On the Cartan invariants of a Chevalley group over \(GF(p^ n)\) (Q1204542)

Let \(G\) be a semisimple, simply connected algebraic group over \(\overline{F}_ p\). Let \(\sigma: G \to G\) be a morphism such that the group \(G_ \sigma\) of fixed points is finite, e.g. a Frobenius morphism. Let \(\rho\) be an automorphism of the Dynkin diagram of \(G\), and let \(\tau = \sigma^ n\rho\) for some \(n\). The author studies the principal indecomposable characters of \(G_ \tau\), especially their variation with \(n\). Let \(X\) be the weight lattice of \(G\), \(X^ +\) the set of dominant weights, and \(X_ \tau\) the subset of \(X^ +\) of weights whose coordinates in terms of the fundamental dominant weights are less than or equal to those of \(\delta^ \tau - \delta\), where \(\delta\) is half the sum of the positive roots. If \(\lambda \in X_ \tau\), let \(\Phi_{\lambda,\tau}\) be the character of the projective cover of the irreducible \(G_ \tau\)-module corresponding to \(\lambda\). The author gives a formula for \(\Phi_{\lambda,\tau}\) in terms of a matrix \(A^{(j)}_ \lambda\) with entries in \(\mathbb{Z}[X]^ W\) (here \(W\) is the Weyl group) defined inductively in \(j\). The entries involve certain elements \(\Psi_ \lambda \in \mathbb{Z}[X]^ W\) which were defined by the author [in J. Algebra 82, 255-274 (1983; Zbl 0532.20023)]. A similar formula is given for the Cartan invariants. The method is illustrated in the case of \(SL(3,p^ n)\) and \(SU(3,p^ n)\).