Are we counting or measuring something? (Q401714)

For a semisimple Hopf algebra \(H\) over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, the authors develop analogues of some of the theory of commutators and characters for finite groups. For \(a,b\) in \(H\), define their commutator \(\{a,b\}\) to be \(\sum a_1b_1S(a_2)S(b_2)\), \(S\) the antipode of \(H\). Let Com be the span of all commutators, a left coideal of \(H\). The commutator subalgebra \(H'\) of \(H\) is the subalgebra generated by Com. Let \(I\) be the idempotent integral of \(H\). Using \(I\) and iterated commutators, the authors define elements \(z_n\) satisfying \(z_{2k+1}=z_{2k}\) and \(z_n\) is a power of \(z_2\). \(z_2\) is in the center \(Z(H)\) of \(H\). \(z_2\) is the sum over \(i\) of \((1/d_i)^2E_i\), where \(\{E_i\}\) are the primitive central idempotents of \(H\), and \(d_i\) is the degree of the irreducible character \(\chi_i\). For \(n\) at least 2, \(H'\) is the subalgebra generated by the left coideal given by the right action of \(H^*\) on \(z_n\). They define \(f_{rob}=dp(z_2)\), where \(d\) is \(\dim H\) and \(p(h)\) is the right action of \(S(h)\) on the integral \(p\), the sum of \(d_i\chi_i\), of \(H^*\). They show that \(d^{2l-1}P(z_{2l})\) is a convolution product of \(l\) factors \(f_{rob}\), which leads to a function that counts iterated commutators of length \(2n\) or \(2n+1\) (\(n\) is the number of irreducible characters). The analogue of the counting function for iterated commutators of a group is defined, and a formula is given for it, involving \(d\), \(p\) and \(z_2\). A final section gives some results when \(H\) is almost cocommutative.