A study of the Hilbert-Mumford criterion for the stability of projective varieties

We make a systematic study of the Hilbert-Mumford criterion for different notions of stability for polarised algebraic varieties $(X,L)$; in particular for K- and Chow stability. For each type of stability this leads to a concept of slope $\mu$ for varieties and their subschemes; if $(X,L)$ is semistable then $\mu(Z)\le\mu(X)$ for all $Z\subset X$. We give examples such as curves, canonical models and Calabi-Yaus. We prove various foundational technical results towards understanding the converse, leading to partial results; in particular this gives a geometric (rather than combinatorial) proof of the stability of smooth curves.