Frobenius-Schur indicators for a class of fusion categories. (Q2493350)

The author studies complex semisimple quasi-Hopf algebras \(H\) from the point of view of their representation categories and their Frobenius-Schur indicators. \(H\) is called group-theoretical if its representation category is group-theoretical. This is given by a finite group \(G\), a subgroup \(F\), a 3-cocycle on \(G\) and a 2-cocycle on \(F\) with a compatibility condition. The author gives an explicit description of group-theoretical quasi-Hopf algebras up to gauge equivalence (the algebra structures are the same, but the comultiplications are conjugate by an invertible element in \(H\otimes H\)). The principal features of her characterization are a normalization of the 3-cocycle and the construction of a quasi-antipode. The author uses this characterization to study irreducible characters of \(H\) and their Frobenius-Schur indicators. The latter was defined for semisimple quasi-Hopf algebras by \textit{G. Mason} and \textit{S.-H. Ng} [Adv. Math. 190, No. 1, 161-195 (2005; Zbl 1100.16033)]. The indicator of an irreducible character \(X\) is \(X(v)\), where \(v\) is the canonical central element of \(H\) coming from a two-sided integral of \(H\). A formula for \(X(v)\) is obtained which involves the normalization of the 3-cocycle. Finally, she gives an explicit description of the irreducible characters in terms of the groups \(G\) and \(F\).