Invariant Primes in Lubin-Tate Space and Hovey-Strickland at Every Height

Abstract

Let $H_n$ be the one-dimensional Honda formal group of height $n$ over $\mathbf F_{p^n}$ and let \[ R_n=W(\mathbf F_{p^n})[[u_1,\ldots,u_{n-1}]],\qquad A_n=R_n/(p). \] We prove, for every height $n$ and every prime $p$, that the prime ideals of $A_n$ stable under an open subgroup of the Morava stabilizer group are exactly the height ideals $(u_1,\ldots,u_j)$. We also prove that a stable prime of $R_n$ avoiding $p$ is zero. The resulting radical-ideal classification implies the Hovey-Strickland classification of thick tensor ideals in the category of dualizable $K(n)$-local spectra via the forward implication of Barthel-Heard-Naumann. The special-fiber argument is local and geometric. After cutting an invariant prime by a one-parameter curve, we construct from the Cartier structure equation a smooth formal quotient $\mathcal{Q}$ and a distinguished subgroup $\mathcal{H}$. The generic fiber of $\mathcal{H}$ is identified with the deformation space of connected-étale extensions. A Cartier obstruction map from the full Honda endomorphism order is compared with evaluation on Tate vectors through completed universal covers. Fargues-Fontaine vector bundles give a period-detection statement. Chai's rigidity theorem then promotes detection by homomorphisms to formal Zariski density after a renormalization of the valuation. A uniform fixed-jet argument transfers this density to Morava-stabilizer orbits. The generic-fiber assertion is proved separately from the Gross-Hopkins period map.