James's conjecture holds for blocks of \(q\)-Schur algebras of weights 3 and 4 (Q6054775)

James's conjecture claims that, in some cases, the decomposition numbers for the Iwahori-Hecke algebra of the symmetric group over a field of prime characteristic (and in particular, the decomposition numbers for the symmetric group itself) coincide with the decomposition numbers for a corresponding Iwahori-Hecke algebra defined over \(\mathbb{C}\). Under this hypothesis these numbers can be computed using the \(\mathsf{LLT}\)-algorithm (see [\textit{S. Ariki}, J. Math. Kyoto Univ. 36, No. 4, 789--808 (1996; Zbl 0888.20011)]). James's conjecture concerns the case where the weight of the block is less than the characteristic of the underlying field and much of the research on this topic has focused on blocks of small weight. The conjecture has been proved for weights up to 4 by the works of \textit{ M. J. Richards} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 119, No. 3, 383--402 (1996; Zbl 0855.20011)] and \textit{M. Fayers} [J. Algebra 317, No. 2, 593--633 (2007; Zbl 1155.20007)]. The author [J. Algebra 563, 274--291 (2020; Zbl 1477.20026)] has also proved that the adjustment matrix for the principal block of \(\mathcal{H}_{5e}\) of weight 5 is the identity matrix when \(\mathrm{char}(\mathbb{F}) \geq 5\) and \(e\not = 4\). For the \(q\)-Schur algebras, the weight 2 case was proved by \textit{S. Schroll} and \textit{K. M. Tan} [Int. Math. Res. Not. 2007, No. 24, Article ID rnm130, 35 p. (2007; Zbl 1160.20040)]. However, \textit{G. Williamson} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 30, No. 4, 1023--1046 (2017; Zbl 1380.20015)] found a counter-example to James's conjecture (the smallest counter-example produced in his paper occurs in the symmetric group \(\mathfrak{S}_{n}\) where \(n = 1744860\)). In the paper under review, the author proves that, when the characteristic of the underlying field is at least 5, the adjustment matrix for blocks of \(q\)-Schur algebras of weights 3 and 4 is the identity matrix. Moreover, he shows that the decomposition numbers for weight 3 blocks of \(q\)-Schur algebras are bounded above by one.