedding into \(\mathcal O\) of a universal torsor over a del Pezzo surface \(X\) of degree \(1\). This embedding is equivariant with respect to the action of the Néron--Severi torus \(T\) of \(X\) identified with a maximal torus of \(G\) extended by the group of scalars, and the \(T\)-invariant hyperplane sections of the torsor defined by the roots of \(G\) are the inverse images of the 240 exceptional curves on \(X\).