Homomorphisms, localizations and a new algorithm to construct invariant rings of finite groups (Q875098)

Let \(G\) be a finite group acting on a polynomial ring \(A\) over a field \(K\) by linear substitutions of the variables (or more generally, let \(A\) be a domain generated by a finite dimensional \(G\)-submodule). In contrast to Noether's theorem valid in the non-modular case, when the characteristic of \(K\) divides the order of \(G\), then there is no bound depending only on \(G\) for the degree needed to generate the algebra \(A^G\) of polynomial invariants. The main theme of the paper is that certain localizations of \(A^G\) are generated in bounded degree. In particular, the field of \(G\)-invariants is generated in degree \(\leq | G| \). It is also proved that one can always find an invariant \(c\) of degree \(\leq | G| -1\) in the image of the transfer map such that the localization \((A^G)_c\) is generated as a \(K\)-algebra by the invariants of degree \(\leq 2| G| -1\) and \(1/c\) (under some extra conditions the bound \(2| G| -1\) can be decreased to \(| G| \)). The authors explain that since the image of the classical Noether homomorphism from the ring of multisymmetric polynomials into \(A^G\) contains the transfer ideal, the above \(c\) is a so-called conductor element, hence following their general observation this leads to a new constructive algorithm to find generators of \(A^G\) by standard elimination techniques using Gröbner bases. Finally, in the case of a \(p\)-group ``reciprocal invariants'' are considered. This localization yields weaker degree bounds, but allows a more explicit general description.