On braided fusion categories. I (Q974655)

If \(K\) is an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(0\), a fusion category [\textit{P. Etingof, D. Nikshych} and \textit{V. Ostrik}, Ann. Math. (2) 162, No. 2, 581--642 (2005; Zbl 1125.16025)] is a \(K\)-linear semisimple rigid tensor category \({\mathcal C}\) with finitely many isomorphism classes of simple objects, finite-dimensional spaces of morphisms, and such that the unit object of \({\mathcal C}\) is simple. The paper under review is a very long one concerned with the foundations of the theory of braided fusion categories, that is, fusion categories equipped with a braiding \(c_{X,Y}:X\otimes Y\rightarrow Y\otimes X\), \(X,Y\in {\mathcal C}\). The guiding heuristic principle of the work is an analogy between braided fusion categories and Casimir Lie algebras. Some known results are formulated and proved without assuming the existence of a spherical structure (premodular fusion categories). The main new contribution of this paper is the definition of the notion of the core of a braided fusion category and the study of its properties. To do that, the authors: i) first extend \textit{M. Müger}'s results on centralizers [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 87, No. 2, 291--308 (2003; Zbl 1037.18005)] from modular categories to braided fusion categories which are not necessarily non-degenerate or pre-modular; ii) following the ideas of \textit{A. Bruguières} [Math. Ann. 316, No.~2, 215--236 (2000; Zbl 0943.18004)] and \textit{M. Müger} [Adv. Math. 150, No.~2, 151--201 (2000; Zbl 0945.18006)], they deal with two mutually inverse constructions, namely `equivariantization' (the passage from an action of a group \(G\) to a category over \({\mathcal R}ep(G)\)) and `de-equivariantization' (taking the fiber category). Then they study the structure of braided fusion categories from two complementary points of view: one based on analysis of Tannakian subcategories and another based on group actions on braided fusion categories. If \({\mathcal C}\) is a braided fusion category and if \({\mathcal E}={\mathcal R}ep(G)\subset {\mathcal C}\) is a maximal Tannakian subcategory of \({\mathcal C}\), then the core of \({\mathcal C}\) corresponding to \({\mathcal E}\) is the braided fusion category \({\mathcal C}ore_{{\mathcal E}}({\mathcal C})={\mathcal E}'\boxtimes_{{\mathcal E}}{\mathcal V}ec\) obtained by the de-quivariantization of the centralizer \({\mathcal E}'\) of \({\mathcal E}\). If \(\Gamma_{{\mathcal E}}\) denotes the image of \(G\) in the group of isomorphism classes of braided autoequivalences of \({\mathcal C}ore_{{\mathcal E}}({\mathcal C})\), the main theorem shows that the equivalence class of the pair \(({\mathcal C}ore_{{\mathcal E}}({\mathcal C}),\Gamma_{{\mathcal E}})\) does not depend on the choice of \({\mathcal E}\). After a discussion of Gauss sums of pre-modular categories, the paper finishes with six Appendixes where consecutively the authors : 1) expose basic results on quadratic forms of finite abelian groups; 2) expose known facts about non-pointed fusion categories; 3) recall a characterization of centralizers; 4) give an alternative proof of a theorem by Joyal-Street on premetric groups; 5) study extensions of a group by a (braided) categorical group; 6) prove that a full subcategory of a fusion category which is closed under tensor product is rigid.