Algebras with involution and multiplicities bounded by a constant (Q2285245)

A standard tool in the theory of algebras with polynomial identities (p.i. algebras) is the cocharacter sequence. To each p.i.~algebra \(A\) one associates a series of \(S_n\)-characters \(\{\chi_n(A)\}_{n=0}^\infty\). In characteristic zero each \(\chi_n(A)\) decomposes as a sum of irreducible characters with multiplicities \(\chi_n(A)=\sum m_\lambda(A)\chi^\lambda\), indexed by partitions of~\(n\). It is known that the multiplicities \(m_\lambda(A) \) are bounded by a polynomial in~\(n\). In [J. Algebra 219, No. 1, 356--368 (1999; Zbl 0937.16037)], \textit{S. P. Mishchenko} et al. studied the question of: For which algebras are the multiplicities bounded by a constant? Among their results is the theorem that this can happen if and only if \(A\) satisfies an identity not satisfied by \(2\times 2\) upper triangular matrices. The theory of cocharacters has been generalized to p.i. algebras with involution. In this case there are two cocharacter sequences, one for the symmetric groups \(S_n\) and one for the hyperoctohedral groups \(B_n\), the latter being a refinement of the former. Characters of \(B_n\) are indexed by pairs of partitions summing to~\(n\), and each p.i. algebra with involution has a \(*\)-cocharacter sequence with \(n\)-th part \(\chi^*_n(A)=\sum m_{\mu,\nu}(A)\chi^{\mu,\nu}\). Again, each multiplicity \(m_{\mu,\nu}(A)\) is bounded by a polynomial function of \(n=|\mu|+|\nu|\). The paper under review studies algebras with involution such that the \(m_{\mu,\nu}\) are bounded by a constant, analogous to the case considered by Michenko, Regev and Zaicev [loc. cit.]. An important role is played by the algebra with involution \(M\), which as an algebra equals the direct sum of two copies of \(2\times 2\) upper triangular matrices, and which was studied in [\textit{S. Mishchenko} and \textit{A. Valenti}, J. Algebra 223, No. 1, 66--84 (2000; Zbl 0947.16011); \textit{A. Giambruno} and \textit{S. Mishchenko}, Algebra Colloq. 8, No. 1, 33--42 (2001; Zbl 1007.16016)]. The main result in the present paper is that if \(m_{\mu,\nu}(A)\) is bounded by a constant, then \(A\) must satisfy a \(*\)-identity not satisfied by \(M\). The converse does not seem to be true, but there is the weaker statement that if in addition to satisfying a \(*\)-identity not satisfied by \(M\), \(A\) also satisfies a \(*\)-identity not satisfied by \(2\times2\) matrices with symplectic involution, then the multiplicities \(m_{\mu,\nu}(A)\) are bounded by a constant.