Wednesday, 4 May 2011

ag.algebraic geometry - Is every subgroup of an algebraic group a stabilizer for some action?

Suppose G is an algebraic group (over a field, say; maybe even over â„‚) and H⊆G is a closed subgroup. Does there necessarily exist an action of G on a scheme X and a point x∈X such that H=Stab(x)?



Before you jump out of your seat and say, "take X=G/H," let me point out that the question is basically equivalent to "Is G/H a scheme?" If G/H is a scheme, you can take X=G/H. On the other hand, if you have X and x∈X, then the orbit of x (which is G/H) is open in its closure, so it inherits a scheme structure (it's an open subscheme of a closed subscheme of X).



I say "basically equivalent" because in my argument, I assumed that the action of G on X is quasi-compact and quasi-separated so that the closure of the orbit (i.e. the scheme-theoretic closed image of G×{x}→X) makes sense. I'm also using Chevalley's theorem to say the the image is open in its closure, which requires that the action is locally finitely presented. I suppose it's possible that there's a bizarre example where this fails.

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