An exponential lower bound for the degrees of invariants of cubic forms and tensor actions

Using the Grosshans Principle, we develop a method for proving lower bounds for the maximal degree of a system of generators of an invariant ring. This method also gives lower bounds for the maximal degree of a set of invariants that define Hilbert's null cone. We consider two actions: The first is the action of ${\rm SL}(V)$ on ${\rm Sym}^3(V)^{\oplus 4}$, the space of $4$-tuples of cubic forms, and the second is the action of ${\rm SL}(V) \times {\rm SL}(W) \times {\rm SL}(Z)$ on the tensor space $(V \otimes W \otimes Z)^{\oplus 9}$. In both these cases, we prove an exponential lower degree bound for a system of invariants that generate the invariant ring or that define the null cone.