Rigid orbits and sheets in reductive Lie algebras over fields of prime characteristic

TL;DR

This paper extends the classification and properties of nilpotent orbits in reductive Lie algebras over fields of prime characteristic, showing many results are characteristic-independent and providing computational and theoretical insights.

Contribution

It introduces new classifications of nilpotent orbits, including rigid orbits and sheets, in positive characteristic, and demonstrates their similarities to the characteristic zero case.

Findings

Classification of reachable nilpotent orbits

Identification of rigid nilpotent orbits

Distribution of orbits among sheets

Abstract

Let $G$ be a simple simply-connected algebraic group over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$ with $\mathfrak{g}={\rm Lie}(G)$. We discuss various properties of nilpotent orbits in $\mathfrak{g}$, which have previously only been considered over $\mathbb{C}$. Using a combination of theoretical and computational methods, we extend to positive characteristic various calculations of de Graaf with nilpotent orbits in exceptional Lie algebras. In particular, we classify those orbits which are reachable, those which satisfy a certain related condition due to Panyushev, and determine the codimension in the centraliser $\mathfrak{g}_e$ of its the derived subalgebra $[\mathfrak{g}_e,\mathfrak{g}_e]$. Some of these calculations are used to show that the list of rigid nilpotent orbits in $\mathfrak{g}$, the classification of sheets of $\mathfrak{g}$ and the distribution of the nilpotent orbits amongst them are independent of good characteristic, remaining the same as in the characteristic zero case. We also give a comprehensive account of the theory of sheets in reductive Lie algebras over algebraically closed fields of good characteristic.