On locally trivial G a -actions

If the additive group of complex numbers acts algebraically on a normal affine variety, then the associated ring of invariants need not be finitely generated, but is an ideal transform of some normal affine algebra (Theorem 1). We investigate such normal affine algebras in the case of a locally trivial action on a factorial variety. If the variety is a complex affine space and the ring of invariants is isomorphic to a polynomial ring, then the action is conjugate to a translation (Theorem 3). Equivalently, ifCⁿ, is the total space for a principalG_a-bundle over some open subset ofC^n–1 then the bundle is trivial. On the other hand, there is a locally trivialG_a-action on a normal affine variety with nonfinitely generated ring of invariants (Theorem 2).Supported in part by NSA Grant No. MDA904-96-1-0069