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TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-09-04
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Vertices exist for indecomposable modules, are conjugate in G, and sources are conjugate by the appropriate normalizer

Statement

Let G be a finite group, let k be a field of characteristic p, and let M be an indecomposable finite-dimensional kG-module. Then M has a vertex and a source. Any two vertices are conjugate in G. If Q is a fixed vertex, then any two sources attached to Q are conjugate by an element of NG(Q).

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A finite group G, a field k of characteristic p, and an indecomposable finite-dimensional kG-module M.

[F1]

A vertex is a minimal p-subgroup for relative projectivity, and a source is an indecomposable inducing summand there (A vertex is a minimal p-subgroup for relative projectivity, and a source is an indecomposable inducing summand there).

[L1]

Relative projectivity is detected by the Higman trace criterion (Higman's criterion characterizes relative projectivity through the relative trace idempotent test).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1F1L1L2givenchoosealgebra

Choose a maximal p-subgroup P≤G. Then [G:P] is prime to p, so the scalar [G:P]−1 exists in k. Let T be a left transversal for G/P, and define α=[G:P]−1id⁡M∈End⁡kP(M). By the relative trace formula in [L1], Tr⁡PG(α)(m)=∑t∈Tt⋅α(t−1m)=[G:P] [G:P]−1m=m, so M is relatively P-projective. Among the p-subgroups of G for which M is relatively projective, choose one minimal under inclusion and call it Q. Again by [L1], the adjunction counit from Ind⁡QGRes⁡QGM to M splits. Decompose Res⁡QGM into indecomposable summands using [L2]; one of their inductions must contain M as a summand. That indecomposable summand is a source for M, so vertices and sources exist.

1.2L1givenalgebra

Let R be another vertex. By [L1], choose α∈End⁡kQ(M) and β∈End⁡kR(M) with id⁡M=Tr⁡QG(α)=Tr⁡RG(β). Expand the composite of these two trace expressions and group its terms by the double cosets QxR of Q\G/R. If Dx=Q∩xR, the terms in the QxR block are permuted transitively by left conjugation from G and their stabilizer is Dx; summing one set of stabilizer representatives gives a Dx-endomorphism γx. Thus direct regrouping of the finite double sum gives id⁡M=Tr⁡QG(α)Tr⁡RG(β)=∑x∈Q\G/RTr⁡DxG(γx). This is the needed Mackey trace calculation, with every summand now a G-endomorphism of M.

2.1F1L1L2step 1.2algebra

The endomorphism ring of the indecomposable finite-length kG-module M is local by the Fitting argument in [L2]. Since the sum in step 1.2 is the identity, one summand u=Tr⁡DxG(γx) is invertible. Because u−1 is G-linear, id⁡M=uu−1=Tr⁡DxG(γxu−1), so [L1] makes M relatively Dx-projective. Minimality of the vertex Q forces Dx=Q, hence Q≤xR. Interchanging Q and R gives ∣R∣≤∣Q∣, while this containment gives ∣Q∣≤∣R∣; consequently Q=xR. Thus vertices are conjugate in G.

2.2F1L2step 1.1algebra

Fix a vertex Q and let S,T be two sources attached to it. By [F1], S is an indecomposable summand of Res⁡QGM, and M is a summand of Ind⁡QGT. Hence S is a summand of Res⁡QGInd⁡QGT≅⨁x∈Q\G/QInd⁡Q∩xQQRes⁡Q∩xQxQ(xT), where the displayed decomposition follows by partitioning G into its Q-Q double cosets and grouping the corresponding induced-function summands. By Krull-Schmidt [L2], S is a summand of one displayed term and is therefore relatively Q∩xQ-projective for some x.

3.1F1L2step 2.2algebra

The source S, viewed as a kQ-module, cannot be relatively projective for a proper subgroup D<Q: otherwise induction transitivity would make M, a summand of Ind⁡QGS, relatively D-projective, contradicting minimality of the vertex Q. Applying this to step 2.2 forces Q∩xQ=Q. Equality of the finite subgroup orders then gives xQ=Q, so x∈NG(Q). The corresponding summand in step 2.2 is xT, which is indecomposable; since S is an indecomposable direct summand of it, S≅xT. Thus sources attached to the fixed vertex are conjugate by an element of NG(Q).

4.1step 1.1step 1.2step 2.1step 2.2step 3.1∎

Steps 1.1 through 3.1 prove the theorem, with no stronger uniqueness claim than the normalizer-conjugacy stated above.

Depends on

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Dependency tree · two levels

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Sources