Invariants of the $k$-fold adjoint action of the Euclidean group

Abstract

A non-zero element of the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{se}(3)$ of the special Euclidean spatial isometry group $SE(3)$ is known as a {\em twist} and the corresponding element of the projective Lie algebra is termed a {\em screw}. Either can be used to describe a one-degree-of-freedom joint between rigid components in a mechanical device or robot manipulator. This leads to a practical interest in multiple twists or screws, describing the overall instantaneous motion of such a device. In this paper, invariants of multiple twists under the action induced by the adjoint action of the group are determined. The ring of the polynomial invariants for the adjoint action of $SE(3)$ acting on a single twist is well known to be finitely generated by the Klein and Killing forms, while a theorem of Panyushev gives finite generation for the real invariants of the induced action on two twists. However we are not aware of a corresponding theorem for $k$~twists, where $k\geq3$. Following Study, we use the principle of transference to determine fundamental algebraic invariants and their syzygies. We prove that the ring of invariants for triple twists is rationally finitely generated by $13$ of these invariants.