Algebraic geometry is the study of systems of polynomial equations in one or more variables. Thinking of polynomials as functions reveals a close connection between affine varieties, which are geometric structures, and ideals, which are algebraic objects. An affine variety is a collection of tuples that represents the solutions to a system of equations. An ideal is a special subset of a ring and is what provides the tools to prove geometric theorems algebraically. In this thesis, we establish that a variety depends on the ideal generated by its defining equations. The ability to change the basis of an ideal without changing the variety is a powerful tool in determining a variety. In general, the quotient and remainder on division of polynomials in more than one variable are not unique. One property of a Groebner basis is that it yields a unique remainder on division. To prove geometric theorems algebraically, we first express the hypotheses and conclusions as polynomials. Then, with the aid of a computer, apply the Groebner Basis Algorithm to determine if the conclusion polynomial(s) vanish on the same variety as the hypotheses.

We study projective completions of affine algebraic varieties (defined over an algebraically closed field K) which are given by filtrations, or equivalently, integer valued `degree like functions' on their rings of regular functions. For a polynomial map P := (P_1, ..., P_n): X -> K^n of affine varieties with generically finite fibers, we prove that there are completions of the source such that the intersection of completions of the hypersurfaces {P_j = a_j} for generic (a_1, ..., a_n) in K^n coincides with the respective fiber (in short, the completions `do not add points at infinity' for P). Moreover, we show that there are `finite type' completions with the latter property, i.e. determined by the maximum of a finite number of `semidegrees', by which we mean degree like functions that send products into sums. We characterize the latter type completions as the ones for which ideal I of the `hypersurface at infinity' is radical. Moreover, we establish a one-to-one correspondence between the collection of minimal associated primes of I and the unique minimal collection of semidegrees needed to define the corresponding degree like function. We also prove an `affine Bezout type' theorem for polynomial maps P with finite fibers that admit semidegrees corresponding to completions that do not add points at infinity for P. For a wide class of semidegrees of a `constructive nature' our Bezout-type bound is explicit and sharp.

We study projective completions of affine algebraic varieties (defined over an algebraically closed field K) which are given by filtrations, or equivalently, integer valued `degree like functions' on their rings of regular functions. For a polynomial map P := (P_1, ..., P_n): X -> K^n of affine varieties with generically finite fibers, we prove that there are completions of the source such that the intersection of completions of the hypersurfaces {P_j = a_j} for generic (a_1, ..., a_n) in K^n coincides with the respective fiber (in short, the completions `do not add points at infinity' for P). Moreover, we show that there are `finite type' completions with the latter property, i.e. determined by the maximum of a finite number of `semidegrees', by which we mean degree like functions that send products into sums. We characterize the latter type completions as the ones for which ideal I of the `hypersurface at infinity' is radical. Moreover, we establish a one-to-one correspondence between the collection of minimal associated primes of I and the unique minimal collection of semidegrees needed to define the corresponding degree like function. We also prove an `affine Bezout type' theorem for polynomial maps P with finite fibers that admit semidegrees corresponding to completions that do not add points at infinity for P. For a wide class of semidegrees of a `constructive nature' our Bezout-type bound is explicit and sharp.

This  thesis  consists  of two papers  and  a summary.  The  papers  both  deal with  affine algebraic complex  varieties,  and  in particular such  varieties  in dimension  three  that have a non-trivial action  of one of the  one-dimensional  algebraic  groups  Ga   :=  (C, +) and  Gm  :=  (C*, ·).  The methods  used  involve  blowing up  of subvarieties, the correspondances between  Ga - and  Gm - actions  on an affine variety  X with locally nilpotent derivations  and Z-gradings  respectively  on O(X) and passing from a filtered algebra  A to its associated graded  algebra  gr(A). In Paper  I, we study  Russell’s hypersurface  X , i.e. the affine variety  in the affine space A4 given by the equation  x + x2y + z3 + t2 = 0. We reprove by geometric means Makar-Limanov’s result which states  that X is not isomorphic to A3 – a result which was crucial to Koras-Russell’s proof of the linearization conjecture  for Gm -actions on A3. Our method consist in realizing X as an open part  of a blowup M  −→ A3 and to show that each Ga -action on X descends to A3 . This follows from considerations of the graded  algebra  associated to O(X ) with respect  to a certain filtration. In Paper  II, we study  Ga-threefolds X  which have  as their  algebraic  quotient  the  affine plane  A2  = Sp(C[x, y]) and  are a principal  bundle  above the  punctured plane  A2  :=  A2 \ {0}. Equivalently, we study  affine Ga -varieties  Pˆ  that extend  a principal  bundle  P over A2, being P together  with an extra  fiber over the origin in A2. First  the trivial  bundle  is studied,  and some examples of extensions  are given (including  smooth  ones which are not isomorphic  to A2 × A). The  most  basic among  the  non-trivial  principal  bundles  over A2 is SL2 (C)  −→ A2, A  1→  Ae1 where e1  denotes  the first unit  vector,  and we show that any non-trivial  bundle  can be realized as a pullback  of this  bundle  with  respect  to  a morphism  A2  −→ A2. Therefore  the  attention is then  restricted to extensions  of SL2(C)  and  find two families of such extensions  via a study of the  graded  algebras  associated  with  the  coordinate  rings  O(Pˆ)  '→ O(P ) with  respect  to  a filtration  which is defined in terms  of the Ga -actions  on P and Pˆ  respectively.

La thèse se compose de deux parties. La première partie est consacrée aux transformations des algèbres de dimension finie. Il est facile de voir que le groupe d'automorphismes d'une algèbre de dimension finie est un groupe algébrique affine. N.L. Gordeev et V.L. Popov ont démontré que n'importe quel groupe algébrique affine est isomorphe au groupe d'automorphismes de l'algèbre de dimension finie. Utilisant l'approche similaire nous démontrons que tout monoïde affine peut être obtenue comme un monoïde des endomorphismes d'une algèbre de dimension finie. Ensuite, nous étudions la solvabilité des groupes d'automorphismes d'algèbres commutatives de dimension finie. Nous introduisons un critère de leur solvabilité et l'appliquons aux intersections complètes et aux singularités isolées d'hypersurfaces. Nous étudions également les cas extrêmes du critère introduit. La deuxième partie de la thèse est consacrée à la transitivité infinie de groupes d'automorphismes spéciales de variétés affines et quasi-affines. Cette propriété est équivalente à la flexibilité pour les variétés affines. Tout d'abord, nous montrons l'équivalence entre la transitivité et la transitivité infinie des groupes d'automorphismes spéciaux sur un corps algébriquement clos de caractéristique arbitraire. Nous fournissons ensuite le critère de la flexibilité pour les cônes affines sur les variétés projectives et nous l'appliquons aux surfaces del Pezzo de degré 4 et 5. Enfin, nous étudions la flexibilité des torseurs universels sur les variétés couvertes par des espaces affines et fournissons une large gamme de familles de variétés flexibles. / The thesis consists of two parts. The first part is dedicated to transformations of finite-dimensional algebras. It is easy to see that the automorphism group of a finite-dimensional algebra is an affine algebraic group. N.L.~Gordeev and V.L.~Popov proved that any affine algebraic group is isomorphic to the automorphism group of some finite-dimensional algebra. We use a similar approach to prove that any affine algebraic monoid can be obtained as the endomorphisms' monoid of a finite-dimensional algebra. Next, we study the solvability of automorphism groups of commutative Artin algebras. We introduce a criterion of their solvability and apply it to complete intersections and to isolated hypersurface singularities. We also study extremal cases of the introduced criterion. The second part of the thesis is dedicated to the infinite transitivity of special automorphism groups of affine and quasiaffine varieties. This property is equivalent to the flexibility for affine varieties. Firstly, we prove the equivalence of transitivity and infinite transitivity of special automorphism groups over algebraically closed field of arbitrary characteristic. Then we provide the criterion of flexibility for affine cones over projective varieties and apply it to del Pezzo surfaces of degree 4 and 5. Finally, we study flexibility of universal torsors over varieties covered by affine spaces and provide a wide range of families of flexible varieties.