Lifting polynomial representations of \(\mathrm{SL}_2(p^r)\) from \(\mathbb{F}_p\) to \(\mathbb{Z}/p^s\mathbb{Z}\) (Q7261995)

The paper determines the lifting behaviour of the polynomial \(\mathbb{F}_p\mathrm{SL}_2(p^r)\)-modules considered in the paper to representations over \(\mathbb{Z}/p^s\mathbb{Z}\) for \(s>1\). For a prime \(p\) and \(r\in\mathbb{N}\), let \(V_n(p^r)\) be the module of homogeneous polynomials of degree \(n\) in two variables over \(\mathbb{F}_{p^r}\), viewed as an \(\mathbb{F}_p\mathrm{SL}_2(p^r)\)-module, and let \(\Lambda(p^r)\) denote the dual module of \(V_p(p^r)\).\N\NThe main result shows that, among the modules \(V_i(p^r)\) with \(1\leq i\leq p\), the only ones lifting to \(\mathbb{Z}/p^2\mathbb{Z}\) are \(V_1(2)\), \(V_2(2)\), and, for odd \(p\), the modules \(V_{p-2}(p)\) and \(V_{p-1}(p)\). The module \(\Lambda(p^r)\) lifts to \(\mathbb{Z}/p^2\mathbb{Z}\) precisely when \(p^r=2\). Moreover, whenever such a lift to \(\mathbb{Z}/p^2\mathbb{Z}\) exists, the module lifts to \(\mathbb{Q}_p\). Since lifting to \(\mathbb{Z}/p^s\mathbb{Z}\) with \(s>1\) implies lifting to \(\mathbb{Z}/p^2\mathbb{Z}\), this gives the corresponding obstruction for all \(s>1\).\N\NThe proof translates the lifting problem into matrix equations in the kernel of the natural map \(\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{Z}/p^2\mathbb{Z})\to\mathrm{GL}_n(\mathbb{F}_p)\). It uses elements corresponding to a unipotent element and to a toral element normalizing a Sylow \(p\)-subgroup of \(\mathrm{SL}_2(p^r)\), and derives restrictions from the existence of elements of order \(p\) in the relevant cosets. The paper also obtains corresponding non-vanishing results for \(H^2(G,V\otimes_{\mathbb{F}_p}V^*)\), equivalently for \(\mathrm{Ext}^2_{\mathbb{F}_pG}(V,V)\), outside the listed lifting cases.