Springer isomorphisms in characteristic \(p\) (Q897151)

Let \(G\) be a simple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic \(p > 0\), and let \({\mathfrak g}\) denote the Lie algebra of \(G\). For such a \(G\), there always exists (a non-unique) Springer isomorphism: a \(G\)-equivariant isomorphism between the nilpotent cone \({\mathcal N}({\mathfrak g})\) of \({\mathfrak g}\) and the variety of unipotent elments \({\mathcal U}(G)\) of \(G\). Let \(P \subset G\) be a parabolic subgroup, \(U_P\) denote its unipotent radical, and \({\mathfrak u}_P\) denote the Lie algebra of \(U_P\). Any Springer isomorphism restricts to a \(P\)-equivariant isomorphism \({\mathfrak u}_P \to U_P\). Of interest here is the question of whether that restriction needs to be a certain canonical isomorphism (denoted \(\epsilon_P\)) introduced by \textit{J.-P. Serre} [Invent. Math. 124, No. 1--3, 525--562 (1996; Zbl 0877.20033)]. It was shown by \textit{G. J. McNinch} [Comment. Math. Helv. 80, No. 2, 391--426 (2005; Zbl 1097.20040)] that, if \(p \geq h\) (\(h\) being the Coxeter number of \(G\)), there exists a Springer isomorphism which restricts to \(\epsilon_P\) for every ``restricted'' parabolic subgroup \(P\). A parabolic \(P\) is said to be ``restricted'' if \(U_P\) has nilpotence class less than \(p\). The main result of this paper is that a Springer isomorphism with this desired restriction property exists for all separably good primes \(p\). To be separably good, the prime \(p\) must be good and additionally, in Type A, \(p\) cannot divide the order of the fundamental group of \(G\) (a condition that necessarily holds for good primes in other types). If \(G\) is a classical matrix group (e.g., \(\mathrm{SL}_n\), \(\mathrm{SO}_n\), or \(\mathrm{Sp}_n\)), an explicit Springer isomorphism (with the desired properties) can be obtained using the Artin-Haase exponential series. For general groups, the author makes use of information about centralizers of unipotent elements as well as the existence of abelian unipotent overgroups of unipotent elements, relying in part on results of \textit{G. M. Seitz} [Invent. Math. 141, No. 3, 467--502 (2000; Zbl 1053.20043)] and [J. Algebra 279, No. 1, 226--259 (2004; Zbl 1078.20051)]. Recall that the Lie algebra \({\mathfrak g}\) is a restricted Lie algebra. The restricted nullcone of \({\mathfrak g}\) is the variety \({\mathcal N}_1({\mathfrak g}) := \{x \in {\mathfrak g} \mid x^{[p]} = 0\}\). Let \({\mathcal U}_1(G)\) denote the variety of \(p\)-unipotent elements in \({\mathfrak g}\). The author observes that the Springer isomorphism obtained in the main result restricts to an isomorphism of varieties \({\mathcal N}_1(G) \to {\mathcal U}_1(G)\) which is defined over the finite field \({\mathbb F}_p\) and satisfies certain nice properties. This extends a result of \textit{J. F. Carlson} et al. [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 360, No. 4, 1879--1906 (2008; Zbl 1182.20039)] for \(p \geq h\) to \(p\) being separably good. In the Carlson-Lin-Nakano work, the isomorphism \({\mathcal N}_1(G) \to {\mathcal U}_1(G)\) played a key role in constructing a relationship between cohomological support varieties for \({\mathfrak g}\) and the associated finite Chevalley group \(G({\mathbb F}_p)\).