Group actions on central simple algebras (Q1602010): Difference between revisions

Let \(G\) be a group and \(A\) a \(G\)-algebra over a field \(F\), i.e., a finite dimensional \(F\)-algebra on which \(G\) acts by \(F\)-automorphisms. A subalgebra \(B\) and a one or two-sided ideal \(I\) of \(A\) are called \(G\)-invariant, if they are closed with respect to the action of \(G\). Henceforth, we assume that \(A\) is a central simple \(F\)-algebra. By Wedderburn's structure theorem, then \(A\) can be identified with the full endomorphism ring \(\text{End}_D(V)\) of a finite dimensional right vector space \(V\) over a central division \(F\)-algebra \(D\) (uniquely determined by \(A\), up-to isomorphisms). Also, it turns out that the action of \(G\) on \(A\) is induced by a projective representation \(\rho\colon G\to\text{GL}(V)\), uniquely determined, up-to a projective equivalence (see Proposition 2.1). Henceforth, we assume that \(A\) is a simple \(G\)-algebra over \(F\), i.e., a central simple \(F\)-algebra for which the associated projective representation \(\rho\) is irreducible. The paper under review shows that every \(G\)-invariant subalgebra of \(A\) is semisimple with isomorphic Wedderburn components. By a generalization of the double centralizer theorem [cf. Theorem 4.10 of \textit{N. Jacobson}, Basic algebra II, 2nd ed., Freeman, New York (1989; Zbl 0694.16001)], this ensures that the centralizer \(Z_A(B)\) is also semisimple and \(B\) equals its double centralizer. The present paper shows that if \(S(A)\) is the set of semisimple \(F\)-subalgebras of \(A\), then the mapping \(Z\colon S(A)\to S(A)\), defined by the rule \(\Phi\to Z_A(\Phi)\): \(\Phi\in S(A)\), preserves the number of Wedderburn components of the subalgebras. The author presents a general construction of invariant subalgebras, which allows him to obtain two classification theorems concerning these subalgebras, as well as to find a description of the \(G\)-invariant ideals of \(A\). He illustrates his main results in the case of compact connected Lie groups and gives some other applications.