Universal tensor categories generated by dual pairs

Alexandru Chirvasitu, Ivan Penkov

Published 2020-08-25Version 1

Let $V_*\otimes V\rightarrow\mathbb{C}$ be a non-degenerate pairing of countable-dimensional complex vector spaces $V$ and $V_*$. The Mackey Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{gl}^M(V,V_*)$ corresponding to this paring consists of all endomorphisms $\varphi$ of $V$ for which the space $V_*$ is stable under the dual endomorphism $\varphi^*: V^*\rightarrow V^*$. We study the tensor Grothendieck category $\mathbb{T}$ generated by the $\mathfrak{g}$-modules $V$, $V_*$ and their algebraic duals $V^*$ and $V^*_*$. This is an analogue of categories considered in prior literature, the main difference being that the trivial module $\mathbb{C}$ is no longer injective in $\mathbb{T}$. We describe the injective hull $I$ of $\mathbb{C}$ in $\mathbb{T}$, and show that the category $\mathbb{T}$ is Koszul. In addition, we prove that $I$ is endowed with a natural structure of commutative algebra. We then define another category $_I\mathbb{T}$ of objects in $\mathbb{T}$ which are free as $I$-modules. Our main result is that the category ${}_I\mathbb{T}$ is also Koszul, and moreover that ${}_I\mathbb{T}$ is universal among abelian $\mathbb{C}$-linear tensor categories generated by two objects $X$, $Y$ with fixed subobjects $X'\hookrightarrow X$, $Y'\hookrightarrow Y$ and a pairing $X\otimes Y\rightarrow \text{\textbf{1}}$ where \textbf{1} is the monoidal unit. We conclude the paper by discussing the orthogonal and symplectic analogues of the categories $\mathbb{T}$ and ${}_I\mathbb{T}$.