The Hilbert series of a linear symplectic circle quotient

Abstract

We compute the Hilbert series of the graded algebra of regular functions on a symplectic quotient of a unitary circle representation. Additionally, we elaborate explicit formulas for the lowest coefficients of the Laurent expansion of such a Hilbert series in terms of rational symmetric functions of the weights. Considerable efforts are devoted to including the cases where the weights are degenerate. We find that these Laurent expansions formally resemble Laurent expansions of Hilbert series of graded rings of real invariants of finite subgroups of $\U_n$. Moreover, we prove that certain Laurent coefficients are strictly positive. Experimental observations are presented concerning the behavior of these coefficients as well as relations among higher coefficients, providing empirical evidence that these relations hold in general.