A homological interpretation of Jantzen's sum formula. (Q862281)

Let \(G\) denote a reductive algebraic group. Then each Weyl module \(V(\lambda)\) has a Jantzen filtration. Denoting by \(V(\lambda)^i\) the \(i\)-th submodule in this filtration the Jantzen sum formula is a formula for the sum of the characters of these \(V(\lambda)^i\), \(i>0\). In this paper, the author gives a homological interpretation of this formula: Writing the above expression as a linear combination of Weyl characters he proves that the coefficients are given in terms of the alternating sum of the order of the Ext-groups between the integral version of \(V(\lambda)\) and that of the Weyl modules in question. This leads to an alternative proof of the Jantzen sum formula, it throws new light on this formula, and it emphasises the role played by these Ext-groups. As an application of his result the author shows that for \(G=\text{GL}_n\) the Jantzen sum formula is ``invariant'' under Howe duality. In a later development the author and the reviewer have used similar ideas to give a unified proof for sum formulas for Weyl modules and for tilting modules, [see Adv. Math. 217, No. 1, 419-447 (2008; Zbl 1131.20033)].