du Val singularity

In algebraic geometry, a du Val singularity, also called simple surface singularity, Kleinian singularity, or rational double point, is a singularity of a surface that is a double cover branched over a curve with an A-D-E singularity. They are the canonical singularities in dimension 2. They were studied by Patrick du Val (1934a, 1934b, 1934c) and Felix Klein.

The du Val singularities also appear as quotients of C2 by a finite subgroup of SL2(C); equivalently, a finite subgroup of SU(2), which are known as binary polyhedral groups. The rings of invariant polynomials of these finite group actions were computed by Klein, and are essentially the coordinate rings of the singularities; this is a classic result in invariant theory.

Classification

The possible du Val singularities are (up to analytic isomorphism):

References

External links