Multivariate lag-windows and group representations

Symmetries of the auto-cumulant function (a generalization of the auto-covariance function) of a kth-order stationary time series are derived through a connection with the symmetric group of degree k. Using the theory of group representations, symmetries of the auto-cumulant function are demystified and lag-window functions are symmetrized to satisfy these symmetries. A generalized Gabr–Rao optimal kernel is also derived through the developed theory.     

On diagonal actions of branch groups and the corresponding characters

We introduce notions of absolutely non-free and perfectly non-free group actions and use them to study the associated unitary representations. We show that every weakly branch group acting on a regular rooted tree acts absolutely non-freely on the boundary of the tree. Using this result and the symmetrized diagonal actions we construct for every countable branch group infinitely many different ergodic perfectly non-free actions, infinitely many II₁-factor representations, and infinitely many continuous ergodic invariant random subgroups.     

Commute times for a directed graph using an asymmetric Laplacian

The expected commute times for a strongly connected directed graph are related to an asymmetric Laplacian matrix as a direct extension to similar well known formulas for undirected graphs. We show the close relationships between the asymmetric Laplacian and the so-called Fundamental matrix. We give bounds for the commute times in terms of the stationary probabilities for a random walk over the graph together with the asymmetric Laplacian and show how this can be approximated by a symmetrized Laplacian derived from a related weighted undirected graph.     

On the orthogonal basis of the symmetry classes of tensors associated with the dicyclic group

A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of orthogonal basis of decomposable symmetrized tensors for the symmetry classes of tensors associated with the dicyclic group is given. In particular we apply these conditions to the generalized quaternion group, for which the dimensions of the symmetry classes of tensors are computed.     

On the orthogonal basis of the symmetry classes of tensors associated with the dicyclic group

A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of orthogonal basis of decomposable symmetrized tensors for the symmetry classes of tensors associated with the dicyclic group is given. In particular we apply these conditions to the generalized quaternion group, for which the dimensions of the symmetry classes of tensors are computed.     

Orthogonal bases of symmetrized tensor spaces

It is shown that a symmetrized tensor space does not have an orthogonal basis consisting of standard symmetrized tensors if the associated permutation group is 2-transitive. In particular, no such basis exists if the group is the symmetric group or the algernating group as conjectured by T.-Y. Tam and the author.     

Broué's conjecture for non-principal 3-blocks of finite groups

In representation theory of finite groups, there is a well-known and important conjecture due to M. Broué. He conjectures that, for any prime p, if a p-block A of a finite group G has an abelian defect group D, then A and its Brauer correspondent p-block B of N_G(D) are derived equivalent. We demonstrate in this paper that Broué's conjecture holds for two non-principal 3-blocks A with elementary abelian defect group D of order 9 of the O'Nan simple group and the Higman-Sims simple group. Moreover, we determine these two non-principal block algebras over a splitting field of characteristic 3 up to Morita equivalence.     

Gluing representations via idempotent modules and constructing endotrivial modules

Let G be a finite group and k be a field of characteristic p. We show how to glue Rickard idempotent modules for a pair of open subsets of the cohomology variety along an automorphism for their intersection. The result is an endotrivial module. An interesting aspect of the construction is that we end up constructing finite dimensional endotrivial modules using infinite dimensional Rickard idempotent modules. We prove that this construction produces a subgroup of finite index in the group of endotrivial modules. More generally, we also show how to glue any pair of kG-modules.     

Orthogonal bases of Brauer symmetry classes of tensors for the dihedral group

In this article necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of an orthogonal basis consisting of standard (decomposable) symmetrized tensors for the class of tensors symmetrized using a Brauer character of the dihedral group.     

Vertices of simple modules and normal subgroups ofp-solvable groups

Let π be a set of prime numbers andG a finite π-separable group. Let θ be an irreducible π′-partial character of a normal subgroupN ofG and denote by I_π′ (G‖θ), the set of all irreducible π′-partial characters Φ ofG such that θ is a constituent of Φ_N. In this paper, we obtain some information about the vertices of the elements in I_π′ (G‖θ). As a consequence, we establish an analogue of Fong's theorem on defect groups of covering blocks, for the vertices of the simple modules (in characteristicsp) of a finitep-solvable group lying over a fixed simple module of a normal subgroup.     

The group of endotrivial modules in the normal case

The group of endotrivial modules has recently been determined for a finite group having a normal Sylow p-subgroup. In this paper, we give and compare three different presentations of a torsion-free subgroup of maximal rank of the group of endotrivial modules. Finally, we illustrate the constructions in an example.     

On a subalgebra of the centre of a group ring II

Let p be a prime, G a finite group with p | |G| and F a field of characteristic p. By we denote the F-subspace of the centre of the group ring FG spanned by the p-regular conjugacy class sums. J. Murray proved that is an algebra, if G is a symmetric or alternating group. This can be used for the computation of the block idempotents of FG. We proved that is an algebra if the Sylow-p-subgroups of G are abelian. Recently, Y. Fan and B. Külshammer generalized this result to blocks with abelian defect groups. Here, we show that is an algebra if the Sylow-2-subgroups of G are dihedral. Therefore and are algebras for all primes p and all prime powers q. Furthermore we prove that is an algebra for the simple Suzuki-groups Sz(q), where q is a certain power of 2 and p is an arbitrary prime dividing |Sz(q)|. Received: 18 May 2007     

Brauer characters with cyclotomic field of values

It has been shown in an earlier paper [G. Navarro, Pham Huu Tiep, Rational Brauer characters, Math. Ann. 335 (2006) 675-686] that, for any odd prime p, every finite group of even order has a non-trivial rational-valued irreducible p-Brauer character. For p=2 this statement is no longer true. In this paper we determine the possible non-abelian composition factors of finite groups without non-trivial rational-valued irreducible 2-Brauer characters. We also prove that, if p≠q are primes, then any finite group of order divisible by q has a non-trivial irreducible p-Brauer character with values in the cyclotomic field Q(exp(2πi/q)).     

Complex group algebras of finite groups: Brauer's Problem 1

Brauer's Problem 1 asks the following: What are the possible complex group algebras of finite groups? It seems that with the present knowledge of representation theory it is not possible to settle this question. The goal of this paper is to present a partial solution to this problem. We conjecture that if the complex group algebra of a finite group does not have more than a fixed number m of isomorphic summands, then its dimension is bounded in terms of m. We prove that this is true for every finite group if it is true for the symmetric groups. The problem for symmetric groups reduces to an explicitly stated question in number theory or combinatorics.     

Block separation in solvable groups

If π is a set of primes, a finite group G is block π-separated if for every two distinct irreducible complex characters α, β ∈ Irr(G) there exists a prime p ∈ π such that α and β lie in different Brauer p-blocks. A group G is block separated if it is separated by the set of prime divisors of |G|. Given a set π with n different primes, we construct an example of a solvable π-group G which is block separated but it is not separated by every proper subset of π. Received: 22 December 2004     

Blocks of minimal dimension

Any block with defect group P of a finite group G with Sylow-p-subgroup S has dimension at least |S|²/|P|; we show that a block which attains this bound is nilpotent, answering a question of G. R. Robinson. Received: 20 November 2006     

On blocks of strongly p-solvable groups

We prove that a block of a finite strongly p-solvable group G with defect group P is Morita equivalent to its corresponding block of N_G(Z(J (P))) via a bimodule with endopermutation source. Received: 7 December 2005     

On the Navarro-Willems conjecture for blocks of finite groups

We prove that a set of characters of a finite group can only be the set of characters for principal blocks of the group at two different primes when the primes do not divide the group order. This confirms a conjecture of Navarro and Willems in the case of principal blocks.     

Generalized blocks for symmetric groups

We study, via character-theoretic methods, an ℓ-analogue of the modular representation theory of the symmetric group, for an arbitrary integer ℓ≥2. We find that many of the invariants of the usual block theory (ie. when ℓ is prime) generalize in a natural fashion to this new context. Oblatum 21-III-2002 & 5-VIII-2002?Published online: 8 November 2002