Geometrically reductive Hopf algebras and their invariants. (Q948713)

Let \(H\) be a Hopf algebra over a field \(k\). For any \(H\)-module \(M\) we can form the \(H\)-module algebra \(S_H(M)=T(M)/I(M)\), where \(T(M) \) is the usual tensor algebra and \(I(M) \) is the ideal generated by the set \(\{h(m\otimes m'-m'\otimes m)\mid h\in H\), \(m,m'\in M\}\) and \(H\) acts on \(M\otimes M\) through comultiplication. Suppose it is the case that for any finite dimensional \(H\)-module \(M\) with nonzero \(H\)-module map \(j\colon M\to k\) there exists an \(r>0\) and an \(f\in S_H^r(M)^H\) such that \(\widetilde j(f)\neq 0\), where \(\widetilde j\) is the induced \(H\)-module algebra map \(S_H(M)\to k\). Then \(H\) is said to be `geometrically reductive'. If furthermore \(j(m)\neq 0\) for some \(m\in M^H\) then \(H\) is `linearly reductive'. These two concepts are introduced in this work to be analogous to the notions of geometrically reductive and linearly reductive algebraic groups, and it is the former which is studied in great detail. Classical invariant theory states that if \(G\) is linearly reductive then \(k[V]^G\) is finitely generated for each finite dimensional rational \(G\)-module \(V\). Here, it is shown that if \(H\) is geometrically reductive and \(A\) is a locally finite, commutative, finitely-generated \(H\)-module algebra then \(A^H\) is finitely generated. Thus for \(M\) a finite dimensional \(H\)-module we have \(S_H(M)^H\) is finitely generated. In light of the result above, much of the paper is devoted to the classification of geometrically reductive Hopf algebras. In the case where \(\text{char\,}k=0\) it is proved that \(H\) is geometrically reductive if and only if it is finitely semisimple, that is, if every finite dimensional left \(H\)-module is semisimple. Since a Hopf algebra is linearly reductive if and only if it is finitely semisimple we see that the notions of geometrically reductive and linearly reductive coincide in the characteristic zero case. Now suppose \(\text{char\,}k>0\). In this case it is shown that every finite dimensional Hopf algebra is geometrically reductive. Furthermore, for \(G\) a finitely generated Abelian group we have that \(kG\) if geometrically reductive (it should be pointed out that this is not the case in characteristic zero, and that it remains unclear for which \(G\) we have a geometrically reductive group algebra in general). Finally, it is shown that for any \(n\geq 2\) and \(q\in k\), \(q\neq\pm 1\) the quantum enveloping algebra \(U_q(\mathfrak{sl}(n,k))\) is geometrically reductive.