Group invariance of integrable Pfaffian systems

Abstract: Let $\mathcal{S}$ be an integrable Pfaffian system. If it is invariant under a transversally free infinitesimal action of a finite dimensional real Lie algebra $g$ and consequently invariant under the local action of a Lie group $G$, we show that the vertical variational cohomology of $\mathcal{S}$ is equal to the Lie algebra cohomology of $g$ with values in the space of the horizontal cohomology in maximum dimension. This result, besides giving an effective algorithm for the computation of the variational cohomology of an invariant Pfaffian system, provides a method for detecting obstructions to the existence of finite or infinitesimal actions leaving a given system invariant.