Central invariants and Frobenius-Schur indicators for semisimple quasi-Hopf algebras. (Q703802)

Let \(H\) be a finite dimensional semisimple quasi-Hopf algebra over a field \(k\). In this paper the authors construct a canonical central element \(\nu\in H\) which is invariant under gauge transformations, and hence depends only on the tensor category of representations of \(H\). For an irreducible \(H\)-module \(V\) with character \(\chi\), its Frobenius-Schur indicator is defined as the value \(\chi(\nu)\). This extends the classical definition for groups by Frobenius and Schur, as well as previous results for semisimple Hopf algebras by \textit{V. Linchenko} and \textit{S. Montgomery} [Algebr. Represent. Theory 3, No. 4, 347-355 (2000; Zbl 0971.16018)]. It is shown that for a twisted Drinfeld double \(D^\omega G\) the formula gives the indicators introduced by \textit{P. Bantay} [Phys. Lett., B 394, No. 1-2, 87-88 (1997; Zbl 0925.81331)]. When \(k\) is algebraically closed of characteristic zero, it is shown that the indicators can only take the values \(0\), \(1\) or \(-1\) depending on the existence of a nongenerate bilinear form on \(V\) with certain invariance properties. This fact relies on the pivotal structure on the category of finite dimensional \(H\)-modules. It is also shown that the antipode of \(H\) is involutive up to conjugation, generalizing a result of Larson and Radford for semisimple Hopf algebras. The computation of the Frobenius-Schur indicators for group theoretical fusion categories was done by the reviewer [Pac. J. Math. 221, No. 2, 353-377 (2005; Zbl 1108.16035)]. Frobenius-Schur indicators have also been defined for certain semisimple pivotal fusion categories by \textit{J. Fuchs, A. Ch. Ganchev, K. Szlachányi} and \textit{P. Vescernyés} [J. Math. Phys. 40, No. 1, 408-426 (1999; Zbl 0986.81044)]. The representation category of \(H\) is pivotal, by results of \textit{P. Etingof, D. Nikshych} and \textit{V. Ostrik} [Ann. Math. (2) 162, No. 2, 581-642 (2005; Zbl 1125.16025)]. A categorical approach to the results in this paper was given by \textit{P. Schauenburg} [J. Algebra 282, No. 1, 129-139 (2004; Zbl 1071.16037)]. We point out that higher Frobenius-Schur indicators for semisimple quasi-Hopf algebras have been studied later by \textit{S.-H. Ng} and \textit{P. Schauenburg} [Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/math.QA/0601012 (2006)].