Affine \(\mathbb{T}\)-varieties of complexity one and locally nilpotent derivations (Q707911)

Let \(X\) be a normal affine variety over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic~\(0\) equipped with an effective action of an algebraic torus~\(\mathbb{T}\). In this case, the coordinate algebra \(k[X]\) is graded by the weight lattice \(M\) of~\(\mathbb{T}\). The problem is to describe locally nilpotent derivations (LND's) of \(k[X]\) which are homogeneous with respect to this grading, i.e., map homogeneous elements to homogeneous ones or, in geometric terms, to describe the \((k,+)\)-actions on \(X\) normalized by~\(\mathbb{T}\). This problem is solved in the paper in the case, where the complexity of~\(X\), i.e., the codimension of general \(\mathbb{T}\)-orbits is not greater than one. In the toric case (complexity~\(0\)) the author recovers the well-known result of \textit{M. Demazure} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 3, 507--588 (1970; Zbl 0223.14009); \textit{T. Oda}, Convex bodies and algebraic geometry. An introduction to the theory of toric varieties. Berlin etc.: Springer-Verlag (1988; Zbl 0628.52002)]. Namely, let \(\sigma\subset N_{\mathbb{Q}}\) be the pointed polyhedral cone in the \(\mathbb{Q}\)-span of the coweight lattice \(N=\text{Hom}(M,\mathbb{Z})\) which determines~\(X\), so that \(k[X]\) is the semigroup algebra of \(\sigma^{\vee}\cap M\). Then for any primitive lattice generator \(\rho\) of an extremal ray of \(\sigma\) and any \(e\in M\) such that \(\langle\rho,e\rangle=-1\) and \(\langle\rho',e\rangle\geq0\) for other generators \(\rho'\) of~\(\sigma\), there is an LND \(\partial=\partial_e\) given by \(\partial(t^m)=\langle\rho,m\rangle t^{m+e}\) for any character \(t\mapsto t^m\), \(t\in\mathbb{T}\), \(m\in\sigma^{\vee}\cap M\) (note that \(\rho\) is uniquely determined by~\(e\)), and every homogeneous locally nilpotent derivation (HLND) of \(k[X]\) is proportional to some~\(\partial_e\). In the complexity one case, the author also uses a description of affine \(\mathbb{T}\)-varieties of complexity~\(1\) in terms of convex geometry [\textit{K. Altmann} and \textit{J. Hausen}, Math. Ann. 334, No. 3, 557--607 (2006; Zbl 1193.14060); \textit{D. Timashev}, Contemporary Mathematics 460, 349--364 (2008; Zbl 1151.14037)]. Namely, let \(C\) be a smooth curve and \(\mathfrak{D}\) be a proper \(\sigma\)-polyhedral divisor on~\(C\), i.e., a formal sum \(\sum_{z\in C}\mathfrak{D}_z\cdot z\), where \(\mathfrak{D}_z\subset N_{\mathbb{Q}}\) are polyhedra with tail cone~\(\sigma\), all but finitely many of them equal to~\(\sigma\), \(\deg\mathfrak{D}=\sum_{z\in C}\mathfrak{D}_z\subset\sigma\) is a proper subset, and for any \(m\in M\) the \(\mathbb{Q}\)-divisor \(\mathfrak{D}(m)=\sum_{z\in C}\min\langle\mathfrak{D}_z,m\rangle\cdot z\) is \(\mathbb{Q}\)-principal whenever \(\deg\mathfrak{D}(m)=0\). Then \(A=\bigoplus_{m\in\sigma^{\vee}\cap M} H^0(C,\mathcal{O}(\lfloor\mathfrak{D}(m)\rfloor))t^m\subset k(C)[\sigma^{\vee}\cap M]\) is a finitely generated normal \(M\)-graded domain, \(X=\text{Spec}A\) is a normal affine \(\mathbb{T}\)-variety of complexity~\(1\), and every normal affine variety of complexity~\(1\) is obtained this way. Homogeneous locally nilpotent derivations of \(A=k[X]\) are subdivided into those of vertical (fiber) type and those of horizontal type, which means geometrically that \((k,+)\) preserves general fibers of the natural rational map \(X\dashrightarrow C\) or acts in the transversal direction. In the vertical case, for every \(e\in M\) as above, a \(\mathbb{Q}\)-divisor \(D_e=\sum_{z\in C} \max_{m\in\sigma^{\vee}\setminus\rho^{\perp}} (\min\langle\mathfrak{D}_z,m\rangle-\min\langle\mathfrak{D}_z,m+e\rangle) \cdot z\) is well defined, and there exists nonzero \(f\in H^0(C,\mathcal{O}(\lfloor-D_e\rfloor))\) iff either \(C\) is affine or \(C\) is projective and \(\deg\mathfrak{D}\cap\mathbb{Q}_+\rho=\emptyset\). In this case, \(\partial_{e,f}=f\partial_e\) is an HLND of \(k[X]\) and all HLND's are obtained this way. In the horizontal case, \(C=\mathbb{P}^1\) or \(\mathbb{A}^1\) and the description of HLND's is more involved. As an application, the author proves that \(\text{Ker}\partial\) is finitely generated for every HLND~\(\partial\) and computes the homogeneous Makar-Limanov invariant of~\(X\) (which is the intersection of the kernels of all HLND's). In particular, the author exhibits a family of non-rational 3-folds with trivial Makar-Limanov invariant. The surface case is analyzed in detail, cf.~[\textit{H. Flenner} and \textit{M. Zaidenberg}, Osaka J. Math. 42, No. 4, 931--974 (2005; Zbl 1140.14323)].