Twisted Conjugacy in Linear Algebraic Groups II

Sushil Bhunia, Anirban Bose

Published 2021-06-08Version 1

Let $G$ be a linear algebraic group over an algebraically closed field $k$ and $Aut(G)$ the group of all algebraic group automorphisms of $G$. For every $\varphi\in Aut(G)$ let $\mathcal{R}(\varphi)$ denote the set of all orbits of the $\varphi$-twisted conjugacy action of $G$ on itself (given by $(g,x)\mapsto gx\varphi(g^{-1})$, for all $g,x\in G$). We say that $G$ satisfies the $R_\infty$-property if $\mathcal{R}(\varphi)$ is infinite for every $\varphi\in Aut(G)$. In an earlier work we have shown that this property is satisfied by every connected non-solvable algebraic group. From a theorem due to Steinberg it follows that if a connected algebraic group $G$ has the $R_\infty$-property then $G^\varphi$ is infinite for all $\varphi\in Aut(G)$. In this article we show that the condition is also sufficient. In particular we deduce that a Borel subgroup of any semisimple algebraic group has the $R_\infty$-property and identify certain classes of solvable algebraic groups for which the property fails.