On orthogonal invariants in characteristic 2

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Abstract: Working over an algebraically closed base field k of characteristic 2, the ring of invariants RG is studied, where G is the orthogonal group O(n) or the special orthogonal group SO(n), acting naturally on the coordinate ring R of the m-fold direct sum knoplus...opluskn of the standard vector representation. It is proved for O(2), O(3)=SO(3), SO(4), and O(4), that there exists an m-linear invariant with m arbitrarily large, which is not expressible as a polynomial of invariants of lower degree. This is in sharp contrast with the uniform description of the ring of invariants valid in all other characteristics, and supports the conjecture that the same phenomena occur for all n. For general even n, new O(n)-invariants are constructed, which are not expressible as polynomials of the quadratic invariants. In contrast with these results, it is shown that rational invariants have a uniform description valid in all characteristics. Similarly, if mleqn, then RO(n) is generated by the obvious invariants. For all n, the algebra RG is a finitely generated module over the subalgebra generated by the quadratic invariants, and for odd n, the square of any SO(n)-invariant is a polynomial of the quadratic invariants. Finally we mention that for even n, an n-linear SO(n)-invariant is given, which distinguishes between SO(n) and O(n) (just like the determinant in all characteristics different from 2).


As a byproduct of their study of invariant theory of matrices in positive characteristic, \textit{M. Domokos, S. G. Kuzmin, A. N. Zubkov} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 176, No. 1, 61--80 (2002; Zbl 1024.16014)] discovered an interesting consequence for invariant theory of the special orthogonal group. Roughly speaking, the invariants in characteristic \(p>2\) behave as in characteristic 0 and the situation changes drastically in characteristic 2. In the paper under review the authors concentrate their efforts on invariant theory of the orthogonal group \(O(n)\) and the special orthogonal group \(SO(n)\) over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic 2, with the natural action of \(O(n)\) and \(SO(n)\) on the \(m\)-fold direct sum \(k^n\oplus\cdots\oplus k^n\) of the standard \(n\)-dimensional vector representation. (The subgroup \(SO(n)\) of \(O(n)\) coincides with \(O(n)\) for \(n\) odd and is of index 2 for \(n\) even.) The authors describe explicitly the algebras of \(O(n)\)- and \(SO(n)\)-invariants for \(n\leq 3\). They establish that for \(n\leq 4\) and \(m\) going to infinity, there exist invariants of arbitrary high degree (depending on \(m\)) which cannot be expressed in terms of invariants of lower degree. This supports the conjecture that the same phenomena occur for all \(n\). As another confirmation for this conjecture, the authors construct for any even \(n\) new \(O(n)\)-invariants which are not expressible as polynomials of quadratic invariants. In contrast with these results, the authors show that the rational invariants behave in the same way in all characteristics. Similarly, for small \(m\) (\(\leq n\)), the algebra of \(O(n)\)-invariants is generated by the quadratic invariants. For all \(n\) the algebra of \(O(n)\)- and \(SO(n)\)-invariants is a finitely generated module over the subalgebra generated by the quadratic invariants. In particular, for odd \(n\) the square of any \(SO(n)\)-invariant belongs to this subalgebra. The authors also give an \(n\)-linear \(SO(n)\)-invariant which distinguishes between \(SO(n)\) and \(O(n)\).











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