Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. and let $$\sigma: SL\_n(k)\rightarrow SL\_n(k)$$  

be an involution.
My questions are: 


* How could one calculate the fundamental group of $SL\_n(k)^\sigma$ ? (the invariant subgroup)
* In particular, what is $\pi\_1(SO\_n(k))$ and $\pi\_1(Sp\_{2n}(k))$?


thanks 



What is the algebraic fundamental groups of $SO(n)$ and $Sp(2n)$?
Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0.
Let $G$ be a connected reductive group over $k$.
The notion of the algebraic fundamental group of $\pi\_1(G)$
was introduced in 
[my memoir here](http://www.math.tau.ac.il/~borovoi/papers/galofile.pdf)
and generalized to arbitrary characteristic 
[here](http://www.math.u-psud.fr/~colliot/resolflsq_211107.pdf)
and to reductive group schemes [here](http://arxiv.org/abs/1112.6020).


Let $G^{\rm ss}=[G,G]$ denote the commutator subgroup of $G$ (which is semisimple).
Let $G^{\rm sc}\twoheadrightarrow G^{\rm ss}$ denote the universal covering of $G^{\rm ss}$ (then $G^{\rm sc}$ is simply connected).
We consider the composite homomorphism
$$ \rho\colon G^{\rm sc} \twoheadrightarrow G^{\rm ss} \hookrightarrow G.$$


Let $T\subset G$ be a maximal torus.
By abuse of notation, we write $T^{\rm sc}$ for the preimage of $T$ in $G^{\rm sc}$.
We have a homomorphism
$$\rho\colon T^{\rm sc}\to T,$$
which in general is neither surjective nor injective.


Let $X\_\*(T)=\{\chi\colon \mathbf{G}\_{m,k}\to T\}$
denote the cocharacter group of $T$.
We obtain a homomorphism
$$ \rho\_\*\colon X\_\*(T^{\rm sc})\to X\_\*(T). $$



> 
> **Definition.** $\pi\_1(G)=X\_\*(T)/\rho\_\* X\_\*(T^{\rm sc}). $
> 
> 
> 


This algebraic fundamental group $\pi\_1(G)$
does not depend on the choice of $T$ (up to a canonical isomorphism).
Further, if $K$ is an algebraically closed field extension of $k$,
then clearly
$$ X\_\*(T)=X\_\*(T\times\_k K)$$
and 
$$ \pi\_1(G)=\pi\_1(G\times\_k K).$$


Let $k={\mathbb{C}}$. A cocharacter $\chi\colon \mathbf{G}\_{m,{\mathbb{C}}}\to T$
induces a continuous homomorphism ${\mathbb{C}}^\times\to T({\mathbb{C}})$
and a homomorphism of topological fundamental groups
$$ \pi\_1^{\mathrm{top}}({\mathbb{C}}^\times)\to\pi\_1^{\mathrm{top}}(T({\mathbb{C}}))\to\pi\_1^{\mathrm{top}}(G({\mathbb{C}})).$$
By Proposition 11.1 of the memoir, in this way we obtain
a canonical isomorphism
$$ 
\pi\_1(G)\overset{\sim}{\to}\mathrm{Hom}\left[\pi\_1^{\mathrm{top}}({\mathbb{C}}^\times)
\to\pi\_1^{\mathrm{top}}(G({\mathbb{C}}))\right]. 
$$
After we choose one of the two generators of $\pi\_\*^{\mathrm{top}}({\mathbb{C}}^\times)$,
we obtain a noncanonical isomorphism 
$$ \pi\_1(G)\overset{\sim}{\to}\pi\_1^{\mathrm{top}}(G({\mathbb{C}})). $$


Now reducing to the case $k={\mathbb{C}}$, one can easily see that Igor Rivin's comment
works over any algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic 0.
I show below how to see this without reducing to ${\mathbb{C}}$,
by elaborating on the comment of Matthias Wendt.


First assume that $G$ is a simply connected semisimple group.
Then $G^{\rm sc}=G^{\rm ss}=G$, hence $T^{\rm sc}=T$ and $\pi\_1(G)=0$ (as one should expect!).
Since $\mathrm{Sp}\_{2n}$ is simply connected,
we conclude that $\pi\_1(\mathrm{Sp}\_{2n})=0$.


Then assume that $G$ is a torus.
Then $G^{\rm sc}=1$, $T=G$, $T^{\rm sc}=1$, hence $\pi\_1(G)=X\_\*(G)$.
Since $\mathrm{SO}\_2$ is a 1-dimensional torus, 
we conclude that $\pi\_1(\mathrm{SO}\_2)\simeq\mathbb{Z}$.


Now let $G$ be a semisimple group over $k$.
Note that $\ker\rho$ is always a finite abelian group.
By Example 1.6(3) in the memoir, we have a canonical isomorphism
$$\pi\_1(G)\cong \mathrm{Hom}(\mathrm{Hom}\_k(\ker\rho,\mathbf{G}\_{m,k}),\mathbb{Q}/\mathbb{Z}).$$
It is well known that for $\mathrm{SO}\_n$ for $n>2$ we have $\ker\rho\simeq\mu\_2$,
hence $\pi\_1(G)\simeq\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$ (again, as one should expect).


Unfortunately, Example 1.6(3) was given without proof.
For a proof see, e.g., [this preprint](http://arxiv.org/pdf/1406.4362.pdf), Lemma 15.2.


The point of introducing the algebraic fundamental groups was as follows. 
If $G$ is actually defined over a
nonclosed field $k\_0$ such that $k$ is an algebraic closure of $k\_0$, 
then the Galois group $\mathrm{Gal}(k/k\_0)$ acts on $\pi\_1(G)$. 
Then, following an idea of Kottwitz, from the Galois module $\pi\_1(G)$ one can compute arithmetic invariants of $G$ over $k\_0$,
such as the Galois cohomology $H^1(k\_0,G)$ when $k\_0$ is a $p$-adic field,
and the Tate-Shafarevich kernel and the defect of weak approximation for $G$ when $k\_0$ is a number field. 


