Another Proof of the Nowicki Conjecture

Abstract

Let $K[X_d,Y_d]=K[x_1,\ldots,x_d,y_1,\ldots,y_d]$ be the polynomial algebra in $2d$ variables over a field $K$ of characteristic 0 and let $\delta$ be the derivation of $K[X_d,Y_d]$ defined by $\delta(y_i)=x_i$, $\delta(x_i)=0$, $i=1,\ldots,d$. In 1994 Nowicki conjectured that the algebra $K[X_d,Y_d]^{\delta}$ of constants of $\delta$ is generated by $X_d$ and $x_iy_j-y_ix_j$ for all $1\leq i<j\leq d$. The affirmative answer was given by several authors using different ideas. In the present paper we give another proof of the conjecture based on representation theory of the general linear group $GL_2(K)$.