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Suppose we are handed an algebra $A$ over a field $k$. What should we look at if we want to determine whether $A$ can or cannot be equipped with structure maps to make it a Hopf algebra?

I guess in order to narrow it down a bit, I'll phrase it like this: what are some necessary conditions on an algebra for it to be a Hopf algebra?

Thoughts so far:

The first obvious condition is that $A$ must be augmented, i.e. there must be a nontrivial character $\varepsilon : A \to k$. Since this is generally not that hard to determine if we are given the algebra in some fairly concrete way, let's suppose that $A$ is given to us with an augmentation map.

If $A$ is finite-dimensional, then $A$ must be a Frobenius algebra. But not every finite-dimensional Frobenius algebra is a Hopf algebra, e.g. $\Lambda^\bullet(k^2)$ is not a Hopf algebra if the characteristic of $k$ is not 2. And generally I am more interested in the infinite-dimensional case.

All I can come up with is this: the category of finite-dimensional $A$-modules must be a (left) rigid monoidal category. But I don't know if that is a helpful observation: given a category with a forgetful functor to finite-dimensional vector spaces over some field, how can one prove that it can't be given the structure of a braidedbraided rigid monoidal category?

And perhaps there are some homological invariants that one can look at?

To sum up, the question is:

Question

Given a $k$-algebra $A$ and a nonzero character $\varepsilon : A \to k$, are there invariants we can look at in order to show that $A$ cannot be given the structure of a Hopf algebra?

Suppose we are handed an algebra $A$ over a field $k$. What should we look at if we want to determine whether $A$ can or cannot be equipped with structure maps to make it a Hopf algebra?

I guess in order to narrow it down a bit, I'll phrase it like this: what are some necessary conditions on an algebra for it to be a Hopf algebra?

Thoughts so far:

The first obvious condition is that $A$ must be augmented, i.e. there must be a nontrivial character $\varepsilon : A \to k$. Since this is generally not that hard to determine if we are given the algebra in some fairly concrete way, let's suppose that $A$ is given to us with an augmentation map.

If $A$ is finite-dimensional, then $A$ must be a Frobenius algebra. But not every finite-dimensional Frobenius algebra is a Hopf algebra, e.g. $\Lambda^\bullet(k^2)$ is not a Hopf algebra if the characteristic of $k$ is not 2. And generally I am more interested in the infinite-dimensional case.

All I can come up with is this: the category of finite-dimensional $A$-modules must be a (left) rigid monoidal category. But I don't know if that is a helpful observation: given a category with a forgetful functor to finite-dimensional vector spaces over some field, how can one prove that it can't be given the structure of a braided monoidal category?

And perhaps there are some homological invariants that one can look at?

To sum up, the question is:

Question

Given a $k$-algebra $A$ and a nonzero character $\varepsilon : A \to k$, are there invariants we can look at in order to show that $A$ cannot be given the structure of a Hopf algebra?

Suppose we are handed an algebra $A$ over a field $k$. What should we look at if we want to determine whether $A$ can or cannot be equipped with structure maps to make it a Hopf algebra?

I guess in order to narrow it down a bit, I'll phrase it like this: what are some necessary conditions on an algebra for it to be a Hopf algebra?

Thoughts so far:

The first obvious condition is that $A$ must be augmented, i.e. there must be a nontrivial character $\varepsilon : A \to k$. Since this is generally not that hard to determine if we are given the algebra in some fairly concrete way, let's suppose that $A$ is given to us with an augmentation map.

If $A$ is finite-dimensional, then $A$ must be a Frobenius algebra. But not every finite-dimensional Frobenius algebra is a Hopf algebra, e.g. $\Lambda^\bullet(k^2)$ is not a Hopf algebra if the characteristic of $k$ is not 2. And generally I am more interested in the infinite-dimensional case.

All I can come up with is this: the category of finite-dimensional $A$-modules must be a (left) rigid monoidal category. But I don't know if that is a helpful observation: given a category with a forgetful functor to finite-dimensional vector spaces over some field, how can one prove that it can't be given the structure of a braided rigid monoidal category?

And perhaps there are some homological invariants that one can look at?

To sum up, the question is:

Question

Given a $k$-algebra $A$ and a nonzero character $\varepsilon : A \to k$, are there invariants we can look at in order to show that $A$ cannot be given the structure of a Hopf algebra?

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MTS
MTS
  • 8.6k
  • 2
  • 35
  • 65

How to recognize a Hopf algebra?

Suppose we are handed an algebra $A$ over a field $k$. What should we look at if we want to determine whether $A$ can or cannot be equipped with structure maps to make it a Hopf algebra?

I guess in order to narrow it down a bit, I'll phrase it like this: what are some necessary conditions on an algebra for it to be a Hopf algebra?

Thoughts so far:

The first obvious condition is that $A$ must be augmented, i.e. there must be a nontrivial character $\varepsilon : A \to k$. Since this is generally not that hard to determine if we are given the algebra in some fairly concrete way, let's suppose that $A$ is given to us with an augmentation map.

If $A$ is finite-dimensional, then $A$ must be a Frobenius algebra. But not every finite-dimensional Frobenius algebra is a Hopf algebra, e.g. $\Lambda^\bullet(k^2)$ is not a Hopf algebra if the characteristic of $k$ is not 2. And generally I am more interested in the infinite-dimensional case.

All I can come up with is this: the category of finite-dimensional $A$-modules must be a (left) rigid monoidal category. But I don't know if that is a helpful observation: given a category with a forgetful functor to finite-dimensional vector spaces over some field, how can one prove that it can't be given the structure of a braided monoidal category?

And perhaps there are some homological invariants that one can look at?

To sum up, the question is:

Question

Given a $k$-algebra $A$ and a nonzero character $\varepsilon : A \to k$, are there invariants we can look at in order to show that $A$ cannot be given the structure of a Hopf algebra?