Complex adjoint orbits in Lie theory and geometry

Abstract

This expository article is an introduction to the adjoint orbits of complex semisimple groups, primarily in the algebro-geometric and Lie-theoretic contexts, and with a pronounced emphasis on the properties of semisimple and nilpotent orbits. It is intended to build a foundation for more specialized settings in which adjoint orbits feature prominently (ex. hyperkähler geometry, Landau–Ginzburg models, and the theory of symplectic singularities). Also included are a few arguments and observations that, to the author’s knowledge, have not yet appeared in the research literature.