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Zinovy Reichstein

Publications and source records attributed to Zinovy Reichstein.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2009

Essential dimension, spinor groups and quadratic forms

We prove that the essential dimension of the spinor group Spin_n grows exponentially with n; in particular, we give a precise formula for this essential dimension when n is not divisible by 4. We use this result to show that the number of 3-fold Pfister forms needed to represent the Witt class of a general quadratic form of rank n with trivial discriminant and Hasse-Witt invariant grows exponentially with n. This paper overlaps with our earlier preprint arXiv:math/0701903 . That preprint has splintered into several parts, which have since acquired a life of their own. In particular, see "Essential dimension of moduli of curves and other algebraic stacks", by the same authors, and "Some consequences of the Karpenko-Merkurjev theorem", by Meyer and Reichstein (arXiv:0811.2517).

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arXiv2007

A lower bound on the essential dimension of a connected linear group

Let G be a connected linear algebraic group defined over an algebraically closed field k and H be a finite abelian subgroup of G whose order is prime to char(k). We show that the essential dimension of G is bounded from below by rank(H) - rank C_G(H)^0, where rank C_G(H)^0 denotes the rank of the maximal torus in the centralizer C_G(H). This inequality, conjectured by J.-P. Serre, generalizes previous results of Reichstein -- Youssin (where char(k) is assumed to be 0 and C_G(H) to be finite) and Chernousov -- Serre (where H is assumed to be a 2-group).

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arXiv2007

Essential dimension and algebraic stacks

We define and study the essential dimension of an algebraic stack. We compute the essential dimension of the stacks Mgn and MgnBar of smooth, or stable, n-pointed curves of genus g. We also prove a general lower bound for the essential dimension of algebraic groups with a non-trivial center. Using this, we find new exponential lower bounds for the essential dimension of spin groups and new formulas for the essential dimension of some finite p-groups. Finally, we apply the lower bound for spin groups to the theory of the Witt ring of quadratic forms over a field k.

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arXiv2006

On the Cayley degree of an algebraic group

A connected linear algebraic group G is called a Cayley group if the Lie algebra of G endowed with the adjoint G-action and the group variety of G endowed with the conjugation G-action are birationally G-isomorphic. In particular, the classical Cayley map, X \mapsto (I_n-X)/(I_n+X), between the special orthogonal group SO_n and its Lie algebra so_n, shows that SO_n is a Cayley group. In an earlier paper (see math.AG/0409004) we classified the simple Cayley groups defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. Here we consider a new numerical invariant of G, the Cayley degree, which "measures" how far G is from being Cayley, and prove upper bounds on Cayley degrees of some groups.

math.AG↗
arXiv2006

Cayley groups

The classical Cayley map, X --> (I_n-X)/(I_n+X), is a birational isomorphism between the special orthogonal group SO_n and its Lie algebra so_n, which is SO_n-equivariant with respect to the conjugating and adjoint actions respectively. We ask whether or not maps with these properties can be constructed for other algebraic groups. We show that the answer is usually "no", with a few exceptions. In particular, we show that a Cayley map for the group SL_n exists if and only if n <= 3. This answers an old question of Luna.

math.AG↗
arXiv2005

Group actions on central simple algebras: a geometric approach

We study actions of linear algebraic groups on central simple algebras using algebro-geometric techniques. Suppose an algebraic group G acts on a central simple algebra A of degree n. We are interested in questions of the following type: (a) Do the G-fixed elements form a central simple subalgebra of A of degree n? (b) Does A have a G-invariant maximal subfield? (c) Does A have a splitting field with a G-action, extending the G-action on the center of A? Somewhat surprisingly, we find that under mild assumptions on A and the actions, one can answer these questions by using techniques from birational invariant theory (i.e., the study of group actions on algebraic varieties, up to equivariant birational isomorphisms). In fact, group actions on central simple algebras turn out to be related to some of the central problems in birational invariant theory, such as the existence of sections, stabilizers in general position, affine models, etc. In this paper we explain these connections and explore them to give partial answers to questions (a)-(c).

math.RA↗
arXiv2005

Group actions and invariants in algebras of generic matrices

We show that the fixed elements for the natural GL_m-action on the universal division algebra UD(m,n) of m generic n x n matrices form a division subalgebra of degree n, assuming n >= 3 and 2 <= m <= n^2 - 2. This allows us to describe the asymptotic behavior of the dimension of the space of SL_m-invariant homogeneous central polynomials p(X_1,...,X_m) for n x n matrices. Here the base field is assumed to be of characteristic zero.

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arXiv2005

Polynomial identity rings as rings of functions

We generalize the usual relationship between irreducible Zariski closed subsets of the affine space, their defining ideals, coordinate rings, and function fields, to a non-commutative setting, where "varieties" carry a PGL_n-action, regular and rational "functions" on them are matrix-valued, "coordinate rings" are prime polynomial identity algebras, and "function fields" are central simple algebras of degree n. In particular, a prime polynomial identity algebra of degree n is finitely generated if and only if it arises as the "coordinate ring" of a "variety" in this setting. For n = 1 our definitions and results reduce to those of classical affine algebraic geometry.

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arXiv2005

Birational isomorphisms between twisted group actions

Let X be an algebraic variety with a generically free action of a connected algebraic group G. Given an automorphism u of G, we will denote by X^u the same variety X with the G-action given by twisted by u. V. L. Popov asked if X and X^u are always G-equivariantly birationally isomorphic. We construct examples to show that this is not the case in general, but we prove that X and X^u are always stably birationally isomorphic, i.e., birationally isomorphic after taking products with an affine space with trivial G-action.

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arXiv2003

Symmetric functions and the phase problem in crystallography

The calculation of crystal structure from X-ray diffraction data requires that the phases of the ``structure factors'' (Fourier coefficients) determined by scattering be deduced from the absolute values of those structure factors. Motivated by a question of Herbert Hauptman, we consider the problem of determining phases by direct algebraic means in the case of crystal structures with $n$ equal atoms in the unit cell, with $n$ small. We rephrase the problem as a question about multiplicative invariants for a particular finite group action. We show that the absolute values form a generating set for the field of invariants of this action, and consider the problem of making this theorem constructive and practical; the most promising approach for deriving explicit formulas uses SAGBI bases.

math.AC↗
arXiv2003

Fields of definition for division algebras

Let $A$ be a finite-dimensional division algebra containing a base field $k$ in its center $F$. We say that $A$ is defined over a subfield $F_0$ of $F$ if $A = A_0\otimes_{F_0} F$ for some $F_0$-subalgebra $A_0$ of $A$. We show that: (1) In many cases $A$ can be defined over a rational extension of $k$. (2) If $A$ has odd degree $n \ge 5$, then $A$ is defined over a field $F_0$ of transcendence degree at most $(n-1)(n-2)/2$ over $k$. (3) If $A$ is a $Z/m \times Z/2$-crossed product for some $m \ge 2$ (and in particular, if $A$ is any algebra of degree 4) then $A$ is Brauer equivalent to a tensor product of two symbol algebras. Consequently, $M_m(A)$ can be defined over a field $F_0$ of transcendence degree at most 4 over $k$. (4) If $A$ has degree 4 then the trace form of $A$ can be defined over a field $F_0$ of transcendence degree at most 4. (In (1), (3), and (4) we assume that the center of $A$ contains certain roots of unity.)

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arXiv2000

A birational invariant for algebraic group actions

We construct a birational invariant for certain algebraic group actions. We use this invariant to classify linear representations of finite abelian groups up to birational equivalence, thus answering, in a special case, a question of E. B. Vinberg and giving a family of counterexamples to a related conjecture of P. I. Katsylo. We also give a new proof of a theorem of M. Lorenz on birational equivalence of quantum tori (in a slightly expanded form) by applying our invariant in the setting of PGL_n-varieties.

math.AG↗
arXiv2000

Conditions satisfied by characteristic polynomials in fields and division algebras

Suppose E/F is a field extension. We ask whether or not there exists an element of E whose characteristic polynomial has one or more zero coefficients in specified positions. We show that the answer is frequently ``no''. We also prove similar results for division algebras and show that the universal division algebra of degree n does not have an element of trace 0 and norm 1.

math.AG↗
arXiv2000

Lattices and Parameter Reduction in Division Algebras

Let k be an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0 and let D be a division algebra whose center F contains k. We shall say that D can be reduced to r parameters if D = D_0 tensor_{F_0} F, where D_0 is a division algebra, the center F_0 of D_0 contains k and trdeg(F_0/k) = r. We show that every division algebra of odd degree n >= 5 can be reduced to at most (n-1)(n-2)/2 parameters. Moreover, every crossed product division algebra of degree n >= 4 can be reduced to at most (log_2(n) - 1)n + 1 parameters. Our proofs of these results rely on lattice-theoretic techniques.

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