Ghosts and Strong Ghosts in the Stable Category

Suppose that G is a finite group and k is a field of characteristic p > 0. A ghost map is a map in the stable category of finitely generated kG-modules which induces the zero map in Tate cohomology in all degrees. In an earlier paper we showed that the thick subcategory generated by the trivial module has no nonzero ghost maps if and only if the Sylow p-subgroup of G is cyclic of order 2 or 3. In this paper we introduce and study variations of ghost maps. In particular, we consider the behavior of ghost maps under restriction and induction functors. We find all groups satisfying a strong form of Freyd’s generating hypothesis and show that ghosts can be detected on a finite range of degrees of Tate cohomology. We also consider maps that mimic ghosts in high degrees.

Localisation and colocalisation of triangulated categories at thick subcategories

Given a thick subcategory of a triangulated category, we define a colocalisation and a natural long exact sequence that involves the original category and its localisation and colocalisation at the subcategory. Similarly, we construct a natural long exact sequence containing the canonical map between a homological functor and its total derived functor with respect to a thick subcategory.

Freyd's Generating Hypothesis for Groups with Periodic Cohomology

Let G be a finite group, and let k be a field whose characteristic p divides the order of G. Freyd's generating hypothesis for the stable module category of G is the statement that a map between finite-dimensional kG-modules in the thick subcategory generated by k factors through a projective if the induced map on Tate cohomology is trivial. We show that if G has periodic cohomology, then the generating hypothesis holds if and only if the Sylow p-subgroup of G is C2 or C3. We also give some other conditions that are equivalent to the GH for groups with periodic cohomology.