Invariant theory for non-reductive actions: extensions of Hilbert and Schwarz theorems

Abstract

Classical invariant theory establishes a systematic correspondence between algebraic and smooth invariants for compact and reductive Lie groups. However, the extension of these results to non-compact and non-reductive regimes remains a subject of ongoing research. This paper examines the divergence between the algebras of polynomial and smooth invariants in two specific settings: discrete subgroups of the Lorentz group $O(n,1)$ acting on $\mathbb{R}^{n,1}$, and cocompact actions on smooth manifolds. We prove that for discrete Lorentz groups, the ring of polynomial invariants is finitely generated, but the smooth invariants are not generated by the polynomial ones. In the case of cocompact actions, we demonstrate that the polynomial invariant ring reduces to constants, while the algebra of smooth invariants is finitely generated and determined by the smooth structure of the quotient manifold. These results lead to a classification of invariant-theoretic regimes into four categories, identifying the boundaries of the Hilbert--Weyl and Schwarz theorems and establishing the role of properness in the alignment of algebraic and analytic descriptions of symmetry.