A ghost algebra of the double Burnside algebra in characteristic zero

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new algebraic structure called a ghost algebra for the double Burnside ring of a finite group, providing a novel interpretation and explicit descriptions, especially for cyclic groups.

Contribution

It constructs a ghost algebra for the double Burnside ring, interprets it via twisted monoid algebras, and improves parametrization of simple modules, with explicit results for cyclic groups.

Findings

The ghost algebra is isomorphic to the double Burnside algebra via M"obius inversion.

Improved parametrization of simple modules of the double Burnside algebra.

Explicit isomorphism for cyclic groups relating the algebra to matrix rings over group algebras.

Abstract

For a finite group $G$, we introduce a multiplication on the $\QQ$-vector space with basis $\scrS_{G\times G}$, the set of subgroups of $G\times G$. The resulting $\QQ$-algebra $\Atilde$ can be considered as a ghost algebra for the double Burnside ring $B(G,G)$ in the sense that the mark homomorphism from $B(G,G)$ to $\Atilde$ is a ring homomorphism. Our approach interprets $\QQ B(G,G)$ as an algebra $eAe$, where $A$ is a twisted monoid algebra and $e$ is an idempotent in $A$. The monoid underlying the algebra $A$ is again equal to $\scrS_{G\times G}$ with multiplication given by composition of relations (when a subgroup of $G\times G$ is interpreted as a relation between $G$ and $G$). The algebras $A$ and $\Atilde$ are isomorphic via M\"obius inversion in the poset $\scrS_{G\times G}$. As an application we improve results by Bouc on the parametrization of simple modules of $\QQ B(G,G)$ and also of simple biset functors, by using results by Linckelmann and Stolorz on the parametrization of simple modules of finite category algebras. Finally, in the case where $G$ is a cyclic group of order $n$, we give an explicit isomorphism between $\QQ B(G,G)$ and a direct product of matrix rings over group algebras of the automorphism groups of cyclic groups of order $k$, where $k$ divides $n$.