We study the forms of the almost homogeneous varieties. More precisely, we first obtain criteria for the existence of forms in the homogeneous case, and then we extend the Luna-Vust theory over perfect fields to determine whether a given form of the dense open orbit of an almost homogeneous variety comes from a form of the whole variety. Finally, we apply our results to study the real forms of the complex almost homogeneous SL 2 -threefolds.
ContentsIntroduction 1 Notation 5 1. Forms of homogeneous spaces 6 2. Luna-Vust theory over perfect fields 14 3. Real forms of complex almost homogeneous SL 2 -threefolds 21 Appendices 36 References 43The second-named author is supported by the ANR Project FIBALGA ANR-18-CE40-0003-01. This work received partial support from the French "Investissements d'Avenir" program and from project ISITE-BFC (contract ANR-lS-IDEX-OOOB). The IMB receives support from the EIPHI Graduate School (contract ANR-17-EURE-0002). 1 2 LUCY MOSER-JAUSLIN AND RONAN TERPEREAUk and a G-variety X over k, we will fix a k-form F of G in the category of algebraic groups over k, and then consider the (k, F )-forms of X, i.e. the F -varieties Z over k such that Z k ≃ X as G-varieties over k. Any such form corresponds to an effective (G, ρ)-equivariant descent datum on X (here ρ refers to the decent datum on G associated with the k-form F ) through the map X → X/Γ.Two descent data on an algebraic group G are equivalent if they are conjugate by an element of Aut k (G), in which case they correspond to isomorphic k-forms of G. Two (G, ρ)-equivariant descent data on a G-variety X are equivalent if they are conjugate by an element of Aut G k (X), in which case they correspond to isomorphic (k, F )-forms of X.We can now state our mains results concerning the (k, F )-forms of arbitrary homogeneous spaces (Proposition A and Theorem B).Proposition A. ( § 1.4) Let G be a connected linear algebraic group over k, and let F be a k-form of G corresponding to the descent datum ρ on G. Let H ⊆ G be an algebraic subgroup. The homogeneous space X = G/H admits a (k, F )-form if and only if there exists a continuous map t : Γ → G(k) such thatIf (1)-( 2) are verified, then a (G, ρ)-equivariant descent datum on X is given byMoreover, if ρ 1 and ρ 2 are two strongly equivalent (i.e. conjugate by an inner automorphism of G) descent data on G, with corresponding k-forms F 1 and F 2 , then there is a bijection between the isomorphism classes of (k, F 1 )-forms and of (k, F 2 )forms of X.Remark 0.1. The existence of a (k, F )-form of X = G/H does not depend on the choice of a base point of X. Indeed, if the two conditions in Proposition A hold and H ′ = sHs −1 for some s ∈ G(k), then a (G, ρ)-equivariant descent datum on G/H ′ is given by µRemark 0.2. If ρ 1 and ρ 2 are two equivalent descent data on G, but not strongly equivalent, with corresponding k-forms F 1 and F 2 , then the existence of a (k, F 1 )form for X does not imply the existence of a (k, F 2 )-form for X; see Example 1.11.Theorem B. ( § 1.4) We keep the notation of Propo...