A character relationship on \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb C)\). (Q273093)

For a finite-dimensional irreducible representation of a semi-simple algebraic group over the complex numbers, \textit{B. Kostant} [Adv. Math. 20, 179-212 (1976; Zbl 0339.10019)] gave a calculation of the value of the associated character at the Coxeter conjugacy class. In this work, the author discusses (with explicit examples and challenges) ideas for generalizing Kostant's result to the context of restricting an irreducible representation for a connected reductive group to certain disconnected algebraic subgroups. As a starting point, the author obtains such a relationship for the general linear group. Given positive integers \(m,n\), consider the image of \(\mathrm{GL}_m(\mathbb C)\times\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb C)\) in \(\mathrm{GL}_{mn}(\mathbb C)\). Let \(c_n\) denote the Coxeter conjugacy class in \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb C)\) and \(t\) be any element in \(\mathrm{GL}_m(\mathbb C)\). For a finite-dimensional irreducible representation of \(\mathrm{GL}_{mn}(\mathbb C)\), the author gives an explicit criterion for the non-vanishing of the associated character on \(t\cdot c_n\). Further, in the case that it is non-zero, the value of the character is related to a product of characters of irreducible \(\mathrm{GL}_m(\mathbb C)\)-representations. More generally, this gives a result on the restriction of characters to certain elements of a subgroup of the form \(\mathrm{GL}_m(\mathbb C)^n\rtimes\mathbb Z/n\hookrightarrow\mathrm{GL}_{mn}(\mathbb C)\). The main result is also reformulated into a dual version using coweights and cocharacters on the dual group. The theorem is illustrated by a computation of certain values of the characters of symmetric and tensor powers of the natural module for \(\mathrm{GL}_{2n}(\mathbb C)\).