Algebraic group actions on noncommutative spectra

Let G be an affine algebraic group and let R be an associative algebra with a rational action of G by algebra automorphisms. We study the induced G-action on the spectrum Spec R of all prime ideals of R, viewed as a topological space with the Jacobson-Zariski topology, and on the subspace consisting of all rational ideals of R. Here, a prime ideal P of R is said to be rational if the extended centroid of R/P is equal to the base field. The main themes of the article are local closedness of G-orbits in Spec R and the so-called G-stratification of Spec R. This stratification plays a central role in the recent investigation of algebraic quantum groups, in particular in the work of Goodearl and Letzter. We describe the G-strata in terms of certain commutative spectra. Our principal results are based on prior work of Moeglin & Rentschler and Vonessen. We generalize the theory arbitrary associative algebras while also simplifying some of the earlier proofs.Comment: 21 pages; minor revisions; to appear in Transformation Group

On the Cohen-Macaulay property of multiplicative invariants

We investigate the Cohen-Macaulay property for rings of invariants under multiplicative actions of a finite group $G$. By definition, these are $G$-actions on Laurent polynomial algebras that stabilize the multiplicative group consisting of all monomials in the variables. For the most part, we concentrate on the case where the base ring is the ring of rational integers. Our main result states that if $G$ acts non-trivially and the invariant algebra is Cohen-Macaulay then the abelianized isotropy groups $G_m/[G_m,G_m]$ of all monomials m are generated by bireflections and at least one $G_m/[G_m,G_m]$ is non-trivial. As an application, we prove the multiplicative version of Kemper's 3-copies conjecture.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX; some new results and examples added; expanded introduction with additional reference

On Euler classes of abelian-by-finite groups

Let $G$ be a finitely generated abelian-by-finite group and $k$ a field of characteristic $p\ge 0$. The Euler class $[k_G]$ of $G$ over $k$ is the class of the trivial $kG$-module in the Grothendieck group $G_0(kG)$. We show that $[k_G]$ has finite order if and only if every $p$-regular element of $G$ has infinite centralizer in $G$. We also give a lower bound for the order of the Euler class in terms of suitable finite subgroups of $G$. This lower bound is derived from a more general result on finite-dimensional representations of smash products of Hopf algebras.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, AMSLaTe

Some applications of Frobenius algebras to Hopf algebras

This expository article presents a unified ring theoretic approach, based on the theory of Frobenius algebras, to a variety of results on Hopf algebras. These include a theorem of S. Zhu on the degrees of irreducible representations, the so-called class equation, the determination of the semisimplicity locus of the Grothendieck ring, the spectrum of the adjoint class and a non-vanishing result for the adjoint character.Comment: 22 page

On the stratification of noncommutative prime spectra

We study rational actions of an algebraic torus G by automorphisms on an associative algebra R. The G-action on R induces a stratification of the prime spectrum of R which was introduced by Goodearl and Letzter. For a noetherian algebra R, Goodearl and Letzter showed that the strata of the spectrum of R are isomorphic to the spectra of certain commutative Laurent polynomial algebras. The purpose of this note is to give a new proof of this result which works for arbitrary algebras R

On the degrees of irreducible representations of Hopf algebras

Let H denote a semisimple Hopf algebra over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic 0. We show that the degree of any irreducible representation of H whose character belongs to the center of H^* must divide the dimension of H .Comment: AMS-LaTeX, 3 page

K_0 of invariant rings and nonabelian H^1

We give a description of the kernel of the induction map K_0(R)->K_0(S), where S is a commutative ring and R is the ring of invariants of the action of a finite group G on S. The description is in terms of H^1(G,GL(S))

Bochner-Kaehler metrics and connections of Ricci type

We apply the results from the article Cahen, Schwachh\"ofer: Special symplectic connections, to the case of Bochner-Kaehler metrics. We obtain a (local) classification of these based on the orbit types of the adjoint action in $su(n,1)$. The relation between Sasaki and Bochner-Kaehler metrics in cone and transveral metrics constructions is discussed. The connection of the special symplectic and Weyl connections is outlined. The duality between the Ricci-type and Bochner-Kaehler metrics is shown

Bipolar Electrodiffusion model for Electroconvection in Nematics

The common description of the electrical behavior of a nematic liquid crystal as an anisotropic dielectric medium with (weak) ohmic conductivity is extended to an electrodiffusion model with two active ionic species. Under appropriate, but rather general conditions the additional effects can lead to a distinctive change of the threshold behavior of the electrohydrodynamic instability, namely to travelling patterns instead of static ones. This may explain the experimentally observed phenomena.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures (postscript

On certain lattices associated with generic division algebras

Let S_n denote the symmetric group on n letters. We consider the S_n-root lattice A_{n-1} = {(z1,...,zn) in Z^n | z1+...+zn = 0}, where S_n acts on Z^n by permuting the coordinates, and its tensor, symmetric, and exterior squares. For odd values of n, we show that the tensor square is equivalent, in the sense of Colliot-Thelene and Sansuc, to the exterior square. Consequently, the rationality problem for generic division algebras, for odd values of n, amounts to proving stable rationality of the multiplicative S_n-invariant field of the exterior square of A_{n-1}. Furthermore, confirming a conjecture of Le Bruyn, we show that n=2 and n=3 are the only cases where the tensor square of A_{n-1} is equivalent to a permutation S_n-lattice. In the course of the proof of this result, we construct subgroups H of S_n, for all n that are not prime, so that the algebra of multiplicative H-invariants of A_{n-1} has a non-trivial Picard group.Comment: 19 pages, AMS-LaTeX with XyPi