Cartan matrices and Brauer's \(k(B)\)-conjecture. III. (Q2017742)

Continuing earlier work of his [for part II see J. Algebra 337, No. 1, 345-362 (2011; Zbl 1243.20013)], the author studies determinants of Cartan matrices in this paper. Let \(G\) be a finite group and \(B\) a block of \(G\). Let \(C\) be the Cartan matrix of \(B\), and write \(k(B)\) and \(l(B)\) for the numbers of irreducible ordinary characters and Brauer characters in \(B\), respectively. Then the main result of the paper establishes the following upper bound for \(k(B)\): (*) \(k(B)\leq\frac{\det C-1}{l(B)}+l(B)\leq\det C\). This bound implies Brauer's \(k(B)\)-conjecture under some technical hypotheses. This, in particular, proves Brauer's \(k(B)\)-conjecture for abelian defect groups of rank at most 2 (which had been known before, but the proof here is new). The author also studies when equality holds in (*) and explains why he hopes that Brauer's \(k(B)\)-conjecture can be proved using matrix theory.