Twisted tensor induction (Q1265507)

Let \(H\) be a subgroup of the finite group \(G\) and let \(\theta\) be a generalized character of \(H\). The process of tensor induction constructs a generalized character \(T_H^G(\theta)\) of \(G\) from \(\theta\). It is possible to extend \(T_H^G\) to a map from the ring of complex-valued class functions of \(H\) to the ring of complex-valued class functions of \(G\), but this extension has the drawback that it does not map algebraic integer combinations of ordinary characters of \(H\) to the corresponding combinations of characters of \(G\). In the paper under review, the author constructs a new function \(\widetilde T^G_H\), which does map certain algebraic integer combinations of characters of \(H\) to similar combinations of characters of \(G\). The algebraic integers used in the construction are taken to lie in the field of \(n\)-th roots of unity, where \(\gcd(n,| G|)=1\). The function \(\widetilde T^G_H\) is called twisted tensor induction. The proof that twisted tensor induction has the desired properties makes use of Brauer's induction theorem. As an application of twisted tensor induction, the author generalizes a construction of \textit{R. Knörr} [J. Algebra 131, No. 2, 444-454 (1990; Zbl 0709.20010)] to show how `roots' of generalized characters can be constructed using algebraic integer combinations of characters. Such roots have proved to be valuable in researches relating to Brauer's \(k(B)\) problem.