Projective bases of division algebras and groups of central type. II. (Q940738)

Let \(k\) be a field, \(A\) a central simple \(k\)-algebra (of finite dimension), and \(A^*\) the group of invertible elements of \(A\). A \(k\)-basis \(V\) of \(A\) is said to be projective, if \(V\subset A^*\) and the cosets \(vk^*\), \(v\in V\), form a subgroup of the quotient group \(A^*/k^*\). It is easily seen that \(A\) possesses a projective basis if and only if it is isomorphic to the twisted group algebra \(k^\alpha G\), for some finite group \(G\), and some element \(\alpha\) of the cohomology group \(H^2(G,k^*)\). Central simple \(k\)-algebras appear in the theory of \(G\)-graded \(k\)-algebras, and groups which are projective bases are of special interest for the representation theory of finite groups. The paper under review completes the classification of the finite groups \(G\) with the property that \(k^\alpha G\) is a central division \(k\)-algebra, for some \(\alpha\in H^2(G,k^*)\), started in earlier papers by Aljadeff, Haile and the author. A necessary condition for the availability of this property, found by Aljadeff and Haile, is that \(G\) is nilpotent with a cyclic commutator subgroup. Thus the considered classification problem easily reduces to its analogue for finite \(p\)-groups, where \(p\) is a prime number. As a second necessary condition, the three coauthors showed in a joint article [see part I, \textit{E. Aljadeff, D. Haile, M. Natapov}, Isr. J. Math. 146, No. 1, 317-335 (2005; Zbl 1074.16015)] that if \(G\) is a \(p\)-group, then its isomorphism class belongs to a certain list of \(p\)-groups. The present paper concludes the classification by proving that if \(G\) is isomorphic to a group from the noted list, then it is realizable as a projective basis of some central division \(k\)-algebra. The author also considers the question of uniqueness of a projective basis of a \(k\)-central division algebra. He shows that all groups on the list except one already known exception satisfy a certain rigidity property.