On the subgroup structure of the full Brauer group of Sweedler Hopf algebra. (Q636021)

The Brauer group \(\text{BQ}(k,H)\) of a Hopf algebra \(H\) was introduced by the reviewer, \textit{F. Van Oystaeyen} and \textit{Y. H. Zhang} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 349, No. 9, 3737-3771 (1997; Zbl 0912.16015)]. This generalized the Brauer-Long group, which covers the special case where \(H\) is finitely generated projective, commutative and cocommutative. The structure of the Brauer-Long group is well-understood, but only partial results are known in the case of an arbitrary Hopf algebra. The easiest example of a noncommutative noncocommutative Hopf algebra is Sweedler's four-dimensional Hopf algebra \(H_4\). The (co)quasitriangular structures on \(H_4\) can be classified, and they are parametrized by the elements of the ground ring \(k\). For each \(t\in k\), we have a corresponding \(R\)-matrix \(R_t\), and it is known that the corresponding subgroup \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_t)\subset\text{BQ}(k,H_4)\) is isomorphic to the direct sum of \(k\) and \(\text{BW}(k)\), the Brauer-Wall group of \(k\). Since \(H_4\) is selfdual, this is also isomorphic to the subgroup \(\text{BC}(k,H_4,r_s)\subset\text{BQ}(k,H_4)\), where \(r_s\) is the coquasitriangular structure corresponding to \(s\in k\). In the present paper the authors make a substantial contribution to the understanding of the structure of the full Brauer group. They introduce a class of two dimensional Yetter-Drinfeld module algebras depending on three parameters \(a,t,s\in k\). It is easy to define it: \(C(a,s,t)=k[x]/(x^2-a)\), with \(H_4\)-action and coaction determined by the formulas \[ g\cdot x=-x;\quad h\cdot x=t;\quad\rho_s(x)=x\otimes g+s\otimes h. \] \(C(a,s,t)\) is an \(H_4\)-Azumaya algebra if and only if \(2a\neq st\). In this case \(C(a,s,t)\) represents an element of \(\text{BQ}(k,H_4)\); it belongs to \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_l)\) if \(s=lt\) and to \(\text{BC}(k,H_4,r_l)\) if \(t=sl\). \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_t)\) is the subgroup of \(\text{BQ}(k,H_4)\) generated by the classes of \(C(a,1,t)\), with \(2a\neq t\) and \(\text{BW}(k)\). This can be applied to study how the various BM's and BC's are situated in BQ. For example, \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_t)=\text{BC}(k,H_4,r_{t^{-1}})\) and \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_t)\cap\text{BC}(k,H_4,r_s)=\text{BW}(k)\) if \(st\neq 1\). \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_t)\cap\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_s)=\text{BW}(k)\) if \(t\neq s\). Another remarkable property is that the subgroups \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_{l\alpha^2})\) and \(\text{BM}(k,H_4,R_l)\) are conjugated in \(\text{BQ}(k,H_4)\). An \(H_4\)-Azumaya algebra has two natural \(C_2\)-gradings, and we can look at the classes in the Brauer group represented by algebras for which these two coincide. This is a new subgroup of the Brauer group, \(\text{BQ}_{\text{grad}}(k,H_4)\). In the final Section of the paper, it is shown that there is an exact sequence \[ 1\to C_2\to\text{BM}(k,E(2),R_N)\to\text{BQ}_{\text{grad}}(k,H_4)\to 1. \] Here \(E(2)\) is Nichols' eight-dimensional Hopf algebra, and \(R_N\) is a certain quasitriangular structure on it.