Differential Galois Theory of Algebraic Lie-Vessiot Systems

David Blázquez-Sanz, Juan José Morales-Ruiz

Published 2009-01-28Version 1

In this paper we develop a differential Galois theory for algebraic Lie-Vessiot systems in algebraic homogeneous spaces. Lie-Vessiot systems are non autonomous vector fields that are linear combinations with time-dependent coefficients of fundamental vector fields of an algebraic Lie group action. Those systems are the building blocks for differential equations that admit superposition of solutions. Lie-Vessiot systems in algebraic homogeneous spaces include the case of linear differential equations. Therefore, the differential Galois theory for Lie-Vessiot systems is an extension of the classical Picard-Vessiot theory. In particular, algebraic Lie-Vessiot systems are solvable in terms of Kolchin's strongly normal extensions. Therefore, strongly normal extensions are geometrically interpreted as the fields of functions on principal homogeneous spaces over the Galois group. Finally we consider the problem of integrability and solvability of automorphic differential equations. Our main tool is a classical method of reduction, somewhere cited as Lie reduction. We develop and algebraic version of this method, that we call Lie-Kolchin reduction. Obstructions to the application are related to Galois cohomology.