Normality of torus orbit closures in \(G/P^1\) (Q5925796)

Let \(G\) be a semisimple complex algebraic group with a maximal torus \(T\), and \(Y=G/P\) a compact homogeneous space. The question of normality for \(T\)-orbit closures in \(X\) is addressed in the paper. The authors give a general criterion of normality for an arbitrary \(T\)-orbit closure \(X\subset Y\), thus generalizing the result of \textit{R. Dabrowski} [Pac. J. Math. 172, 321-330 (1996; Zbl 0969.14034)] on normality of closures of generic \(T\)-orbits. For this, they embed \(Y\) as the closed \(G\)-orbit in the projectivized simple \(G\)-module \(\mathbb P(V)\) of sufficiently positive highest weight \(\mu\), and show that the Newton polytope \(\mathcal H_{\mu}(X)\) has the property that for any vertex \(\nu\) of \(\mathcal H_{\mu}(X)\) the semigroup \({\mathbf S}_{\mu,\nu}(X)\) generated by those vectors of \(\mathcal H_{\mu}(X)-\nu\) lying in the weight lattice of \(X\) is saturated. Now the normality criterion is easily deduced from that for affine toric varieties: \(X\) is normal iff every indecomposable element of \({\mathbf S}_{\mu,\nu}(X)\) has the form \(\chi-\nu\), where \(\chi\) is a \(T\)-eigenweight occurring in vectors representing the open \(T\)-orbit in \(X\) (e.g. if all lattice points of \(\mathcal H_{\mu}(X)\) occur as \(T\)-eigenweights). NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEUsing a result of \textit{J. Morand} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 328, 197-202 (1999; Zbl 0970.20027)] on saturation of semigroups generated by roots in type \({\mathbf A}_n\) or \({\mathbf D}_4\), it is proven that all \(T\)-orbit closures in \(X\) are normal whenever \(G\) has the type \({\mathbf A}_n\), \({\mathbf D}_4\), or \({\mathbf B}_2\). In all other cases, there are counterexamples; the authors provide those for \(G={\mathbf G}_2\). An explicit algorithm for computing the vertices of \(\mathcal H_{\mu}(X)\) is given, and the two-dimensional \(T\)-orbit closures for \(G\) of rank 2 are described. (One-dimensional \(T\)-orbit closures are \(T\)-stable curves; they are easily described and always smooth.).