Using extended Derksen ideals in computational invariant theory (Q492028)

Let \(G\) be a group acting on an algebra \(S\) over a ring \(K\), let \(R\) be a finitely generated \(G\)-stable \(K\)-subalgebra with generators \(a_1,\dots,a_n\in S\), and let \(y_1,\dots,y_n\) be indeterminates on which \(G\) acts trivially. The \textit{Derksen ideal} (with respect to the \(a_1,\dots,a_n\)) is the ideal in \(S[y_1,\dots,y_n]\) defined as the intersection \[ D_{a_1,\dots,a_n}=\bigcap_{\sigma\in G}\left(y_1-\sigma\cdot a_1,\dots,y_n-\sigma\cdot a_n\right). \] Derksen ideals were introduced by \textit{H. Derksen} [Adv. Math. 141, 366--384 (1999; Zbl 0927.13007)] in order to compute the invariant ring \(R^G\) in the special case where \(G\) is a linearly reductive group acting linearly on a finite dimensional vector space \(V\), and \(S=R=K[V]\) is the ring of polynomial functions on \(V\). In the paper under review, the author introduces the notion of a \textit{(tamely) extended Derksen ideal} to study a more general situation, focusing specifically on the case where \(S=\mathrm{Quot}(R)\) and \(K\subseteq S^G\) is a subring, not necessarily a field (Assumption 1.2). In the first section, the author shows that a Gröbner basis of a (tamely) extended Derksen ideal can be used to compute the invariant field \(S^G\) (Theorem 1.3) and the localized invariant ring \(R^G_a\) for certain elements \(a\in R^G\) (Theorem 1.4). The author also gives an ``unlocalizing'' method (Semi-Algorithm 1.11) to compute the invariant ring \(R^G\) from its localization \(R^G_a\) for certain \(a\in R^G\). The author then uses the above results to obtain several new algorithms that compute invariant rings under various assumptions on \(G\), \(R\) and \(K\). For finite groups \(G\), Algorithms 2.1 and 2.3 compute the invariant ring \(R^G\) for \(R\) an algebra over a Zacharias ring \(K\). Evidently, all previously known algorithms for computing invariant rings of finite groups have been limited to algebras over base fields rather than base rings. For a reductive group \(G\) equipped with a \(G\)-module \(V\), Algorithm 5.3 computes the invariant subring \(K[V]^G\) of the group algebra \(K[V]\). As the author points out, Algorithm 5.3 can be viewed as an alternative to Derksen's original algorithm and, in some cases depending on the characteristic of \(K\), can also be more efficient. One of the novel features of Algorithm 5.3, as compared with other previously known algorithms, is that it circumvents the problem of determining whether or not the invariant field \(K(V)^G\) is equal to the fraction field of the invariant ring \(\mathrm{Quot}(K[V]^G)\), a problem sometimes referred to as the ``Italian problem''.