Blocks with just two irreducible Brauer characters in solvable groups (Q1340438)

\textit{Y. Ninomiya} and \textit{T. Wada} have conjectured [in J. Algebra 143, No. 2, 315-333 (1991; Zbl 0733.20001)]\ that if \(G\) is a \(p\)-solvable group having a \(p\)-block with exactly two irreducible Brauer characters then the \(p'\)-parts of the degrees of these two characters are equal. In the paper under review the author gives an affirmative answer for solvable groups. Even more, he proves Theorem A: Let \(G\) be solvable and let \(B\) be a \(p\)-block of \(G\). Suppose that \(B\) has exactly two irreducible Brauer characters, say \(\alpha\), \(\beta\) with \(\beta(1)> \alpha(1)\). Then either \(p\) is a Mersenne prime and \(\beta(1)/ \alpha(1) =p\) or else \(p=2\) and \(\beta(1)/ \alpha(1)\in \{8, q-1\}\) where \(q\) is a Fermat prime. In all cases, \(|G|\) is even. Examples show that all situations described above actually occur. Applying Fong reduction it suffices to prove the statement of the Theorem (including \(2\mid |G:N|\)) in case that \(\alpha\), \(\beta\) are the only Brauer characters lying over a fixed Brauer character of a normal subgroup \(N\) of \(G\). In order to prove this the author carefully analyzes solvable groups of linear transformations on a finite vector space \(V\) acting transitively on the set of non-zero vectors of \(V\). Some calculation in \(\text{GL}(4,3)\) are done with the help of the computer software CAYLEY. The author points out that this part can be avoided by character theoretical arguments.