Homomorphisms of algebraic groups: representability and rigidity

Abstract: Given two algebraic groups

G

,

H

over a field

k

, we investigate the representability of the functor of morphisms (of schemes)

m a t h b f H o m (G, H)

and the subfunctor of homomorphisms (of algebraic groups)

m a t h b f {H o m}_{m g p} (G, H)

. We show that

m a t h b f H o m (G, H)

is represented by a group scheme, locally of finite type, if the

k

-vector space

m a t h c a l O (G)

is finite-dimensional; the converse holds if

H

is not 'etale. When

G

is linearly reductive and

H

is smooth, we show that

m a t h b f {H o m}_{m g p} (G, H)

is represented by a smooth scheme

M

; moreover, every orbit of

H

acting by conjugation on

M

is open.

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