Blocks of factor groups and heights of characters (Q1282239)

Let \(G\) be a finite group, \(p\) be a prime number and let \((K,R,k)\) be a \(p\)-modular system that is ``big enough'' and where \(k=R/J(R)\) is algebraically closed. Also let \(\nu\) be the valuation of \(K\) such that \(\nu(p)=1\) and let \({\mathcal O}=R\) or \(k\). Let \(N\) be a normal subgroup of \(G\) and \(V\) be an indecomposable module in \({\mathcal O}G\)-mod such that \(V_N\) is indecomposable in \({\mathcal O}N\)-mod. By definition, an \({\mathcal O}G\) block \(B\) \(V\)-dominates a block \(\overline B\) of \({\mathcal O}[G/N]\) if there is an \({\mathcal O}[G/N]\)-module \(X\) in \(\overline B\) such that \(V\otimes\inf(X)\) belongs to \(B\). Section 1 presents an alternative proof of a result of R. Knörr and the reviewer. In Section 2, the author considers the situation above in which a block \(B\) of \({\mathcal O}G\) \(V\)-dominates a block \(\overline B\) of \({\mathcal O}[G/N]\). The author demonstrates that if \(D\) is a defect group of \(B\), then there is a subgroup \(Q\) of \(G\) with \(D\cap N\leq Q\leq D\) such that \(QN/N\) is a defect group of \(\overline B\) and such a subgroup \(Q\) is a Sylow intersection in \(G\) and \(O_p(N_G(Q))=Q\). Section 3 presents an extendability theorem for an irreducible character of a normal subgroup. In Section 4, the author considers the following conjecture: (\#) Let \(N\) be a normal subgroup of \(G\), let \(\chi\in\text{Irr}(B)\) where \(B\) is a block of \({\mathcal O}G\) with defect group \(D\), then \(\text{ht}(\chi)-\text{ht}(\xi)\leq\nu(| DN:Z(D)N|)\) for every irreducible constituent \(\xi\) of \(\chi_N\) and equality holds if and only if \(\chi\) is afforded by a \(Z(D)N\)-projective \(RG\)-module. This conjecture extends a conjecture of G. R. Robinson: (*) Let \(B\) be a block of \({\mathcal O}G\) with defect group \(D\), then for every \(\chi\in\text{Irr}(B)\), \(\text{ht}(\chi)\leq\nu(| D:Z(D)|)\) and the equality holds only when \(D\) is Abelian. Clearly (\#) is (*) if \(N=1\). In Theorem 4.3, it is shown that (\#) holds if (*) holds for blocks of certain groups related to \(G/N\). In Theorem 4.6, it is shown that (*) can be reduced to the case that \(G\) is quasisimple.