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I'm trying to understand the distributions on an affine group scheme act as differential operators. Let $X$ be a scheme and $G$ a group scheme both affine over some commutative ring $k$. Suppose $\alpha:G\times X\to X$ is an action on $X$. Then there is a morphism between the coordinate algebras $\Delta:k[X] \to k[G]\otimes k[X]$, which makes $k[X]$ a comodule.

Let $I$ be the kernel of the augmentation map $\varepsilon:k[G]\to k$. A distribution of order $\leq n$ on $G$ is a $k$-linear map $\mu:\frac{k[G]}{I^{n+1}} \to k$. Each distribution induces a $k$-linear endomorphism on $k[X]$ via $$D_{\mu}: k[X] \to_\Delta k[G]\otimes k[X] \to _{\mu\otimes \text{id}} k\otimes k[X] \to_\cong k[X] $$

Jantzen claims in chapter 7 of Representation of Algebraic Groups, that this endomorphism $D_{\mu}$ is a differential operator on $k[X]$. He cites a book by Demazure and Gabriel, which I've also looked at, but they don't provide a proof either. I've been trying to prove it for quite a while now, but haven't made any progress. Does anybody know a proof of this or a resource to find one?

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2 Answers 2

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Question: "I've been trying to prove it for quite a while now, but haven't made any progress. Does anybody know a proof of this or a resource to find one?"

Answer: Let $k$ be a fixed commutative unital ring and let $G:=Spec(R)$ be a $k$-group scheme ($R$ is a finitely generated $k$-algebra). Let $\epsilon: R \rightarrow k$ be any $k$-valued point $\epsilon \in G(k)$ with $I:=ker(\epsilon)$ and let

$$\mu\in Hom_k(R/I^{n+1}, R/I):=Dist^n(R,I):=Dist^n(G,I).$$

It seems to me that there is an isomorphism

$$Dist^n(R,I) \cong Diff^n_k(R/I^{n+1}, R/I)$$

where $Diff^n_k(R/I^{n+1}, R/I)$ is the module of $n$'th order differential operators from $R/I^{n+1}$ to $R/I$.

You may see this as follows: There is a splitting $s:R/I\rightarrow R/I^2$ and let $a:=s \circ p$ where $p: R/I^2 \rightarrow R/I$ is the canonical map. Any element $u\in I^2$ is a sum of elements on the form

$$u:=(x-a(x))(y-a(y))z$$

with $x,y,z \in R$. Since $\mu$ is well defined we get

$$A1.\text{ }0=\mu((x-a(x))(y-a(y))z)=$$

$$\mu(xyz)-x\mu(yz)-y\mu(xz)+xy\mu(z)=[[\mu, \phi_x] \phi_y](z)=0$$

where $\phi_x(w):=xw$ is the multiplication map. Hence $\mu$ is a differential operator of order one. An induction proves the result for all $n\geq 1$.

Definition: If $k\rightarrow R$ is a map of commutative rings and $E,F$ are $R$-modules you define $Diff^n_k(E,F)$ inductively as the set of maps $D\in Hom_k(E,F)$ with

$$[\cdots [D, \phi_{a_0}]\cdots ]\phi_{a_{n}}]=0$$

for all elements $a_0,..,a_n\in R$. Here $[D,\phi_a](u):=D(au)-aD(u)$. Hence the map $\phi_a$ is multiplication with $a$ and the product $[,]$ is the Lie product. By definition

$$Diff_k(E,F):= \cup_n Diff_k^n(E,F).$$

You must verify that your map $D_{\mu}$ satisfies the conditions in the definition.

You get a canonical map

$$ \phi:R\otimes_k R \rightarrow R/I^{n+1}\otimes_k R \rightarrow^{\mu \otimes 1}R/I\otimes_k R \cong R$$

defined by

$$ \phi(a\otimes b):= \mu(\overline{a})b \in R$$

which is $k$-linear. Let $J\subseteq R\otimes_k R$ be the ideal of the diagonal and let $J^{n+1}$ be its $n+1$'th power. It seems to me that $\phi(J^{n+1})=0$ in $R$ hence you get a canonical $k$-linear map

$$\phi_{\mu}: R\otimes_k R/J^{n+1} \rightarrow R.$$

This is proved with an argument similar to the one in A1 above - the calculation is similar.

If you change the definition of the map $\phi$ to the map

$$\psi: R\otimes_k R \rightarrow R$$

with $\psi(a\otimes b):=a\mu(\overline{b})$ you get a well defined left $R$-linear map

$$\psi_{\mu}: R\otimes_k R/I^{n+1} \rightarrow R.$$

For the composed map

$$D_{\mu}:=\phi \circ \Delta: R \rightarrow R$$

to be a differential operator, you must prove it factors via an $R$-linear map

$$\phi_1: R\otimes_k R/J^{n+1} \rightarrow R$$

with $D_{\mu}=\phi_1 \circ d^n$

where $d^n$ is the "canonical differential operator" $d^n: R \rightarrow R\otimes_k R/J^{n+1}.$

The map $E_{\mu}:= \psi_{\mu} \circ d^n$ is by the above argument a differential operator of order $\leq n$.

Jantzen defines $Dist(G,I):=\cup_u Dist^n(G,I)$ by taking the union. Maybe the fact that $\mu$ is a differential operator helps in the case when $G$ acts on itself.

In Jantzens book he defines the distribition $Dist(G)$ using $Dist(G,I)$ where $I$ corresponds to the unit element $e\in G$. If $k$ is a field of characteristic zero and $Lie(G)$ is the Lie algebra of $G$ there is an isomorphism

$$Dist(G) \cong U(Lie(G))$$

where $U(Lie(G))$ is the universal enveloping algebra of $Lie(G)$. There is a canonical filtration $U^n(LieG))\subseteq U(Lie(G))$ and an induced isomophism

$$Dist^n(G) \cong U^n(Lie(G)).$$

Hence the algebra of distributions generalize the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra of $G$ to group schemes over Dedekind domains or more general base schemes $S$.

Another approach: If $k$ is a field and if $P^n_{G/k}:=R\otimes_k R/J^{n+1}$ it follows there is an isomorphism

$$R/I^{n+1} \cong \mathcal{O}_{G,x}/\mathfrak{m}_x^{n+1}$$

where $x\in G$ is the point corresponding to $I \subseteq R$. There is an exact sequence

$$0 \rightarrow I^{n+1}\rightarrow R \rightarrow R/I^{n+1} \rightarrow 0$$

and localizing (let $S:=R-I$) you get since $R/I^{n+1}$ is a local ring

$$S^{-1}(R/I^{n+1}) \cong R/I^{n+1} \cong S^{-1}R/S^{-1}I^{n+1}\cong \mathcal{O}_{G,x}/\mathfrak{m}_x^{n+1}.$$

There is moreover an isomorphism

$$P^n_{G/k} \otimes \kappa(x) \cong \mathcal{O}_{G,x}/\mathfrak{m}_x^{n+1}.$$

By definition

$$Hom_R(P^n_{G/k}, R) \cong Diff^n_k(R,R)$$

which is the module of n'th order differential operators on $G$. There is an equality

$$Hom_k(R/I^{n+1}, R/I) \cong Hom_{\kappa(x)}(P^n_{G/k}\otimes \kappa(x), \kappa(x)), $$

hence the space of distributions $Dist^n(G,I)$ is the dual of the fiber $P^n_{G/k}\otimes \kappa(x)$. There is an isomorphism $P^1_{G/k}\cong R \oplus \Omega^1_{G/k}$ and hence

$$P^1_{G/k}\otimes \kappa(x) \cong \kappa(x)\oplus \Omega^1_{G/k}\otimes \kappa(x).$$

The dual $T_{G/k}:=(\Omega^1_{G/k})^*$ has

$$ T_{G/k}\otimes \kappa(x) \cong Lie(G)$$

is the Lie algebra $Lie(G)$ of $G$.

Addendum: Let me add that in the Waterhouse book he defines for any affine algebraic group $G$ with coordinate ring $k[G]$, the $k$-Lie algebra $Lie(G)$ as a Lie sub algebra (of left invariant vector fields) of $Der_k(k[G])$. When $G$ is smooth it follows $Diff_k(k[G])$ is the ring of differential operators on $G$ and there is a canonical map

$$U(Lie(G)) \rightarrow Diff_k(k[G]),$$

hence when the characteristic is zero you get a canonical map

$$Dist(G) \rightarrow Diff_k(k[G]).$$

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    $\begingroup$ You say "it seems to me" a few times in here - are you actually making a claim or just guessing? $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 8, 2021 at 22:01
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for responding @hm2020. I see how the first process you outlined would work if $\phi(J^{n+1})=0$, however I'm having trouble showing this even for $n=1$? Suppose $a,b \in R$ are non-scalar, and $\mu\in Dist_2 (R,I)$. Then $\phi(a\otimes 1-1\otimes a)(b\otimes 1 - 1\otimes b) = \mu(\bar{ab}) - \mu(\bar a)b -\mu(\bar b)a + ab$ $ = (a-\mu(\bar a}) b - a \mu(\bar b)$ I don't see how this is zero in general? Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you? $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 13, 2021 at 3:35
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    $\begingroup$ @JustinDesrochers - since $\mu$ is a differential operator of order $n$ it follows $\phi(ada_0da_1\cdots da_n)=0$ for all $a,a_0,..,a_n\in R$. This is proved using induction. $\endgroup$
    – hm2020
    Commented Apr 13, 2021 at 8:12
  • $\begingroup$ @JustinDesrochers - a good idea is to write everyting out in detail for the action of $SL(V):=Spec(k[x_{ij}]/(det(x_{ij})-1))$ on itself - then you will see that the claimed action is a differential operator. $\endgroup$
    – hm2020
    Commented Apr 13, 2021 at 8:20
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    $\begingroup$ @JustinDesrochers - you find an elementary construction of distributions and $Lie(G)$ in Waterhouse's book "Introduction to affine group schemes" $\endgroup$
    – hm2020
    Commented Apr 19, 2021 at 9:57
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I've been meaning to post an update for a while now. I managed to use one of the exercises in Waterhouse's book ``Introduction to affine group schemes" to find a proof that more closely follows Jantzen's use of distributions. The following argument is my own though similar ones may exist somewhere. Huge thanks to @hm2020 for the fantastic book recommendation and helpful comments.

Following the notation of my original post, let $\alpha : G\times X \to X$ be an action of an affine group scheme $G$ on an affine $X$ scheme, both over a commutative unital ring $k$. Let $m:k\otimes k[X] \to k[X]$ be the multiplication isomorphism, $\varepsilon:k[G]\to k$ be the counit, and $\Delta :k[G]\otimes k[X] \to k[X]$ be the comodule map. Any linear map $\psi:k[G]\to k$ acts on an element $x\in k[X]$ by $\psi(x):= m\circ(id \otimes \psi)\circ \Delta$.

The following result is described in Chapter 12, Excercise 10 of Waterhouse.

(*) Let $n\geq 0$ be an integer. A $k$-linear map $\mu:k[G]\to k$ is a distribution of order $\leq n$ if and only if for all $g\in k[G]$, the linear map $\varepsilon\circ ad_{g} \mu$ is a distribution of order $\leq n-1$.

The forward implication follows from Jantzen's definition of a distribution (chapter 7), the converse follows by induction on the order $n\geq 0$.

We are now in a position to prove the claim:

(**) Each distribution $\mu:k[G]\to k$ acts as a differential operator of order $\leq n$ via the composite endomorphsim $m\circ (\mu \otimes id_{k[X]})\circ\Delta$.

We proceed by induction the order $n\geq 0$ of distributions.

The base case ($n=0$) follows from the fact that every distribution of order $\leq 0$ has the form $a\varepsilon$, for some $a\in k$.

Induction: Suppose $n> 1$ and for all $n> m \geq 0$, the map $m\circ (\mu \otimes id_{k[X]})\circ\Delta$ is a differential operator of order $\leq m$, whenever $\mu$ is a distribution of order $\leq m$.

Let $x,f \in k[X]$ and $\mu:k[G] \to k$ be a distribution of order $\leq n$. We use the following properties from chapter 2 of Jantzen.

  • for some $x_i,f_i \in k[X]$ and $g_i,h_i\in k[G]$ write $\Delta(x) = \sum_i x_i \otimes g_i$ and $\Delta(f) = \sum_j f_j \otimes h_j$.

  • One of the axioms of a comodule $M$: $id_M =m\circ (id_{k[G]} \otimes \varepsilon)\circ \Delta_M$.

  • Since $\alpha$ is a morphism of schemes the map $\Delta$ is an algebra morphism so $\Delta(fx) = \Delta(f)\Delta(x)$.

Some computation gives us the following \begin{align*} (ad_f\mu)(x) =f[\mu(x)] - \mu(fx) &= [m\circ (id \otimes \varepsilon)\circ \Delta_M (f)][\mu(x)] - \mu(fx) \\ & =\sum_j\sum_i x_i f_j\bigg(\varepsilon(h_j)\mu(g_i) -\mu( h_j g_i)\bigg) \\ & = \sum_j f_j ~\sum_{i} x_i (\varepsilon\circ ad_{h_j} \mu)(g_i) \\ & = m\circ \sum_j (f_j \otimes (\varepsilon\circ ad_{h_j} \mu)\sum_i x_i \otimes g_i \\ & = \left(m\circ \sum_j(f_j \otimes (\varepsilon\circ ad_h \mu)\circ \Delta\right)(x) ~. \end{align*}

Now $\mu$ is a distribution of order $\leq n$ therefore by (*) $(\varepsilon\circ ad_h\mu)$ is a distribution of order $\leq n-1$, for all $h\in k[G]$. Then by the induction hypothesis $ad_f\mu =m\circ \left(\sum_j(f_j \otimes (\varepsilon\circ ad_h \mu)\right)\circ \Delta$ is a differential operator of order $\leq n-1$.

Therefore $ \mu$ is a differential operator of order $n$.

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