On a Certain Stratification of the Gauge Orbit Space

G. Rudolph, M. Schmidt

Published 2001-04-18Version 1

For a principal $\rmSU(n)$-bundle over a compact manifold of dimension $2,3,4$, we determine the orbit types of the action of the gauge group on the space of connections modulo pointed local gauge transformations. We find that they are given by Howe subgroups of $\rmSU(n)$ for which a certain characteristic equation is solvable. Depending on the base manifold, this equation leads to a linear, bilinear, or quadratic Diophantine equation.