Some generalized characters associated to a transitive permutation group

Abstract

AbstractLet G be a finite transitive permutation group of degree n, with point stabilizer {H\neq 1} and permutation character π. For every positive integer t, we consider the generalized character {\psi_{t}=\rho_{G}-t(\pi-1_{G})}, where {\rho_{G}} is the regular character of G and {1_{G}} the 1-character. We give necessary and sufficient conditions on t (and G) which guarantee that {\psi_{t}} is a character of G. A necessary condition is that {t\leq\min\{n-1,\lvert H\rvert\}}, and it turns out that {\psi_{t}} is a character of G for {t=n-1} resp. {t=\lvert H\rvert} precisely when G is 2-transitive resp. a Frobenius group.