A reduction theorem for the isomorphism problem of group algebras over fields (Q6185283)

Let \(R\) be a commutative ring and let \(G\) and \(H\) be groups. The isomorphism problem requires if \(RG\) and \(RH\) are isomorphic as \(R\)-algebras, then \(G\) and \(H\) isomorphic groups. One of the first results is due to \textit{G. Higman} [Proc. London math. Soc. (2) 46, 231--248 (1940; Zbl 0025.24302)] who proved that if \(G\) and \(H\) are finite abelian groups and \(\mathbb{Z}G \simeq \mathbb{Z}H\), then \(G \simeq H\). However, \textit{M. Hertweck} [Ann. Math. (2) 154, No. 1, 115--138 (2001; Zbl 0990.20002)] founded two non-isomorphic finite solvable groups (of order \(2^{21} \cdot 97^{28}\)) with isomorphic integral group rings. In this article, the authors only consider finite groups and fields as cofficient rings. \textit{E. C. Dade} [Math. Z. 119, 345--348 (1971; Zbl 0201.03303)] provided an example two non-isomorphic finite metabelian groups \(G\) and \(H\) with \(FG \simeq FH\) for every field \(F\). The order of these groups is divisible by two different primes. These results motivated the so-called modular isomorphism problem, which is the version of the isomorphism problem for group algebras of finite \(p\)-groups over fields of characteristic \(p\). The aim of the paper under review is to bound the class of coefficient fields when searching for negative solutions for the isomorphism problem. The main result is Theorem A: Let \(F\) be a field, \(\mathbb{P}\) the prime field of \(F\), and \(G\) and \(H\) finite groups. If \(FG \simeq FH\), then there exist a finite extension \(F_{0}\) of \(\mathbb{P}\) such that \(F_{0}G \simeq F_{0}H\). The application of Theorem A to the modular isomorphism problem shows that this question can be regarded as exclusively about finite objects. Corollary B: Let \(G\) and \(H\) finite \(p\)-groups such that \(FG \simeq FH\) for some field \(F\) of characteristic \(p\). Then there exists a finite field \(F_{0}\) of characteristic \(p\) such that \(F_{0}G \simeq F_{0}H\).