arXiv subjects

Britta Späth

Publications and source records attributed to Britta Späth.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Representation growth of quasi-semisimple profinite groups

The representation zeta function of a profinite group $G$ encodes the distribution of continuous irreducible complex representations of $G$ as a function of the dimension. Its abscissa of convergence $α(G)$ describes the polynomial degree of representation growth of $G$. Within the class of quasi-semisimple profinite groups, we characterise those of polynomial representation growth (PRG) and we prove that whether such a group $G$ has PRG or not only depends on its semisimple part $G/\mathrm{Z}(G)$. Moreover, we show that, for quasi-semisimple profinite groups $G$ that have uniformly bounded Lie ranks, the degree of growth satisfies $α(G) = α(G/\mathrm{Z}(G))$. We provide a technique to produce, for any prescribed positive real number $\varrho$, quasi-semisimple profinite groups $G$ with PRG of degree $α(G) = \varrho$. Our method allows for considerable flexibility regarding the inclusion of finite simple groups of Lie type as composition factors of $G$. Furthermore, we can arrange for the groups $G$ of prescribed representation growth to be profinite completions of suitable finitely generated discrete groups $Γ$ so that the group $Γ$ has the same representation zeta function as $G$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2025

Extensions of characters in type D and the inductive McKay condition, II

We determine the action of the automorphism group Aut$(G)$ on the set of irreducible characters Irr$(G)$ for all finite quasi-simple groups $G$. For groups of Lie type, this includes the construction of an Aut$(G)$-equivariant Jordan decomposition of characters (Theorem B). We prove a property called $A(\infty)$ which includes an extendibility statement, known previously in types not $\mathrm{D}$ (Theorem A). Our methods blend here Shintani descent ideas introduced for type $\mathrm{B}$ along with an analysis of semisimple classes in the dual group $G^*$. The condition $A(\infty)$ originates in the program to prove the McKay conjecture using the classification of finite simple groups. Theorem C establishes the McKay conjecture for the prime 3.

math.RT↗

arXiv2025

Towards the inductive McKay--Navarro Condition for groups of Lie type

We gather tools for proving the inductive McKay--Navarro (or Galois--McKay) condition for groups of Lie type and odd primes. We use this to establish a bijection in the case of quasisimple groups of Lie type A satisfying the equivariance properties needed for the condition. We also prove the inductive conditions for the subset of unipotent characters.

math.RT↗

arXiv2025

The McKay Conjecture on character degrees

We prove that for any prime $\ell$, any finite group has as many irreducible complex characters of degree prime to $\ell$ as the normalizers of its Sylow $\ell$-subgroups. This equality was conjectured by John McKay. The conjecture was reduced by Isaacs--Malle--Navarro (2007) to a conjecture on representations, linear and projective, of finite simple groups that we finish proving here using the classification of those groups. We study mainly characters of normalizers N$_{\mathbf G}({\mathbf S})^F$ of Sylow $d$-tori ${\mathbf S}$ ($d\geq 3$) in a simply-connected algebraic group ${\mathbf G}$ of type D$_l$ ($l\geq 4$) for which $F$ is a Frobenius endomorphism. We also introduce a certain class of $F$-stable reductive subgroups ${\mathbf M}\leq {\mathbf G}$ of maximal rank where ${\mathbf M}^\circ$ is of type some D$_{k}\times\ $D$_{l-k}$. The finite groups ${\mathbf M}^F$ are an efficient substitute for N$_{\mathbf G}({\mathbf S})^F$ or the $\ell$-local subgroups of ${\mathbf G}^F$ relevant to McKay's abstract statement. For a general class of those subgroups ${\mathbf M}^F$ we describe their characters and the action of Aut$({\mathbf G}^F)_{{\mathbf M}^F}$ on them, showing in particular that Irr$({\mathbf M}^F)$ and Irr$({\mathbf G}^F)$ share some key features in that regard.

math.RT↗

arXiv2025

Extensions of characters in type D and the inductive McKay condition, I

This is a contribution to the study of $\operatorname {Irr}(G)$ as an $\operatorname {Aut}(G)$-set for $G$ a finite quasi-simple group. Focusing on the last open case of groups of Lie type $\mathrm D$ and $^2\mathrm D$, a crucial property is the so-called condition $A'(\infty)$ expressing that diagonal automorphisms and graph-field automorphisms of $G$ have transversal orbits in $\operatorname {Irr}(G)$. This is part of the stronger $A(\infty)$ condition introduced in the context of the reduction of the McKay conjecture to a question on quasi-simple groups. Our main theorem is that a minimal counter-example to condition $A(\infty)$ for groups of type $\mathrm D$ would still satisfy $A'(\infty)$. This will be used in a second paper to fully establish $A(\infty)$ for any type and rank. The present paper uses Harish-Chandra induction as a parametrization tool. We give a new, more effective proof of the theorem of Geck and Lusztig ensuring that cuspidal characters of arbitrary standard Levi subgroups of $G={\mathrm D}_{ l,\mathrm{sc}}(q)$ extend to their stabilizers in the normalizer of that Levi subgroup. This allows to control the action of automorphisms on these extensions. From there Harish Chandra theory leads naturally to a detailed study of associated relative Weyl groups and other extendibility problems in that context.

math.RT↗

arXiv2023

On semisimple classes and component groups in type $\mathsf{D}$

In adjoint reductive groups $H$ of type $\mathsf{D}$ we show that for every semisimple element $s$, its centralizer splits over its connected component, i.e., $C_H(s) = C_H(s)^\circ \rtimes \check A$ for some complement $\check A$ with strong stability properties. We derive several consequences about the action of automorphisms on semisimple conjugacy classes. This helps to parametrize characters of the finite groups $\mathsf{D}_{l,\text{sc}}(q)$ and $^2\mathsf{D}_{l,\text{sc}}(q)$ and describe the action of automorphisms on them. It is also a contribution to the final proof of the McKay conjecture for the prime 3, see [S21], [S23].

math.GR↗

arXiv2023

Unitriangular basic sets, Brauer characters and coprime actions

We show that the decomposition matrix of a given group $G$ is unitriangular, whenever $G$ has a normal subgroup $N$ such that the decomposition matrix of $N$ is unitriangular, $G/N$ is abelian and certain characters of $N$ extend to their stabilizer in $G$. Using the recent result by Brunat--Dudas--Taylor establishing that unipotent blocks have a unitriangular decomposition matrix, this allows us to prove that blocks of groups of quasi-simple groups of Lie type have a unitriangular decomposition matrix, whenever they are related via Bonnafé--Dat--Rouquier's equivalence to a unipotent block. This is then applied to study the action of automorphisms on Brauer characters of finite quasi-simple groups. We use it to verify the so-called {\it inductive Brauer--Glaubermann condition}, that aims to establish a Glauberman correspondence for Brauer characters, given a coprime action.

math.RT↗

arXiv2020

A criterion for the inductive Alperin weight condition

We give a criterion that simplifies the checking of the inductive Alperin weight condition for the remaining open cases of simple groups of Lie type. It is strongly related in form to the criterion of the second author for the inductive McKay conditions (see [Spä12,2.12]) that has proved very useful. The proof follows from a Clifford theory for weights intrinsically present in the proof of reduction theorems of the Alperin weight conjecture given by Navarro--Tiep and the second author. We also give a related criterion for the inductive blockwise Alperin weight condition.

math.RT↗

arXiv2020

On the Inductive Alperin-McKay Conditions in the Maximally Split Case

The Alperin-McKay conjecture relates height zero characters of an $\ell$-block with the ones of its Brauer correspondent. This conjecture has been reduced to the so-called inductive Alperin-McKay conditions about quasi-simple groups by the third author. Those conditions are still open for groups of Lie type. The present paper describes characters of height zero in $\ell$-blocks of groups of Lie type over a field with $q$ elements when $\ell$ divides $q-1$. We also give information about $\ell$-blocks and Brauer correspondents. As an application we show that quasi-simple groups of type $C$ over $\mathbb{F}_q$ satisfy the inductive Alperin-McKay conditions for primes $\ell\geq 5$ and dividing $q-1$. Some methods to that end are adapted from the work of Malle--Späth.

math.RT↗

arXiv2019

A reduction theorem for the Galois-McKay conjecture

We generalize the theory of ordering character triples, developed by Navarro and Späth, by taking into account the action of Galois automorphisms on characters. This new technique, together with previous results of Ladisch and Turull, allows us to reduce the Galois--McKay conjecture to a question about simple groups.

math.RT↗

arXiv2019

Descent equalities and the inductive McKay condition for types B and E

We establish the inductive McKay condition introduced by Isaacs-Malle-Navarro \cite{IMN} for finite simple groups of Lie types $\tB_l$ ($l\geq 2$), $\tE_6$, $^2\tE_6$ and $\tE_7$, thus leaving open only the types $\tD$ and $^2\tD$. We bring to the methods previously used by the authors for type $\tC$ \cite{CS17C} some descent arguments using Shintani's norm map. This provides for types different from $ \tA, \tD, {}^2\tD$ a uniform proof of the so-called global requirement of the criterion given by the second author in \cite[2.12]{S12}. The local requirements from that criterion are verified through a detailed study of the normalizers of relevant Levi subgroups and their characters.

math.RT↗

arXiv2019

On the Alperin-McKay conjecture for simple groups of type $\mathrm{A}$

In this paper characters of the normaliser of $d$-split Levi subgroups in $\mathrm {SL}_n(q)$ and $\mathrm {SU}_n(q)$ are parametrized with a particular focus on the Clifford theory between the Levi subgroup and its normalizer.These results are applied to verify the Alperin-McKay conjecture for primes $\ell$ with $\ell\nmid 6(q^2-1)$ and the Alperin weight conjecture for $\ell$-blocks of those quasi-simple groups with abelian defect. The inductive Alperin-McKay condition and inductive Alperin weight condition by the second author are verified for certain blocks of $\mathrm {SL}_n(q)$ and $\mathrm {SU}_n(q)$.

math.RT↗

arXiv2016

Inductive McKay condition for finite simple groups of type C

We verify the inductive McKay condition for simple groups of Lie type C, namely finite projective symplectic groups. This contributes to the program of a complete proof of the McKay conjecture for all finite groups via the reduction theorem of Isaacs-Malle-Navarro and the classification of finite simple groups. In an important step we use a new counting argument to determine the stabilizers of irreducible characters of a finite symplectic group in its outer automorphism group. This is completed by analogous results on characters of normalizers of Sylow d-tori in those groups.

math.RT↗

arXiv2015

On Blocks with One Modular Character

Suppose that $B$ is a Brauer $p$-block of a finite group $G$ with a unique modular character $φ$. We prove that $φ$ is liftable to an ordinary character of $G$ (which moreover is $p$-rational for odd $p$). This confirms the basic set conjecture for these blocks.

math.RT↗

arXiv2015

Characters of odd degree

We prove the McKay conjecture on characters of odd degree. A major step in the proof is the verification of the inductive McKay condition for groups of Lie type and primes $\ell$ such that a Sylow $\ell$-subgroup or its maximal normal abelian subgroup is contained in a maximally split torus by means of a new equivariant version of Harish-Chandra induction. Specifics of characters of odd degree, namely that they only lie in very particular Harish-Chandra series then allow us to deduce from it the McKay conjecture for the prime~$2$, hence for characters of odd degree.

math.RT↗

arXiv2014

Invariant blocks under coprime actions

If a finite group $A$ acts coprimely as automorphisms on a finite group $G$, then the $A$-invariant Brauer $p$-blocks of $G$ are exactly those that contain $A$-invariant irreducible characters.

math.RT↗

arXiv2010

Inductive McKay Condition in defining Characteristic

We reformulate the inductive McKay condition, from Isaacs-Malle-Navarro, and apply the new criterion to simple groups of Lie type, when the prime is the defining characteristic p. Thereby we make use of a recent result of Maslowski. This proves that these simple group satisfy the inductive McKay condition for p. In the non simply-laced types and non-classical types this reproves earlier results by Brunat and Brunat-Himstedt.

math.RT↗