Extremal unipotent representations for the finite Howe correspondence (Q2315002)

Consider a finite symplectic group \(\operatorname{Sp}(W)\) for a (finite) symplectic vector space \(W\) over the finite field \({\mathbb F}_q\), with \(q\) being a power of an odd prime. A reductive dual pair \((G,G')\) is a pair of subgroups of \(\operatorname{Sp}(W)\) that centralize each other: \(C_{\operatorname{Sp}(W)}(G) = G'\) and \(C_{\operatorname{Sp}(W)}(G') = G\). Such pairs can be expressed as a product of irreducible pairs, which have been classified. The focus of this paper is on the so-called Type I irreducible pairs where either both groups in the pair are unitary groups or one group is a symplectic group and the other is an orthogonal group. For a dual pair \((G,G')\), the Howe correspondence \(\Theta\) maps a complex representation of \(G\) to one for \(G'\). More precisely, the map \(\Theta\) is defined via the Weil representation \(\omega\) on \(\operatorname{Sp}(W)\). Extending \(\omega\) to a representation of \(G\times G'\), the representation decomposes as a sum \(\sum \pi\otimes\Theta(\pi)\) over irreducible \(G\)-modules \(\pi\). The objective of this work is to consider \(\Theta(\pi)\) for a unipotent \(\pi\), with the aim of showing that maximal and minimal representations exist in certain orderings on irreducible components of \(\Theta(\pi)\). To this end, the author works with a modified Howe correspondence that respects unipotent representations. Unipotent representations for a finite group of Lie type arise as part of a Harish-Chandra series determined by a cuspidal unipotent representation on a Levi subgroup of the group. The (modified) Howe correspondence further respects the relevant cuspidal unipotent representations in this Type I setting. With the aid of work of \textit{A.-M. Aubert} et al. [Duke Math. J. 83, No. 2, 353--397 (1996; Zbl 0856.22027)] (for the unitary-unitary case) and recent work of \textit{S.-Y. Pan} [``Howe correspondence of unipotent characters for a finite symplectic/even-orthogonal dual pair'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1901.00623}] (for the symplectic-orthogonal case), the Howe correspondence can be translated to a correspondence between representations for a pair of (type B) Weyl groups \((W, W')\). Irreducible representations of such a Weyl group (of rank \(n\) say) are parameterized by bipartitions of \(n\). Orderings (differing by cases) are introduced on appropriate sets of bipartitions (and, hence, on associated representations). These orderings are not total, but it is shown in each case that maximal and minimal representations exist, with explicit bipartitions identified. The results generalize investigations of the Howe correspondence (in the symplectic-orthogonal case) by \textit{A. M. Aubert} et al. [Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 92, 17--44 (2016; Zbl 1356.22010)].