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For a finite-dimensional quiver representation $X$, its automorphism group is the unit group ${\mathrm{End}}_Q(X{)}^{\times }$. It is a connected linear algebraic group: the units of a finite-dimensional algebra form a nonempty Zariski-open set in an affine space, hence a geometrically irreducible variety. This automorphism group is the stabilizer under the base change action on quiver representations.

Over an algebraically closed field $k$, write the Krull-Schmidt decomposition as $X={⨁}_a{M}_a^{\oplus m_a}$ with pairwise nonisomorphic indecomposable modules $M_a$. Reduction modulo the Jacobson radical gives the quotient ${\prod }_a{\mathrm{GL}}_{m_a}(k)$. The field hypothesis matters: over a general field, the corresponding factors are general linear groups over the division rings ${\mathrm{End}}_Q(M_a)/J({\mathrm{End}}_Q(M_a))$, which need not equal $k$.

Let $N_G(D)\le H\le G$ and let $U$ be indecomposable with vertex $D$ over $H$. The Mackey restriction formula writes ${\mathrm{Res}}_H^G{\mathrm{Ind}}_H^{G}U=U\oplus T$, where the vertices in $T$ lie in $H\cap {}^{g}D$ for $g\notin H$. None of these subgroups contains an $H$-conjugate of $D$: equality would put $g$ in $N_G(D)H=H$. Every summand of the induction with a $G$-conjugate of vertex $D$ contributes a vertex-$D$ summand on restriction. Krull-Schmidt decomposition therefore forces exactly one such summand, with multiplicity one. Choosing sources and using transitivity of induction proves the inverse correspondence and preservation of sources.

For a finite-dimensional quiver representation $X$ over an algebraically closed field $k$, fix a Krull-Schmidt decomposition $X={⨁}_a{M}_a^{\oplus m_a}$ with pairwise nonisomorphic indecomposable modules. Acting by scalar matrices on the multiplicity spaces embeds $L={\prod }_a{\mathrm{GL}}_{m_a}(k)$ into ${\mathrm{Aut}}_Q(X)$. It splits reduction modulo the Jacobson radical $J=J({\mathrm{End}}_Q(X))$, givingThe subgroup $1+J$ is closed, normal and unipotent, because $J$ is a nilpotent ideal. This explicit section works in every characteristic. The algebraically closed field assumption ensures that the residue division rings of the indecomposable endomorphism rings are $k$; without it this particular product of split general linear groups need not be the quotient.

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.

Nagao module theorem states that if $e\in Z(kG)$ is a central idempotent, $eM=M$, and $C_G(Q)\le K\le N_G(Q)$, then ${\mathrm{Br}}_Q(e)$ is central in $kK$ andEvery indecomposable summand of the second term is relatively projective for some subgroup of $K$ not containing $Q$. In particular, if $Q\le K$, the error term has no summand with module vertex containing $Q$. This is the Nagao version of the second main theorem; it identifies the modular block of a module vertex-$Q$ Green correspondent.

Let $e_B$ be the identity of $B$, $N=N_G(D)$, and $b$ its Brauer correspondent of a block in $kN$. Because $D◃N$, the ideal $J(kD)kN$ is nilpotent: normality allows moving $kN$ past $J(kD)$ and the augmentation ideal of the p-group is nilpotent. Hence $b$ has nonzero image in $k(N/D)$. Choose an indecomposable summand $U$ of $bk[N/D]$. It is projective over $k(N/D)$ and belongs to modular block $b$ after inflation.

Since $k[N/D]={\mathrm{Ind}}_D^{N}k$ is a permutation module, its summand $U$ has trivial module source and module vertex contained in $D$. As $D$ acts trivially, all its proper-subgroup traces vanish and its Brauer quotient of a module is $U(D)=U\ne 0$. The module vertex must also contain $D$, so it is exactly $D$. This is inflated quotient projectives have trivial source.

Let $M$ be the Green correspondent of $U$ in $G$, using the theorem proved in the next solution. It has module vertex $D$ and the same trivial module source. For a normal p-subgroup, each central block idempotent of $kN$ equals its Brauer image: the two central idempotents agree modulo the nilpotent ideal $J(kD)kN$, because nonfixed conjugation-orbit sums map to zero in $k(N/D)$; central idempotents congruent modulo a nilpotent ideal coincide. The first main theorem therefore gives ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_B)={\mathrm{Br}}_D(b)=b$.

Let $e_C$ be the block identity acting on $M$. Nagao's theorem forces ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_C)U=U$, since $U$ has module vertex $D$. But $bU=U$, and for $C\ne B$ orthogonality would give ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_C)b={\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_C{e}_B)=0$. Therefore $M$ belongs to $B$, has module vertex $D$ and has trivial module source. For $D=1$, this supplies an indecomposable projective in the defect-zero modular block.

For the representation-type deduction, modules in a block are projective relative to its defect group: the block trace identity acts as a relative trace equal to the module identity, so D. Higman criterion gives split induction from $D$. If $D$ is cyclic of order $d$, then $kD\cong k[t]/(t^d)$, whose indecomposable modules are the nilpotent Jordan chains $k[t]/(t^j)$, $1\le j\le d$. Each indecomposable in $B$ is a summand of the module induction of its module restriction to $D$, and hence occurs among the summands of these finitely many fixed induced modules. Their finite Krull-Schmidt decompositions give finite representation type.

Conversely, the regular defect-group bimodule inside a block givesIndeed this module restriction is a permutation summand. Its Brauer quotient at $\Delta D$ is nonzero, because on the fixed group-basis elements $C_G(D)$ the block projection becomes multiplication by ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_B)\ne 0$. Every transitive $D\times D$ orbit in $G$ has stabilizer of order at most $|D|$. A summand with a nonzero quotient at $\Delta D$ must therefore have stabilizer exactly $\Delta D$ up to conjugacy, and is the regular $kD$ bimodule. Tensoring this split inclusion on the right with an arbitrary $kD$-module $V$ yieldsIf $B$ has only finitely many indecomposable modules, their restrictions contain only finitely many indecomposable summands. The displayed inclusion puts every indecomposable $V$ on that finite list, so $kD$ has finite representation type too.

A noncyclic finite p-group has a quotient $C_p\times C_p$, by the Burnside basis theorem for its Frattini quotient. Here is an explicit infinite family over any field, including a finite field. For $s\ge 1$, take basis $v_0,\dots ,v_s,w_1,\dots ,w_s$ and operators $x=g-1$, $y=h-1$ defined byand $x{w}_i=y{w}_i=0$. All products of $x,y$ vanish, so $1+x,1+y$ satisfy the group relations in characteristic $p$. The radical is $W=⟨w_1,\dots ,w_s⟩$. An endomorphism preserves $W$, and commuting with the two shift maps forces its induced maps on $V/W$ and $W$ to be the same scalar. To see this, write the shift matrices as $X=(0I_s)$ and $Y=(I_{s}0)$: the equations $CX=XA$, $CY=YA$ force the off-diagonal entries of $A,C$ to vanish and all diagonal entries to agree, by comparing successive rows, including the zero first column of $X$ and zero last column of $Y$. The remaining linear map sends the top into $W$ and has square zero. Thus the endomorphism ring is a scalar algebra with square-zero radical, hence local; the module is indecomposable. Inflation to $D$ preserves that ring. Its dimensions $2s+1$ are unbounded, contradicting finite representation type. Therefore $B$ has finite representation type if and only if $D$ is cyclic, including trivial defect.

Use finite-dimensional $k$-modules or finite $R$-free lattices. We use the basic relative-projectivity facts that Krull-Schmidt decomposition holds with local endomorphism rings, module vertices are conjugate p-subgroups, and a module source $S$ at a module vertex $D$ satisfies $S\mid M{\downarrow }_D$ and $M\mid S{\uparrow }^G$. Module induction is transitive and Mackey restriction formula gives module vertex containment for restrictions and inductions. In particular, a summand induced from $D$ has module vertex conjugate into $D$, and module restriction to a subgroup containing a chosen module vertex retains a summand with that module vertex. The latter follows from the module source conditions and minimality: restricting further to $D$ must still contain its module source, whose module vertex is $D$.

The module vertex-$D$ form of Green correspondence states that for $N_G(D)\le H\le G$ there is a bijection between indecomposable $RG$-modules with module vertex $D$ and indecomposable $RH$-modules with module vertex $D$. Its maps select the unique module vertex-$D$ summands of module restriction and induction, using $H$-conjugacy for restricted module vertices and $G$-conjugacy for induced module vertices. They occur with multiplicity one and have the same module sources. Other induction summands have module vertices conjugate to proper subgroups of $D$. The module restriction remainder is relatively projective forRelative projectivity for a family means being a summand of a finite sum of inductions from its members. We prove this form; no stronger description of the induction remainder is needed for the application.

Let $U$ have module vertex $D$ over $H$. The identity double coset in Mackey restriction formula givesSince $U$ is relatively $D$-projective, a further Mackey decomposition puts every other double coset term in the relatively-$\mathcal{Y}$ family. No member of $\mathcal{Y}$ contains an $H$-conjugate of $D$. Otherwise, conjugation within $H$ would give $D\le H\cap (ha)D(ha{)}^{-1}$ with $h\in H$, $a\notin H$. Equality of orders then makes $ha\in N_G(D)\le H$, a contradiction. Therefore the module restriction above contains exactly one summand with module vertex $H$-conjugate to $D$, namely $U$ once.

Decompose $U{\uparrow }^G$ into indecomposable modules. All their module vertices are conjugate into $D$. Each one with a module vertex $G$-conjugate to $D$ can take $D$ itself as module vertex and contributes a module vertex-$D$ summand on module restriction to $H$. There can thus be at most one such summand and its multiplicity is one. There must be at least one, because smaller module vertices cannot restrict to produce $U$, with module vertex $D$, in the displayed decomposition. Define $g(U)$ to be that summand. Its module restriction contains $U$ once, with remainder a summand of $T$. All other induction summands have strictly smaller module vertices. This is Green correspondence from Mackey multiplicity.

Conversely take $M$ of module vertex $D$ over $G$ with module source $S$. Decompose $S{\uparrow }^H$ into indecomposable modules. Since $M\mid S{\uparrow }^G=(S{\uparrow }^H){\uparrow }^G$, the local endomorphism ring and Krull-Schmidt decomposition give $M\mid U{\uparrow }^G$ for one indecomposable summand $U$ of $S{\uparrow }^H$. Its module vertex is $H$-conjugate to $D$: all module vertices are conjugate into $D$, and a smaller one could not induce $M$. The preceding uniqueness makes $g(U)=M$ and identifies $U$ as the unique module vertex-$D$ summand of $M{\downarrow }_H$. Define $f(M)=U$. This proves $f(g(U))=U$ and $g(f(M))=M$.

If $S$ is a module source of $U$, then $S\mid U{\downarrow }_D\mid M{\downarrow }_D$ and $M\mid U{\uparrow }^G\mid S{\uparrow }^G$. These two conditions and the common module vertex show that $S$ is also a module source of $M$. Thus the correspondence preserves module sources, including trivial source modules, and the proof is complete under the stated coefficient conventions.

For the required expression, a p-local module is a finite sum of inductions from $N_G(Q)$ for nontrivial p-subgroups $Q$. Induct on the order of a module vertex of $M$. Vertex 1 makes $M$ projective, so choose $L_1=L_2=P_1=0$, $P_2=M$.

For module vertex $D\ne 1$, take $U=f(M)$ for $H=N_G(D)$. Its module induction is p-local andwith smaller module vertices for the $X_i$. By induction, writewith $A_i,B_i$ p-local and $P_i,Q_i$ projective. Adding these identities and substituting the induction decomposition givesHence the explicit choiceswork. All sums are finite and module vertex orders strictly decrease, so the induction terminates. If $N_G(D)=G$, induction from that normalizer is still allowed by the definition of p-local.

A unipotent algebraic group admits a faithful linear representation in which every group element is a unipotent matrix. For $E={\mathrm{End}}_Q(X)$, invertibility is the nonvanishing condition ${\prod }_i\det h_i\ne 0$. Therefore ${\mathrm{Aut}}_Q(X)=E^{\times }$ is a nonempty Zariski-open subset of the vector space $E$.

Take a Krull-Schmidt decomposition $X\cong {⨁}_{a=1}^r{M}_a^{\oplus m_a}$, with pairwise nonisomorphic indecomposable modules. The Fitting lemma makes each ${\mathrm{End}}_Q(M_a)$ a local endomorphism ring. Its residue division algebra is $k$: over an algebraically closed field, every element of a finite-dimensional division algebra has an eigenvalue and hence must be scalar. The semisimple quotient of a module endomorphism algebra consequently gives, for the Jacobson radical $J=J(E)$,is surjective with kernel $1+J$. The nilpotence of $J$ makes $(1+j{)}^{-1}=1-j+j^2-\cdots$ finite and each $1+j$ unipotent. The kernel is closed and normal. Acting on the multiplicity spaces embeds the product of general linear groups back into $E^{\times }$ and splits this quotient. This proves the Levi decomposition of a quiver automorphism groupSince $1+J$ is the unipotent radical, a nonzero $X$ is indecomposable exactly when ${\mathrm{Aut}}_Q(X)/R_u({\mathrm{Aut}}_Q(X))\cong {\mathbb{G}}_m$: the product has a single factor of size one.

For the base change action on quiver representations, the orbit map is $g\mapsto (g_j{x}_{\rho }{g}_i^{-1}{)}_{\rho :i\to j}$. Substituting $g_i=I+ϵu_i$, with ${ϵ}^2=0$, shows its differential isIts kernel is ${\mathrm{End}}_Q(X)$. The stabilizer is smooth because it is open in that vector space. Hence the differential has rank $\dim \mathrm{GL}(\mathbf{n})-\dim {\mathrm{Aut}}_Q(X)=\dim {\mathcal{O}}_X$, and its image is the Zariski tangent space $T_x{\mathcal{O}}_X$. The normal space to a quiver orbit is thereforeThe ambient quiver representation space is an irreducible affine space, and orbits are locally closed. An orbit is open exactly when its dimension equals that ambient dimension, equivalently when ${\mathrm{Ext}}_Q^1(X,X)=0$. This proves that rigid quiver representations have open orbits. Such an orbit is dense and unique, since two nonempty open subsets of an irreducible space intersect.

An algebraic group is connected when its underlying Zariski topology is a connected space. An unipotent algebraic group is a linear algebraic group whose elements, in a faithful matrix realization, satisfy that $u-I$ is nilpotent. A reductive algebraic group, in the connected convention, is a connected linear algebraic group whose unipotent radical is trivial: it has no nontrivial connected normal unipotent algebraic subgroup.

Let $E={\mathrm{End}}_Q(X)$. It is a finite-dimensional associative algebra, and ${\mathrm{Aut}}_Q(X)=E^{\times }$. The latter is the nonempty open subset where the determinant on ${⨁}_i{X}_i$ is nonzero. Since the affine space $E$ is irreducible, this open subset is irreducible and hence connected. It is a linear algebraic group: within $\mathrm{GL}({⨁}_i{X}_i)$ it is cut out by the linear equations of preserving the vertex summands and commuting with the arrow maps. Thus the automorphism group is connected.

By the Krull–Schmidt theorem, write $X\cong {⨁}_{a=1}^s{M}_a^{\oplus m_a}$, with pairwise nonisomorphic indecomposables $M_a$. The Fitting lemma makes each ${\mathrm{End}}_Q(M_a)$ a local algebra. Its residue division algebra is $k$: every element of a finite-dimensional division algebra over the algebraically closed field has an eigenvalue for left multiplication, and subtracting that scalar gives a noninvertible element, hence zero.

The standard radical description of the endomorphism algebra of a Krull-Schmidt decomposition therefore givesConcretely, maps between nonisomorphic summands lie in the radical, while on each isotypic block one reduces all entries modulo the local radical. The off-diagonal rule follows because a composition $M_a\to M_b\to M_a$ cannot be a unit for $a\ne b$: it would split $M_a$ off the indecomposable $M_b$, forcing an isomorphism. The finite-dimensional radical description then identifies the kernel of this block reduction with $J(E)$. Put $U=1+J(E)$. The Jacobson radical of the finite-dimensional algebra is nilpotent, so every $1+j$ is a unit and is unipotent on ${⨁}_i{X}_i$. Also $U$ is closed, being the translate of the linear subspace $J(E)$, and normal, being the kernel ofThis map has an explicit algebraic section: after fixing the direct-sum decomposition, a matrix $B_a$ acts on the $m_a$ copies by $B_a\otimes 1_{M_a}$. These block actions give a subgroup $L\cong {\prod }_a{\mathrm{GL}}_{m_a}(k)$ with trivial intersection with $U$. Every unit is uniquely a product of an element of $U$ and one of $L$. HenceThis Levi decomposition of a quiver automorphism group holds in every characteristic; the section is constructed directly from the multiplicity spaces.

For a finite-dimensional module over an algebraically closed field, write a Krull-Schmidt decomposition $X={⨁}_a{M}_a^{\oplus m_a}$ with distinct indecomposable types. Each endomorphism ring of $M_a$ is a local endomorphism ring with residue division algebra $k$, by the finite-dimensional division algebra over an algebraically closed field result. Modulo the Jacobson radical of $\mathrm{End}(X)$, the blocks of one type become $M_{m_a}(k)$ and all maps between different types vanish. A composite through a different indecomposable type cannot be invertible, since that would make one type a direct summand of the other. This yields the displayed product and the Levi decomposition of a quiver automorphism group.