Donovan's conjecture, blocks with abelian defect groups and discrete valuation rings (Q2182410)

Let \(p\) be a prime number, and let \(k\) be an algebraic closure of \(\mathbb{F}_p\). Suppose \((K,\mathcal{O},k)\) is a complete \(p\)-modular system, where a natural choice for \(\mathcal{O}\) is the ring of infinite Witt vectors over \(k\). Let \(P\) be a finite \(p\)-group. The authors consider the following conjecture by Donovan over \(\mathcal{O}\): Among all finite groups \(G\) and blocks \(B\) of \(\mathcal{O}G\) with defect groups isomorphic to \(P\), there are only finitely many Morita equivalence classes. The main result of the paper implies that Donovan's conjecture (over \(\mathcal{O}\)) holds for blocks with abelian defect groups if and only if it holds for blocks of quasisimple groups with abelian defect groups. Using recent work of \textit{N. Farrell} and \textit{R. Kessar} [Represent. Theory 23, 325--349 (2019; Zbl 1472.20019)], the authors show that Donovan's conjecture for \(\mathcal{O}\)-blocks with abelian defect groups reduces to bounding the Cartan invariants of blocks of quasisimple groups in terms of the defect.