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Over a splitting field for finite group representations of characteristic $2$, put $a=(123)$. The block of a group algebra idempotents of $k{S}_3$ are $b_0=1+a+a^2$ and $b_1=a+a^2$. Their block algebras are $b_{0}k{S}_3\cong k{C}_2$ and $b_{1}k{S}_3\cong M_2(k)$, with a defect group of a block given by $C_2$ and $1$, respectively. The first is a local ring; for the second, the representation $a\mapsto \mathrm{diag}(\omega ,{\omega }^2)$, $(12)\mapsto \left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ 1& 0\end{array}\right)$ generates the full matrix algebra. The Cartan matrix of a group algebra is $\mathrm{diag}(2,1)$, and the ordinary trivial, sign, and two-dimensional characters give decomposition matrix $\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 0\\ 1& 0\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right)$.

Let $b$ be a block of a group algebra of $kH$ with defect group of a block $D$, where $D{C}_G(D)\le H\le G$. Apply Brauer first main theorem inside $H$ to obtain its correspondent in $N_H(D)$. Composing that correspondent's central character of a block with the Brauer morphism from $Z(kG)$ selects a unique block of a group algebra $b^G$. It is the unique block of a group algebra whose restriction to $H\times H$ contains the block bimodule $b$ as a direct summand. Its defect group of a block can be larger than $D$ when $H$ does not contain $N_G(D)$.

A block of a finite-dimensional associative algebra $R$ is a two-sided ideal $Re$ associated with a primitive idempotent $e$ in the center of an associative algebra. Its identity is $e$, and $R$ is the product of these blocks. An $R$-module belongs to this block if $eM=M$. For a semisimple algebra, the Artin–Wedderburn theorem says the blocks are its full matrix algebras over division rings. For a group algebra this specializes to a block of a group algebra.

A block of an associative algebra with a finite decomposition of its identity is a two-sided direct summand $Ae$ corresponding to a primitive central idempotent $e$. Its identity is $e$, and it cannot be split into two nonzero algebras by central idempotents. For a group algebra of a finite group, this agrees with a block of a group algebra. Orthogonal primitive central idempotents give $A={⨁}_{i}A{e}_i$.

The Brauer correspondent of a block of a group algebra with defect group of a block $D$ in $G$ is the corresponding block of $N_G(D)$ furnished by Brauer first main theorem. The more general induced block $b^G$ is defined by block induction when the subgroup contains the centralizer of a defect group of $b$.

If a block of a group algebra $b$ of $kH$ has defect group of a block $D$ and $D{C}_G(D)\le H\le G$, then its block induction $b^G$ is the principal block if and only if $b$ is the principal block. Equivalently, the Brauer morphism of the principal block idempotent at any p-subgroup $Q$ is the principal block idempotent of $k{C}_G(Q)$.

The center of an indecomposable finite-dimensional block of a group algebra is a commutative Artinian local ring. Its quotient by its Jacobson radical is a field, giving the block's central character. Over a splitting field for finite group representations the residue field is the coefficient field; without this assumption one retains the residue field rather than pretending every central character is scalar-valued over $k$.

Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field and let a block of a group algebra $B$ have a central defect group of a block $D$. Its quotient by $J(kD)B$ is a defect-zero block, hence a full matrix algebra over $k$. The algebra $B$ is free over the central local ring $kD$. Lift a primitive idempotent from this matrix quotient; its corner is free of rank one over $kD$, and is therefore $kD$. Lifting matrix units gives $B\cong {\mathrm{Mat}}_r(kD)$.

Let $P$ be any Sylow subgroup containing a defect group of a block $D$. Regard the block of a group algebra as a permutation module summand for $G\times G$, acting by left and right multiplication. Its vertex is $\Delta D$. Restricting to $P\times P$ retains a summand with this vertex. Transitive permutation modules for a finite p-group are indecomposable, with their point stabilizers as vertices. Thus some orbit in $G$ has stabilizer $\Delta D$ at a suitably chosen point $c$. This means $c$ centralizes $D$ and $P\cap {}^{c}P=D$. Choosing $P$ to contain a Sylow subgroup of $N_G(D)$ shows that $D=O_p(N_G(D))$; every normal p-subgroup of $G$ is contained in both Sylow factors and hence in $D$.

The defect of a block of a group algebra is the integer $d$ for which a defect group of a block has order $p^d$. Conjugacy of defect groups of a block makes this independent of the choice. A block of a group algebra has defect zero when its defect group of a block is trivial.

A finite-dimensional algebra has finite representation type when there are only finitely many isomorphism classes of finite-dimensional indecomposable modules. This counts module types, not the dimensions or the number of direct sums formed from them. For a block of a group algebra, finite representation type is equivalent to a cyclic defect group of a block.

Let $N◃G$, let $b$ be a block of a group algebra of $kN$, and let $I$ be its inertia subgroup. A block of $kG$ covering $b$ is a full matrix algebra of degree $[G:I]$ over its corresponding block of $kI$. When $I=N$, the corner is just $kNb$. Let $e_B$ be the global block idempotent and put $c=e_{B}b$. With coset representatives $g_i$, the elements $g_{i}c{g}_j^{-1}$ are matrix units in that global block because different conjugates of $b$ are orthogonal. When $I=N$, one has $c=b$.

For a split block of a group algebra with cyclic defect group of a block of order $q=p^n$ and inertial index of a block $e$, its Brauer tree algebra has $e$ simple modules and exceptional multiplicity $(q-1)/e$. Its stable Auslander–Reiten quiver is $\mathbb{Z}{A}_{q-1}/⟨{\tau }^e⟩$, giving $e(q-1)$ nonprojective indecomposables. Adding the $e$ indecomposable projectives gives $eq$ indecomposables in total.

For a maximal Brauer pair $(D,b_D)$ of a block of a group algebra, the inertial quotient is the displayed quotient of its pair stabilizer by $D{C}_G(D)$. It has order coprime to $p$, and its order is the inertial index of a block. For abelian $D$, conjugation embeds it in $\mathrm{Aut}(D)$.

For a block of a group algebra with identity $e$ and defect group of a block $D$, the trace criterion for defect groups writes $e={\mathrm{Tr}}_D^G(a)$ with $a\in (RG{)}^D$. On any module in the block, multiplication by $a$ is $D$-linear and its relative trace is the identity. The D. Higman criterion therefore makes the module relatively $D$-projective.

At fixed degree $n$ in positive characteristic $p$, two Specht modules belong to the same block of a group algebra exactly when their labels have the same core of a partition at modulus $p$. The simple labels in that block are precisely the regular partitions with that core. The theorem follows by combining the residue-content criterion for symmetric-group blocks with the Jucys–Murphy description of the center of a symmetric-group algebra.

Take finite-dimensional modules over $k$ and finite $R$-free lattices over the complete valuation ring, the usual integral modular representation theory convention. If a completion has several local factors, use the factor supporting the modular block. A block of a group algebra is an indecomposable two-sided ideal $B=RGb$, where $b$ is a primitive central idempotent. The identity decomposes as the sum of orthogonal block idempotents, and $M={⨁}_{b}bM$ for every module. Hence an indecomposable module belongs to $B$ exactly when $bM=M$.

A defect group of a block in characteristic $p$ is a maximal p-subgroup $D$ with ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(b)\ne 0$. Equivalently, it is minimal with $b\in {\mathrm{Tr}}_D^G((kG{)}^D)$; the trace criterion for defect groups and conjugacy are proved below. For a complete discrete valuation ring, use the corresponding reduced modular block; modular reduction of block idempotents preserves its defect groups. The equivalent bimodule description says that the module vertices of $B$, with $(x,y)$ acting by $a\mapsto xa{y}^{-1}$, are conjugates of $\Delta D=\{(d,d):d\in D\}$. This basic characterization follows from the relative-projectivity trace criterion for the bimodule action.

Fix a Sylow subgroup $P$ containing $D$. The regular group algebra is the permutation module $R[G]$ for $G\times G$, and multiplication by $b$ is its block projection. Restriction to a subgroup containing a chosen module vertex retains a summand with that module vertex: a module source at that module vertex is a summand of the module restriction, and the Mackey restriction formula and minimality prevent all the restricted summands from having smaller module vertices. Thus $B{\downarrow }_{P\times P}$ has an indecomposable summand with module vertex $\Delta D$.

For a finite p-group $Q$, the transitive permutation module $k[Q/L]$ is indecomposable: the group algebra of a p-group in characteristic p is local, and this module has a one-dimensional top, incompatible with a sum of two nonzero modules. Its module vertex is $L$, because it is induced from the trivial $L$-module and its Brauer quotient of a module at $L$ has the nonzero fixed coset $L$. The fixed-basis rule for this quotient follows by removing nonsingleton orbit sums, which are proper-subgroup traces. It excludes a smaller module vertex. Reduction gives the same statements for permutation lattices. Therefore Krull-Schmidt decomposition identifies the chosen block summand with an entire transitive $P\times P$ orbit in $G$.

Choose a point $c$ in that orbit whose stabilizer is exactly $\Delta D$. Being fixed by every $(d,d)$ gives $c\in C_G(D)$. Its full stabilizer isEquality with $\Delta D$ gives $P\cap c^{-1}Pc=D$. Conjugating, and using that $c$ centralizes $D$, provesThis is defect groups are centralizer-conjugate Sylow intersections.

If $Q◃G$ is a p-subgroup, then $QP$ is a p-subgroup for every Sylow $P$, so $QP=P$. It lies in both Sylow factors above. Thus every normal p-subgroup of $G$ is contained in $D$.

Finally put $N=N_G(D)$, choose $S\in {\mathrm{Syl}}_p(N)$, and extend it to a Sylow $P$ of $G$. Then $D\le S$ and $P\cap N=S$. Apply the proved intersection result to this $P$. Its element $c$ belongs to $C_G(D)\le N$, so $cP{c}^{-1}\cap N=cS{c}^{-1}$ is Sylow in $N$ too. Hence $D=S\cap cS{c}^{-1}$. The p-core $O_p(N)$ is contained in both factors, whereas normality of $D$ in $N$ gives the opposite inclusion. Therefore $D=O_p(N_G(D))$, so $D$ is a p-radical subgroup. The centralizer condition on the conjugating element is important for this deduction.

Choose $m\ge \ell (\lambda )$, pad the partition of an integer with zeros, and define its beta numbers byThey form a strictly decreasing set of nonnegative integers. Conversely, from its decreasing enumeration recover ${\lambda }_i={\beta }_i-m+i$. With $m=\ell (\lambda )$ these are exactly the first-column hook lengths, since $h_{i1}={\lambda }_i+{\lambda }_1^{\prime }-i={\lambda }_i+m-i$. Padding changes the numbers: increasing $m$ by one replaces $B$ by $\{0\}\cup (B+1)$, and leaves the represented partition of an integer unchanged.

Arrange positions $0,1,2,\dots$ on $p$ runners, putting position $r+pk$ on runner $r$ at height $k$. A bead occupies each position in the beta set. This is the abacus of a partition. The hook criterion in a beta set says that a bead $b$ and a gap $a<b$ correspond to a hook of length $b-a$; replacing $b$ by $a$ removes the corresponding rim hook. In particular removing a rim $p$-hook moves a bead from $b$ to the vacant position $b-p$ immediately above it on the same runner. Its leg length counts the beads in the intervening positions of the full linear numbering.

For an explicit example, take $\lambda =(4,2,1)$, $p=3$, and $m=3$. Its beta set is $\{6,3,1\}$. Runner zero has beads at $3,6$, runner one has a bead at $1$, and runner two is empty. Packing upwards gives $\{3,1,0\}$, which represents $(1)$; thus the three-core is $(1)$ and the weight is two.

Every bead slide reduces the sum of occupied positions, so repeated slides terminate. The number $n_r$ of beads on each runner is unchanged. At termination they must occupy exactlyon runner $r$, since any gap above a bead would allow a further slide. Hence the final beta set is uniquely determined by the initial runner counts, independently of the order of hook removals. Increasing the number of beads by $p$ replaces $B$ by $\{0,\dots ,p-1\}\cup (B+p)$, adds one bead to each runner, and gives exactly the same represented core after packing. General changes in padding follow by applying $B\mapsto \{0\}\cup (B+1)$; packing commutes with this operation up to the cyclic relabelling of runners. Therefore the result is independent of both removal order and padding:The weight of a partition is $w_p(\lambda )=(n-|C_p(\lambda )|)/p$.

A block of a group algebra is an indecomposable two-sided summand $F{S}_{n}e$, where $e$ is a primitive central idempotent. The identity decomposes into pairwise orthogonal such idempotents; a module belongs to a block when its idempotent acts as identity and the other block idempotents act as zero. For ordinary characters, use a splitting p-modular system $(K,\mathcal{O},F)$, or extend the residue field first: the block idempotents lift to $\mathcal{O}{S}_n$, and determine which ordinary irreducible $K{S}_n$-modules lie in each $p$-block. The symmetric group is split over its prime field, so extending $F$ introduces no change to the resulting partition of an integer labels.

The Nakayama block theorem, traditionally called the Nakayama Conjecture for symmetric groups, isThe simple modules in that block are exactly the $D^{\nu }$ with regular labels having that core. At fixed $n$, the common core also fixes the weight. Here is an essay proof route through central characters, specifying the main algebraic and combinatorial steps and why each is needed.

First introduce the commuting Young–Jucys–Murphy elementsTheir commutators vanish because contributions supported on each triple of letters cancel. Symmetric polynomials in the $J_i$ are central: for adjacent transpositions $s_i$, the relations $s_i{J}_i=J_{i+1}{s}_i-1$, $s_i{J}_{i+1}=J_i{s}_i+1$ show that $s_i$ commutes with symmetric expressions in $J_i,J_{i+1}$, and it commutes with the other $J_j$. Since these transpositions generate $S_n$, the symmetric expressions commute with the whole group algebra.

The substantial generation ingredient is the integral Jucys–Murphy description of the center of a symmetric-group algebra: every conjugacy-class sum is an integral symmetric polynomial in the $J_i$. Its proof expands symmetric monomials in these sums of transpositions and organizes the resulting class sums by the number of moved letters and cycle filtration; triangular elimination supplies integral spanning, rather than merely rational spanning. A useful first identity in this construction isIndeed, when adjoining the letter $n$, either choose $t$ and leave it as a singleton cycle, or choose a transposition $(jn)$ and insert it into the cycle containing $j$; this gives every permutation uniquely. The full generation step distinguishes the individual class sums which this first identity groups together. Its integrality is essential: a description only over $\mathbb{Q}$ could use denominators divisible by $p$ and would not prove generation of the modular center. Since class sums form the integral basis of the center, this integral theorem reduces to the same generation statement over $F$.

Next determine their scalar action. In the characteristic-zero tableau basis of $S^{\lambda }$, $J_i$ is diagonal with entry the Content of a Young-diagram cell occupied by $i$, namely column minus row. This follows recursively along the multiplicity-free branching chain: the commuting operators preserve each path line, and $J_{i+1}=s_i{J}_i{s}_i+s_i$ determines the successive eigenvalues. Consequently a symmetric polynomial $f(J_1,\dots ,J_n)$ acts on $S^{\lambda }$ byThis is independent of the ordering of the cells. The scalar identity holds on the integral Specht lattice, so after modular reduction it depends only on the multiset of contents modulo $p$. Every composition factor has this same central character of a block.

Two simple modules are in the same block exactly when their central characters agree. The center of a block is a commutative local finite-dimensional algebra; its semisimple quotient gives one scalar character, while the orthogonal block idempotents separate different blocks. By the generation theorem, equality on all symmetric polynomials in the $J_i$ is enough. Conversely, different residue multisets are detected by elementary symmetric polynomials: the monic polynomial ${\prod }_{(i,j)\in \lambda }(z-(j-i))$ over $F$ recovers the multiplicity of each residue by unique factorization, including multiplicities larger than $p$. Thus block equivalence is exactly equality of the integersThis gives the residue-content criterion for symmetric-group blocks without assuming that the sum of contents alone distinguishes blocks.

Finally identify residue content with the core. A removable rim $p$-hook has consecutive contents modulo $p$, hence removes one cell of each residue. Therefore shapes with the same core and the same size have the same residue counts. For the converse choose $m$ divisible by $p$ and at least $n$, and write $q_r=n_r-m/p$ for the runner charges. Starting from the empty partition of an integer gives $q_r=0$. Adding a cell of residue $r$ moves a beta-number bead from residue $r-1$ to residue $r$, increasing $q_r$ and decreasing $q_{r-1}$. The same changes occur in $c_s-c_{s+1}$ when $c_r$ increases by one. Induction on the cells therefore givesEqual residue counts give equal charges and hence equal packed runner configurations, so they give the same core. This completes both directions of the block criterion. The argument exposes the three essential bridges: integral center generation, its scalar content evaluation, and the abacus identification of residue data with a unique core.

For a cell $(i,j)$ in the Young diagram of $\lambda$, its hook of a Young diagram consists of that cell, the cells to its right in row $i$ and the cells below it in column $j$. Its length isA removable rim hook is a connected border strip $\lambda /\mu$ containing no $2\times 2$ square, whose removal leaves a Young diagram. Its leg length is the number of rows it meets minus one. The hook graph is the Young diagram labeled at each cell by $h_{ij}$; here “graph” means this labeled array, not a graph of possible hook-walk moves.

Choose $l\ge \ell (\lambda )$, pad with zeros and form the beta numbersThey are distinct nonnegative integers in decreasing order and recover ${\lambda }_i={\beta }_i-l+i$. For $l=\ell (\lambda )$ they equal the first-column hook lengths, since $h_{i1}={\lambda }_i+l-i$. If $l$ is increased, old beta numbers shift upward by one and a new bead at zero is inserted.

For a prime-modulus partition abacus arrange the nonnegative positions in $p$ runners: position $pq+r$ lies at level $q$ on runner $r$, $0\le r<p$. Put beads at the beta numbers and leave the other positions empty. Replacing a bead at $b$ by a bead at a vacant $b-k\ge 0$ removes a rim hook of length $k$; its leg length is the number of beads strictly between these positions. This follows by tracing the boundary of the diagram: bead positions record vertical steps and gaps record horizontal steps, and exchanging one bead and gap removes the intervening border strip. In particular a removable $p$-hook is exactly a bead that can slide up one place on its own runner.

The partition core at modulus $p$ is the result of sliding beads up until there are no gaps above any bead on a runner. If runner $r$ initially has $b_r$ beads, its final occupied levels must be $0,1,\dots ,b_r-1$, independently of slide order. Thus its packed beta set, and hence its core partition of an integer, is unique. Increasing the number of beta numbers merely re-expresses the same boundary by shifting positions and adding the new initial bead; the packed configuration represents the same partition of an integer. This proves well-definedness both with respect to removal order and to the chosen padding. The number of slides isThe partition quotient components record how far each runner's beads lie above their packed positions, giving the hook-removal interpretation used in Question 5.

A block of a group algebra in characteristic $p$ for $F{S}_n$ is a two-sided ideal $B=F{S}_{n}e$ for a primitive central idempotent $e$, meaning a nonzero central idempotent that is not a sum of two nonzero orthogonal central idempotents. The identity is the sum of these block idempotents and the group algebra is their direct product. An indecomposable module $V$ belongs to $B$ when $eV=V$, equivalently every other block idempotent acts as zero. Indeed $V={⨁}_{e}eV$; indecomposability makes exactly one summand nonzero.

The Nakayama block theorem, historically called the Nakayama Conjecture, statesEquivalently the ordinary characters assigned to one modular block have a common partition core at modulus $p$. Its simple modules are the $D^{\lambda }$ with regular $\lambda$ having that core. Only cores $\kappa$ for which $n-|\kappa |$ is a nonnegative multiple of $p$ occur. The block weight is $(n-|\kappa |)/p$; a core alone determines the block at this fixed degree.

One route to the proof separates the combinatorial core invariant from the algebraic center invariant. Let $c_r(\lambda )$ be the number of cells of residue $r=j-i(\mathrm{mod}p)$. A length-$p$ rim hook has one cell of every residue: along its border strip the contents are consecutive integers. Therefore removal subtracts one from every $c_r$. More precisely, choose the number $l$ of beta numbers divisible by $p$ and write the runner charges as $q_r=b_r-l/p$. Reading the boundary, or adding a cell and checking its two changed beta positions, givesThe charges determine the packed runners and hence the core. For fixed $n$, two equal cores have the same weight, so their full residue multisets are equal. Conversely equal residue multisets give equal charges and the same core. This establishesfor partitions of an integer of the same integer. The fixed-degree condition matters.

For the center invariant, use the commuting Jucys–Murphy elements $J_k={\sum }_{i<k}(ik)$, with $J_1=0$. In the Young seminormal form basis, $J_k$ has eigenvalue equal to the content of the cell containing $k$. A symmetric polynomial in them therefore acts on $S^{\lambda }$ as the same scalar for every Young tableau: its value on the multiset of all contents of $\lambda$. The integral Specht lattice makes this a scalar identity before modular reduction, so modulo $p$ these central scalars depend only on the residue multiset, and every composition factor inherits them.

The substantive center theorem used in this proof is that the center of the symmetric-group algebra, integrally and over a field, consists of symmetric polynomials in the Jucys–Murphy elements. Centrality of elementary symmetric polynomials follows fromthe coefficients are central class-sum combinations. The reverse inclusion requires the integral triangular class-sum argument: expand symmetric monomials in the $J_k$ as products of transpositions, group the leading terms by reduced cycle type, and eliminate these leading class sums in the resulting unitriangular order. The integral coefficients, with no division by multiples of $p$, are crucial; knowing the center only over $\mathbb{Q}$ would not prove the modular assertion. This is the central algebraic ingredient of this proof route.

Thus equal residue multisets yield equal characters of the entire modular center. Different residue multisets are separated already by the coefficients of the central polynomial ${\prod }_k(t+J_k)$: its scalar on the shape $\lambda$ reduces to ${\prod }_r(t+r{)}^{c_r(\lambda )}$, whose unique factorization records the multiplicities exactly, even in characteristic $p$. In a finite-dimensional split algebra, two simple modules are in the same block exactly when their central characters agree: the center of each block is local, while different block idempotents separate different blocks. It follows that equal cores give one block and different cores give distinct blocks. This proves both directions rather than just observing that core is constant on known blocks.

Finally, each ordinary Specht lattice has a single reduced central character, so all constituents of its reduction lie in that one block. Question 1 supplies every simple module and its label; the regular labels therefore identify all the simples in each core block. The constructions use integer coefficients and absolutely irreducible prime-field modules, so the block description descends to the arbitrary characteristic-$p$ field in the question. This completes the main steps of the block proof without presupposing semisimplicity in positive characteristic.

Throughout, modules are finite-dimensional over $k$, or finitely generated $\mathcal{O}$-free lattices when the coefficient ring is $\mathcal{O}$. The p-modular system has a complete discrete valuation ring $\mathcal{O}$, maximal ideal $(\pi )$, fraction field $K$ of characteristic zero and residue field $k$ of characteristic $p$.

A block of a group algebra is a nonzero, indecomposable two-sided ideal direct summand of $A=RG$. Equivalently it is $Ae$ for a primitive central idempotent $e$. To see the equivalence, suppose $A=B\oplus C$ as two-sided ideals and write $1=e+f$ with $e\in B$, $f\in C$. Products between $B$ and $C$ vanish because they lie in their zero intersection. Thus $e$ is the identity on $B$, zero on $C$, and is a central idempotent, with $B=Ae$. Conversely $A=Ae\oplus A(1-e)$. Splitting $Ae$ further is equivalent to splitting $e$ into orthogonal nonzero central idempotents; indecomposability is exactly primitivity. If $1=\sum e_i$ is the block decomposition, $M=⨁e_{i}M$. A nonzero indecomposable module therefore belongs to exactly one block of a group algebra, namely the one with $e_{i}M=M$.

For modular reduction of block idempotents, the conjugacy class sums are an $R$-basis of $Z(RG)$. Hence $Z(\mathcal{O}G)/\pi Z(\mathcal{O}G)\cong Z(kG)$. In the complete commutative algebra $Z(\mathcal{O}G)$, idempotent lifting gives a unique lift of each idempotent of $Z(kG)$; uniqueness follows because commuting idempotents congruent modulo the Jacobson radical are equal. Orthogonal decompositions lift too, so primitivity is preserved. Reduction gives a bijection between the integral and modular blocks.

Here is a definition of defect groups of a block which also proves the required relative-projectivity assertion. Give $RG$ its conjugation action and, for $H\le G$, define the relative trace and its transfer ideal of conjugation-fixed elements byA defect group of a block $RGe$ is a $p$-subgroup $D$ minimal with $e\in I_D$. Such a subgroup exists: for a Sylow subgroup $P$, $[G:P]$ is a unit in $R$ and $e={\mathrm{Tr}}_P^G(e/[G:P])$. The defect of a block is $d$ where $|D|=p^d$.

For completeness, this definition is independent of a choice up to conjugacy. Multiplying two relative traces and grouping the pairs of cosets by double cosets givesThis identity follows by writing each pair of cosets as a simultaneous $G$-orbit; its stabilizer is $D\cap {}^{g}E$, and its contribution is a trace from that stabilizer. If $D,E$ are both minimal for $e$, then $e=e^2$ belongs to the displayed sum. The commutative block center $eZ(RG)$ is a local ring: in the field case it is a commutative Artinian ring with no nontrivial idempotents; in the integral case its reduction has this property and completeness detects units. A sum of proper ideals cannot contain its identity. Consequently $e\in I_{D\cap {}^{g}E}$ for some $g$, forcing $D={}^{g}E$ by minimality. The same argument with an arbitrary $E$ shows that $e\in I_E$ precisely when $E$ contains a conjugate of $D$. This is the trace criterion for defect groups.

To relate this to the usual modular definition, the Brauer morphism deletes the coefficients outside the centralizer:It is an algebra homomorphism: in the coefficient of an element centralizing $P$ in a product, $P$ acts on the contributing pairs; nonfixed orbits have size divisible by $p$, while fixed pairs have both entries in $C_G(P)$. Its kernel is the sum of proper-subgroup transfers, because the nonfixed conjugation orbit sums form a basis of that kernel. If $D$ is minimal for $e={\mathrm{Tr}}_D^G(a)$ and ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(e)=0$, replace $a$ by $ea$. The kernel description gives $e\in {\sum }_{Q<D}{I}_Q$, contradicting the local-center argument. Also ${\mathrm{Br}}_P(I_D)=0$ unless $P$ is conjugate into $D$: group the cosets of $G/D$ into $P$-orbits, which have no fixed point otherwise. Thus the minimal transfer subgroups are exactly the maximal $p$-subgroups with nonzero Brauer morphism of $e$.

Now take $M=eM$ and write $e={\mathrm{Tr}}_D^G(a)$. Multiplication by $a$ is a $D$-linear endomorphism $\alpha$ of $M$, andHere is the splitting behind the D. Higman criterion. The natural map $\epsilon :RG{\otimes }_{RD}M\to M$, $g\otimes m\mapsto gm$, has a $G$-linear sectionChanging a representative by an element of $D$ leaves this tensor unchanged, $G$ permutes the terms, and $\epsilon s={\mathrm{id}}_M$. HenceThis is relative projectivity for $D$, proving the Green relative projectivity theorem; indecomposability was needed only to speak of a single block of a group algebra or vertex of an indecomposable module.

Finally let $\hat{e}$ lift $e$. A trace expression for $\hat{e}$ reduces to one for $e$, so a modular defect group of a block is contained, up to conjugacy, in an integral one. Conversely choose a modular defect group $D$ and $a\in (kG{)}^D$ with $e={\mathrm{Tr}}_D^G(a)$. Conjugation orbit sums lift $a$ to $\hat{a}\in (\mathcal{O}G{)}^D$. The elementreduces to its block identity, hence is a unit in that block center. Its inverse there is central, soThe integral defect is therefore contained in the modular one. The corresponding blocks have the same conjugacy class of defect groups and the same defect.