All Questions
Tagged with rt.representation-theory ag.algebraic-geometry
782 questions
103
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why do combinatorial abstractions of geometric objects behave so well?
This question is inspired by a talk of June Huh from the recent "Current Developments in Mathematics" conference.
Here are two examples of the kind of combinatorial abstractions of geometric ...
58
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Is "semisimple" a dense condition among Lie algebras?
The "Motivation" section is a cute story, and may be skipped; the "Definitions" section establishes notation and background results; my question is in "My Question", and in brief in the title. Some ...
50
votes
1
answer
15k
views
Consequences of Geometric Langlands
So, lots of people work on the Geometric Langlands Conjecture, and there have been a few questions around here on it (admittedly, several of them mine). So here's another one, tagged community wiki ...
44
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Why can't we take three loops?
Apologies for the vague title and soft question. According to Etingof, Igor Frenkel once suggested that there are three "levels" to Lie theory, which I guess could be given the following names:
No ...
42
votes
6
answers
7k
views
Why we need to study representations of matrix groups?
Why we need to study representations of matrix groups? For example, the group $\operatorname{SL}_2(\mathbb F_q)$, where $\mathbb F_q$ is the field with $q$ elements, is studied by Drinfeld. I think ...
40
votes
8
answers
11k
views
Ubiquity of the push-pull formula
The push-pull formula appears in several different incarnations. There are, at least, the following:
1) If $f \colon X \to Y$ is a continous map, then for sheaves $\mathcal{F}$ on $X$ and $\mathcal{G}...
40
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Roadmap to Geometric Representation Theory (leading to Langlands)?
I believe there has been at least one question similar to this one and yet I still think this particular question deserves to have a thread of its own.
I'm becoming increasingly fascinated by stuff ...
38
votes
18
answers
24k
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Learning about Lie groups
Can someone suggest a good book for teaching myself about Lie groups? I study algebraic geometry and commutative algebra, and I like lots of examples. Thanks.
36
votes
3
answers
3k
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Tannaka formalism and the étale fundamental group
For quite a while, I have been wondering if there is a general principle/theory that has
both Tannaka fundamental groups and étale fundamental groups as a special case.
To elaborate: The theory of ...
34
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Mathematical uses of string theory
It is widely believed that correctness of string theory as a physical theory will not be decided in the near future. Regardless whether this will turn out to be correct or not, mathematical concepts ...
33
votes
2
answers
2k
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What do cluster algebras tell us about Grassmannians?
One of the first examples of a cluster algebra given in Fomin and Zelevinsky's original paper is the homogeneous coordinate ring $\mathbb{C}[G_{2,n}]$ of the Grassmannian of planes in $\mathbb{C}^n$. ...
33
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Analogies supporting heuristic: Weyl groups = algebraic groups over field with one element?
There is well-known heuristic that Weyl groups are reductive algebraic groups over "field with one element".
Probably the best known analogy supporting that heuristic is the limit $q\to1$ ...
30
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Deformation theory of representations of an algebraic group
For an algebraic group G and a representation V, I think it's a standard result (but I don't have a reference) that
the obstruction to deforming V as a representation of G is an element of H2(G,V&...
29
votes
2
answers
6k
views
A precise statement of the categorical version of geometric Langlands conjecture
The statement of the ordinary non-categorical version of geometric Langlands conjecture, which was proven for GL(n) in around 2002 by Frenkel, Gaitsgory and Vilonen, is quite well-known and is easy to ...
28
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Status of (global) Langlands conjecture for $\mathrm{GL}_2$ over $\mathbb{Q}$
$\DeclareMathOperator\GL{GL}$Apologies if this question has already been dealt with on MO. I am wondering about the status of the global Langlands conjectures for $\GL_2$ over the rational numbers. ...
28
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Proofs of Beilinson-Bernstein
The Beilinson-Bernstein localization theorem states roughly that the category of $D$-modules on the flag variety $G/B$ is equivalent to the category of modules over the universal enveloping algebra $U\...
27
votes
5
answers
3k
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Why would one expect a derived equivalence of categories to hold?
This question is perhaps somewhat soft, but I'm hoping that someone could provide a useful heuristic. My interest in this question mainly concerns various derived equivalences arising in geometric ...
27
votes
3
answers
6k
views
learning Deligne-Lusztig theory
Can someone give me a roadmap for learning Deligne-Lusztig theory? (Except for the original article by Deligne and Lusztig)
Edit: You may assume knowledge of representation theory of finite groups (...
27
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Have people successfully worked with the full ring of differential operators in characteristic p?
This question is inspired by an earlier one about the possibility of using the full ring of differential operators on a flag variety to develop a theory of localization in characteristic $p$. (Here ...
26
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Example of non-projective variety with non-semisimple Frobenius action on etale cohomology?
This question was motivated by a more general question raised by Jan Weidner here. In general one starts with a variety $X$ (say smooth) over an algebraic closure of a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$ of ...
26
votes
1
answer
816
views
What are the points of simple algebraic groups over extensions of $\mathbb{F}_1$?
The "field with one element" $\mathbb{F}_1$ is, of course, a very speculative object. Nevertheless, some things about it seem to be generally agreed, even if the theory underpinning them is not; in ...
26
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Groebner basis with group action
At one point my advisor, Mark Haiman, mentioned that it would be nice if there was a way to compute Groebner bases that takes into account a group action.
Does anyone know of any work done along ...
25
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Introductory References for Geometric Representation Theory
Would anyone be able to recommend text books that give an introduction to Geometric Representation Theory and survey papers that give an outline of the work that has been done in the field? I'm ...
25
votes
1
answer
1k
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How does one compute invariants of certain Grassmannians inside the regular representation?
Barry Mazur and I have come across the question below, motivated by (but independent
of) issues regarding the Leopoldt conjecture.
Suppose that $\mathbf{C}$ is the complex numbers.
Let $H$ be a ...
24
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Lie groups generated by finitely many Lie algebra elements
Let $G$ be a connected Lie group with Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$. A standard fact is that $G$ is generated by $\exp(\mathfrak{g})$, i.e. every $g \in G$ can be written as $g=\exp(x_1)\cdots\exp(x_n)$ ...
24
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Formal geometry
[Edit (June 20, 2010): I posted an answer to this which summarizes one that I received verbally a few weeks after posting this question. I hope it is useful to someone.]
I am presently seeking ...
24
votes
0
answers
730
views
What is the status of a result of Kontsevich and Rosenberg?
In their influential paper Noncommutative Smooth Spaces (https://arxiv.org/abs/math/9812158), Kontsevich and Rosenberg define the notion of a noncommutative projective space. In Section 3.3 they ...
23
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What information is contained in the Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials?
The Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials contain all kinds of representation theoretic (and other kinds of) informations.
For example the character of a simple module over a Lie algebra with Weyl group $W$ ...
22
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Is SL(2,C)/SL(2,Z) a quasi-projective variety?
Consider the complex 3-fold $SL(2,\mathbb C)/SL(2,\mathbb Z)$ (just for clarity: note that $SL(2,\mathbb Z)$ acts without stabilizers, so this is a complex manifold, not a complex orbifold).
Is $SL(...
22
votes
2
answers
2k
views
A royal road to Coulomb branches of 3D $\mathcal{N}=4$ gauge theories
So, I've been very interested recently with the developements of the (now mathematically precise) theory of Coulomb branches - in particular because of its recent applications on representation theory ...
22
votes
4
answers
5k
views
motivating geometric representation theory
I am wondering if there is a good motivation for geometric representation theory from within the questions of classical representation theory.
In other words, I'd be curious to see something using ...
22
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Quiver representations and coherent sheaves
I've heard that under certain assumptions on an algebraic variety $X$ there exist a quiver $Q$ for which there is an equivalence $$D^b(\mathsf{Coh}(X))\simeq D^b(\mathsf{Rep}(Q))$$ between the ...
21
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Why are coherent sheaves on $\Bbb P^1$ derived equivalent to representations of the Kronecker quiver?
I'm looking for an explanation or a reference to why there is this equivelence of triangulated categories: $${D}^b(\mathrm {Coh}(\Bbb P^1))\simeq {D}^b(\mathrm {Rep}(\bullet\rightrightarrows \bullet))$...
21
votes
3
answers
7k
views
What are the current breakthroughs of Geometric Complexity Theory?
I've read from Wikipedia about Geometric Complexity Theory (GCT) which (if I understood correctly) is a program for coping with the $ P=NP $ problem using algebraic methods.
That program seems ...
21
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Motivation behind the construction of Deligne and Lusztig
If $G$ is a connected reductive group over a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$ and $T$ is a maximal torus in $G$, the famous construction of Deligne and Lusztig (Annals of Math, 1976) associates ...
21
votes
3
answers
808
views
Examples when quantum $q$ equals to arithmetic $q$
First, as a disclaimer, I should say that this post is not about any specific propositions, but is more of some philosophical flavor.
In the world of quantum mathematics, the letter $q$ is a standard ...
21
votes
6
answers
2k
views
How do I stop worrying about root systems and decomposition theorems (for reductive groups)?
I apologize for this being a very very vague question.
Just as personal experience, I never feel that I fully grasped the theory of root systems in Lie algebras and Lie/algebraic groups (I shall ...
20
votes
7
answers
9k
views
Elementary reference for algebraic groups
I'm looking for a reference on algebraic groups which requires only knowledge of basic material on the theory of varieties which you could find in, for example, Basic Algebraic Geometry 1 by ...
20
votes
1
answer
2k
views
LMS Lectures on Geometric Langlands
Everybody knows how insightful are David Ben-Zvi talks (and comments/answers here on mathoverflow). I was trying to watch the LMS 2007 Lecture Series on Geometric Langlands by David, supposedly made ...
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is there a gerbe Beilinson-Bernstein Localization?
Suppose you want to construct a representation of an affine algebraic group $G$, you may start with a $G$-equivariant line bundle $\mathcal{L}$ on a $G$-manifold $X$ and then consider global sections, ...
20
votes
1
answer
907
views
Semisimplicity for tensor products of representations of finite groups
Let $G$ be a group and $k$ a field of characteristic $p>0$. Let $$\rho_i: G\to GL(V_i),~ i=1,2$$ be two finite-dimensional semisimple $k$-representations of $G$, with $\dim(V_1)+\dim(V_2)<p+2.$ ...
19
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Algebraic Groups in Characteristic p
It is well-known that Lie groups are, under nice conditions, essentially determined by their Lie-algebras. What's the corresponding statement for algebraic groups over fields of finite characteristic?
19
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What does the nilpotent cone represent?
Notation
Let $\mathfrak g$ be a the Lie algebra of an algebraic group $G\subseteq GL(V)$ over a(n algebraically closed) field $k$ (I'm actually thinking $G=GL_n$, so $\mathfrak g=\mathfrak{gl}_n$). ...
19
votes
1
answer
758
views
What are the equations for $SL_3/SL_2$?
Consider $SL_2$ embedded into $SL_3$ as upper left block matrices. The quotient $SL_3/SL_2$ is an affine variety, as is any quotient of reductive groups. How does one describe $SL_3/SL_2$? What are ...
19
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Explaining Mukai-Fourier transforms physically
A core concept in mathematics, engineering, and physics is the Fourier Transform (FT) and its many variants (Generalized Fourier Series, Green's Function, Pontryagin duality).
The basic algorithm is ...
19
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Explicit invariant of tensors nonvanishing on the diagonal
The group $SL_n \times SL_n \times SL_n$ acts naturally on the vector space $\mathbb C^n \otimes \mathbb C^n \otimes \mathbb C^n$ and has a rather large ring of polynomial invariants. The element $$\...
19
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Dual versions of "folding" symmetric ADE Dynkin diagrams?
Start with the Dynkin diagram of an irreducible root system, typically associated with a simple
Lie algebra over $\mathbb{C}$ or a simple algebraic group. Most of the simply-laced ADE
diagrams ...
18
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Origin of symbol *l* for a prime different from a fixed prime?
I've never seen an authoritative explanation for the choice of the lower case letter $\ell$ or $l$ to denote an arbitrary prime different from a given prime $p$. This now has its own LaTeX command \...
18
votes
1
answer
885
views
Why is Klein's representation of $PSL_2(\mathbb{F}_7)$ hard to obtain?
In his famous article [1] Klein constructs a representation of $G=PSL_2(\mathbb{F}_7)$ in $\mathbb{C}^3$ (of which the first invariant polynomial of three variables gives rise to the famous Klein's ...
18
votes
3
answers
1k
views
What is the Zariski closure of the space of semisimple Lie algebras?
Given Leonid Positselski's excellent answer and comments to this question, I expect that the present one is a hard question. Recall that the Lie algebra structures on a (finite-dimensional over $\...