On the even powers of the antipode of a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra (Q1614649)

Let \(k\) be a field and let \(A\) be a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra with antipode \(s\). This paper studies the square of the antipode \(s^2\) and its relationship to \(\text{tr}(s^{2m})\) for all \(m\). The issue here is whether \(s^2\) satisfies the strong vanishing trace condition, which states that \(\text{tr}(s^{2m}\circ r(a))=0\) if \(s^{2m}\neq 1_A\) for all \(a\in A\), where \(r(a)\) is right multiplication by \(a\). The investigation breaks down into cases. If \(s\) is not semisimple over a field of characteristic not equal to 2, the authors show that \(s^2\) satisfies the vanishing trace condition. If \(s^2\) is semisimple (that is, if each \(s^2\)-stable subspace of \(A\) has an \(s^2\)-stable direct summand) and satisfies the strong vanishing trace condition, then it is proved that either \(A\) or \(A^*\) is pointed. Pointed Hopf algebras over an algebraicially closed field of characteristic zero are then studied. If \(r\) is the order of \(s^2\), then \(r\) divides \(\dim A/\dim A_0\) (where \(A_0\) is the coradical of \(A\)); the minimial polynomial of \(s^2\) is \(X^r-1\); the eigenvalues of \(s^2\) are the \(r\)-th roots of unity in \(k\) and all the eigenspaces have the same dimension; and if \(e\) is an idempotent of \(A\) with \(s(e)=e\), then \(r\) divides \(\dim Ae\). As a consequence of this work, it is possible to classify all dimension \(p^2\) Hopf algebras where \(s^2\) satisfies the vanishing trace condition over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, where \(p\) is an odd prime. If \(A\) has antipode \(s\) such that \(s^2\) satisfies this condition, then either \(A\) is a group algebra or \(A\) is a Taft algebra.