Torsors on semistable curves and degenerations

Abstract

In this paper we answer two long-standing questions in the classification of $G$-torsors on curves for an almost simple, simply connected algebraic group $G$ over the field of complex numbers. The first question is to give an intrinsic definition of (semi)stability for a $G$-torsor on an {\em irreducible nodal curve} and the second one is the construction of a flat degeneration of the moduli space of semistable $G$-torsors when the smooth curve degenerates to an irreducible nodal curve. A generalization of the classical Bruhat-Tits group schemes to two-dimensional regular local rings and an application of the geometric formulation of the McKay correspondence provide the key tools.

New version number 4, with more precision. Several more typos and inaccuracies corrected. No changes in the main results