Invariant fields of finite irreducible reflection groups

Abstract.

We prove the following result: If G is a finite irreducible reflection group defined over a base field k, then the invariant field of G is purely transcendental over k, even if |G| is divisible by the characteristic of k. It is well known that in the above situation the invariant ring is in general not a polynomial ring. So the question whether at least the invariant field is purely transcendental (Noether's problem) is quite natural.