On a theorem of Lehrer and Zhang. (Q455488)

Summary: Let \(K\) be an arbitrary field of characteristic not equal to 2. Let \(m,n\in\mathbb N\) and \(V\) be an \(m\) dimensional orthogonal space over \(K\). There is a right action of the Brauer algebra \(\mathfrak B_n(m)\) on the \(n\)-tensor space \(V^{\otimes n}\) which centralizes the left action of the orthogonal group \(O(V)\). Recently, \textit{G. Lehrer} and \textit{R. Zhang} [Ann. Math. (2) 176, No. 3, 2031-2054 (2012; Zbl 1263.20043)] defined certain quasi-idempotents \(E_i\) in \(\mathfrak B_n(m)\) (see (1.1)) and proved that the annihilator of \(V^{\otimes n}\) in \(\mathfrak B_n(m)\) is always equal to the two-sided ideal generated by \(E_{[(m+1)/2]}\) if \(\text{char\,}K=0\) or \(\text{char\,}K>2(m+1)\). In this paper, we extend this theorem to arbitrary field \(K\) with \(\text{char\,}K\neq 2\) as conjectured by Lehrer and Zhang. As a byproduct, we discover a combinatorial identity which relates to the dimensions of Specht modules over the symmetric groups of different sizes and a new integral basis for the annihilator of \(V^{\otimes m+1}\) in \(\mathfrak B_{m+1}(m)\).