On restriction of characters to defect groups (Q2182353)

Let \(\chi \) be an irreducible complex character of a finite group and \(D\) a defect group of the \(p\)-block of \(\chi\). How many linear constituents can the restriction \(\chi_D\) of \(\chi\) to \(D\) have? For characters of height zero, the authors show that \(\chi_D\) has at least one linear constituent. The larger part of this paper studies the situation when \(\chi\) has non-zero height in its \(p\)-block, so we assume this from now on. For the symmetric and alternating groups, the authors show that then \(\chi_D\) has at least \(p\) different linear constituents. In general, \(\chi_D\) may have no linear constituents. The authors conjecture that when \(\chi_D\) has a linear constituent, then it has at least \(p\) different constituents. This is a blockwise version of an earlier conjecture of the first author and \textit{G. Navarro} [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 146, No. 5, 1963--1976 (2018; Zbl 1403.20011)]. The authors prove the conjecture for nilpotent blocks, when the defect group \(D\) is a normal subgroup, and when \(D\) is a metacyclic \(2\)-group.