Clifford theory and Galois theory. I. (Q2474483)

This paper and a promised sequel explore the author's approach to understanding how to combine Clifford theory and Galois theory. \textit{G. Navarro}, [Ann. Math. (2) 160, No. 3, 1129-1140 (2005; Zbl 1079.20010)], conjectured that the McKay Conjecture and some related conjectures remain valid when one only counts characters fixed by certain Galois automorphisms. An eventual goal of the present paper is to provide the Clifford theoretical framework to reduce questions such as these to questions about groups which are close to being simple. Navarro's conjecture has been refined by the reviewer [J. Algebra 319, No. 12, 4853-4868 (2008; Zbl 1173.20008)] to include in addition certain Schur indices, and the strengthened conjecture has been proved by the reviewer [Adv. Math. 217, No. 5, 2170-2205 (2008; see the review Zbl 1149.20010 below)] for all \(p\)-solvable groups using a different refinement of Clifford theory.