Weyl modules and the mod 2 Steenrod algebra (Q2370154)

The authors continue their study of the polynomial algebra \(P(n) = {\mathbb F}_2[t_1, \dots, t_n]\) as a module over the mod \(2\) Steenrod algebra and a module over the general linear group by substitution of variables. The interaction of these two actions, and their respective importance in algebraic topology and representation theory, provide the motivation, originally noted by \textit{F. Peterson} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 105, 311-312 (1989; Zbl 0692.55012)] who observed how useful it would be to describe a minimal generating set for \(P(n)\) as a Steenrod module. The quotient \(Q(n) = P(n) / \mathcal{A}^{+} P(n)\), of \(P(n)\) by the image of the action of the positively-graded part of the Steenrod algebra, has such a minimal generating set for a basis, and \(Q(n)\) contains all irreducible \({\mathbb F}_2 \text{ GL}(n, {\mathbb F}_2)\) modules. The dual of this quotient can be described as the kernel of the dual action on \(P(n)^*\), a divided powers algebra. For the purpose of calculations these two approaches -- \(Q(n)\) and its dual -- can be thought of as different routes for climbing the same mountain, with certain authors generally preferring one route over the other. A philosophy proposed in this paper is to view the two routes together -- taking what could be described as an aerial view of the problem. Aside from philosophical novelties, the paper under review extends scalars to the algebraic closure \(\bar{\mathbb F}_2\) and, using tilting modules for \(\text{ GL}(n, \bar{\mathbb F}_2)\), shows that for every irreducible representation of \(\text{ GL}(n,{\mathbb F}_2)\), \(Q(n)\) must contain a copy of the corresponding dual Weyl module.