A Jordan-Hölder theorem for differential algebraic groups (Q536174)

Let \(k\) be a (partial) differential filed of characteristic \(0\) with set of derivations \(\Delta\). Let \(\mathbb U\) be a \(k\) universal differentially closed extension of \(k\). The differential type of \(\tau(V)\) of an affine differential variety \(V \subseteq \mathbb U^n\) is the degree of a differential dimension polynomial of \(V\). The leading coefficient \(a_\tau(V)\) of this polynomial is the typical differential dimension of \(V\). Let \(G \neq \{1\}\) be a \(\Delta\)-group. The strong identity component \(G_0\) of \(G\) is the smallest \(\Delta\) subgroup \(H\) of \(G\) such that \(\tau(G/H)< \tau(G)\). If \(G_0=G\), \(G\) is strongly connected. \(G\) is almost simple if every proper normal subgroup of \(G\) has smaller differential dimension. A morphism of strongly connected differential groups is called an isogeny if it is surjective and the differential type of the kernel is smaller than the differential type of the domain. The authors prove that for any strongly connected \(G\), there is an \(r\) and a descending normal series \(G_i\) with \(G_0=G\) and \(G_r=\{1\}\) such that for \(0 \leq i \leq r-1\): {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[1.] \(G_i\) is strongly connected with \(\tau(G_i)=\tau(G)\). \item[2.] \(a_\tau(G_i) > a_\tau(G_{i+1})\) for \(i \neq r-1\). \item[3.] \(G_i/G_{i+1}\) is almost simple of differential type \(\tau(G)\) and typical differential dimension \(a_\tau(G_i)-a_\tau(G_{i+1})\). \end{itemize}} If in addition there is an \(s\) and a descending normal series \(H_i\) with \(H_0=G\) and \(H_r=\{1\}\) the authors show that \(r=s\) and after a permutation of the indices the corresponding quotients in both series are isogenous. The authors show how this result can be used to understand factoring of partial differential operators in cases where the factors are not uniquely determined by their product.