Minimal extensions of Tannakian categories in positive characteristic (Q2134024)

Let \(k\) be an algebraically closed field. A finite braided tensor category \(\mathscr{D}\) over \(k\) is \textit{non-degenerate} if the full subcategory \(\mathscr{D}'\) of the objects in \(\mathscr{D}\) that centralise every other object (with respect to the braiding) is equivalent to \(\operatorname{Vec}_k\) (via the usual functor \(\operatorname{Vec}_k \to \mathscr{D}\)). A \emph{minimal extension} of a finite Tannakian category \(\mathscr{E}\) over \(k\) is a non-degenerate finite braided tensor category \(\mathscr{D}\) over \(k\), containing \(\mathscr{E}\) as a maximal symmetric tensor subcategory. In the case when \(k\) is of characteristic zero, the minimal extensions of a given \(\mathscr{E}\) are classified in [\textit{V. Drinfeld} et al., ``Group-theoretical properties of nilpotent modular categories'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:0704.0195}; Sel. Math., New Ser. 16, No. 1, 1--119 (2010; Zbl 1201.18005)], and [\textit{T. Lan} et al., Commun. Math. Phys. 351, No. 2, 709--739 (2017; Zbl 1361.81184)], and the paper under review extends this classification to arbitrary characteristic. From now on, \(k\) is of positive characteristic. Let \(G\) be a finite group scheme over \(k\). Denote its coordinate algebra by \(\mathcal{O}(G)\), and the category of finitely generated \(\mathcal{O}(G)\)-modules by \(\operatorname{Coh}(G)\). Given a normalised 3-cocycle \(\omega\in H^3(G,\mathbb{G}_{\mathrm{m}})\), the tensor category \(\operatorname{Coh}(G,\omega)\) is given by \(\operatorname{Coh}(G)\) as its underlying abelian category, but with associativity constraint twisted by \(\omega\). It is then a fact (Lemma 2.5), that the centre \(\mathscr{Z}(\operatorname{Coh}(G,\omega))\) of \(\operatorname{Coh}(G,\omega)\) is canonically a minimal extension of \(\operatorname{Rep}(G)\). For the definition of the centre of a monoidal category, see, e.g., Definition 7.13.1 in [\textit{P. Etingof} et al., Tensor categories. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2015; Zbl 1365.18001)]. The main contributions of the paper are laid out in three steps. Firstly, the author proves in Theorem 1.1 that every minimal extension of \(\mathscr{E}=\operatorname{Rep}(G)\) is obtained as \(\mathscr{Z}(\operatorname{Coh}(G,\omega))\) for some \(\omega\in H^3(G,\mathbb{G}_{\mathrm{m}})\), in the way indicated above. Secondly, it is shown in Corollary~1.2 that the construction in Theorem~1.1 induces a natural bijection. To state this correspondence, fix a non-degenerate finite braided tensor category \(\mathscr{D}\). There is a natural equivalence relation on the set of triples \((G,\omega,F)\), where \(G\) is a finite \(k\)-group scheme, \(\omega\in H^3(G,\mathbb{G}_{\mathrm{m}})\) and \(F \colon \mathscr{D} \to \mathscr{Z}(\operatorname{Coh}(G,\omega))\) is a braided tensor equivalence. Corollary 1.2 then says that the set of equivalence classes of such triples is naturally in bijection with the set of maximal symmetric tensor subcategories of \(\mathscr{D}\). Lastly, the set of equivalence classes of minimal extensions of \(\mathscr{E}\) up to equivalence naturally form a group, and the author shows in Corollary 1.3 that this group is isomorphic to \(H^3(G,\mathbb{G}_{\mathrm{m}})\). The proof of Theorem 1.1 splits roughly into two steps. First, a braided tensor category \(\mathscr{C}\) is constructed, together with a braided tensor equivalence \(F\colon \mathscr{D} \to \mathscr{Z}(\mathscr{C})\), exhibiting \(\mathscr{D}\) as the centre of this \(\mathscr{C}\). The category \(\mathscr{C}\) is defined as the \(G\)-de-equivariantisation of \(\mathscr{D}\), namely, as the category of \(\mathcal{O}(G)\)-modules in \(\mathscr{D}\). The functor \(F\) is induced by the free module functor (Corollary 3.4). The second step, is then to construct a \textit{quasi}-tensor equivalence \(\tilde{\Phi}\colon \mathscr{C} \to \operatorname{Coh}(G)\) (Corollary 3.10). The transportation of the associativity constraint from \(\mathscr{C}\) to \(\operatorname{Coh}(G)\) along \(\tilde{\Phi}\) then corresponds to the sought after element cocycle \(\omega \in H^3(G, \mathbb{G}_{\mathrm{m}})\).