Small-dimensional projective representations of symmetric and alternating groups. (Q1950993)

Working over an algebraically closed field of odd characteristic, the authors determine the faithful irreducible modules of smallest and second smallest dimension of the covering groups of the symmetric and alternating groups. The degree of the covering groups is required to be at least 12. The paper also provides a lower bound for the dimensions of the remaining faithful irreducible modules. The main theorem is proved by induction and in the process the authors derive new results on branching which are of independent interest.