Maximality of Laplacian Algebras, with Applications to Invariant Theory

We show Laplacian algebras are maximal, and give applications to the Classical Invariant Theory of real orthogonal representations of compact groups, including: The solution of the Inverse Invariant Theory problem for finite groups. An if-and-only-if criterion for when a separating set is a generating set. And the introduction of a class of generalized polarizations which, in a certain class of representations (including all representations of finite groups), always generates the algebra of invariants of their diagonal representations.
Comment: 19 pages; Title, abstract, and order of results in the Introduction changed in order to emphasize the main result (maximality of Laplacian algebras); other small changes in exposition in various places; no changes in the actual results. Version accepted for publication by AMPA