On a subfactor generalization of Wall's conjecture (Q645266)

In 1961 G. E. Wall conjectured that the number of maximal subgroups of a finite group \(G\) is less than the order of \(G\). Wall's conjecture can be naturally generalized to a conjecture about maximal elements in the lattice of intermediate subfactors, as follows: let \(N \subset M\) be an irreducible subfactor with finite index; then the number of maximal intermediate subfactors is less than dimension of \(N^{\prime} \cap M_1\) (the dimension of the second higher relative commutant of \(N \subset M\)). If we take \(N\) and \(M\) to be the crossed products of a factor \(P\) by \(H\) and \(G\), with \(H\) a subgroup of \(G\), then the previous conjecture gives a generalization of Wall's conjecture (called by the authors relative version of Wall's conjecture): the number of maximal subgroups of \(G\) strictly containing a subgroup \(H\) is less than the number of double cosets of \(H\) in \(G.\) The authors explore special cases of the previous conjecture on intermediate subfactors and present supporting evidence. In particular they prove special cases of this conjecture related to some finite dimensional Kac algebras of Izumi-Kosaki type which include relative versions of Wall's conjecture for solvable groups.