Conjugation of semisimple subgroups over real number fields of bounded degree

Abstract

Let $G$ be a linear algebraic group over a field $k$ of characteristic 0. We show that any two connected semisimple $k$-subgroups of $G$ that are conjugate over an algebraic closure of $k$ are actually conjugate over a finite field extension of $k$ of degree bounded independently of the subgroups. Moreover, if $k$ is a real number field, we show that any two connected semisimple $k$-subgroups of $G$ that are conjugate over the field of real numbers $\mathbb{R}$ are actually conjugate over a finite real extension of $k$ of degree bounded independently of the subgroups.

13 pages; to appear in Proc. Amer. Math. Soc