The Frobenius-Schur indicator and projective modules (Q1812718)

Let \(G\) be a finite group and let \(\{t_ i: 1\leq i\leq s\}\) be a full set of representatives of the distinct conjugacy classes of involutions in \(G\). If \(\chi\) is an irreducible complex character of \(G\), we recall that the Frobenius-Schur indicator of \(\chi\) is the number \(\nu(\chi)\) defined by \(\nu(\chi)=(1/| G|)\sum_{g\in G}\chi(g^ 2)\). We have \(\nu(\chi)=1\) if \(\chi\) is the character of a real representation of \(G\), \(\nu(\chi)=0\) if \(\chi\) is not real-valued and \(\nu(\chi)=-1\) if \(\chi\) is real-valued but not the character of a real representation of \(G\). Let \(C_ i\) denote the centralizer of \(t_ i\), \(1\leq i\leq s\). Let 1 denote the trivial character of \(G\) and \(l_ i\) the trivial character of \(C_ i\). The author proves the following interesting lemma. Let \(\theta\) be a class function on \(G\) that vanishes on all elements of order divisible by 2. Then we have \((1/| G|)\sum\theta(g^ 2)=(\theta,1)+\sum_ i(\theta_{C_ i},1_ i)\). The remainder of the paper shows how this lemma can be used to investigate projective summands of permutation modules over fields of characteristic 2. We mention some applications. If \(\theta\) above is real-valued and irreducible, then \(\nu(\theta)=1\) and there is an index \(i\) such that \((\theta_{C_ i},1_ i)=1\), whereas \((\theta_{C_ j},1_ j)=0\) if \(j\neq i\). It can be shown that the involution \(t_ i\) generates an extended defect group of the 2-block corresponding to \(\theta\), as defined in a paper of the reviewer [Osaka J. Math. 25, No. 1, 135-147 (1988; Zbl 0656.20015)]. Now let \(R\) be a complete discrete valuation ring of characteristic 0 that contains a primitive \(| G|\)th root of unity and suppose that \(k=R/J(R)\) is a field of characteristic 2. If \(\theta\) is the character of a projective indecomposable \(RG\)-module \(P\), then \(\theta\) satisfies the hypotheses of the lemma. The author shows that there is at most one index \(j\) such that \(P\) is a direct summand of the permutation module of \(RG\) associated to the trivial representation of \(C_ j\). Moreover, if there is such a value of \(j\), \(P\) occurs with multiplicity one as a summand of the permutation module, the decomposition number \(d_{\theta\chi}=0\) or 1 for each irreducible character \(\chi\) of \(G\) and \(\nu(\chi)=1\) if \(d_{\theta\chi}=1\). Further applications are given, including an analysis of the permutation character associated to a strongly embedded subgroup in \(G\).