Classical invariant theory has essentially addressed the action of the general linear group on homogeneous polynomials. Yet the orthogonal group arises in applications as the relevant group of transformations, especially in 3 dimensional space. Having a complete set of invariants for its action on ternary quartics, i.e. degree 4 homogeneous polynomials in 3 variables, is, for instance, relevant in determining biomarkers for white matter from diffusion MRI.
We characterize a generating set of rational invariants of the orthogonal group acting on even degree forms by their restriction on a slice. These restrictions are invariant under the octahedral group and their explicit formulae are given compactly in terms of equivariant maps. The invariants of the orthogonal group can then be obtained in an explicit way, but their numerical evaluation can be achieved more robustly using their restrictions. The exhibited set of generators futhermore allows us to solve the inverse problem and the rewriting.
Central in obtaining the invariants for higher degree forms is the preliminary construction, with explicit formulae, for a basis of harmonic polynomials with octahedral symmetry, dif- ferent, though related, to cubic harmonics.
This is joint work with Paul Görlach (now at MPI Leipzig), in a joint project with Téo Papadopoulo (Inria Méditerranée).[-]