Categorical actions on unipotent representations of finite unitary groups

Abstract

Using Harish-Chandra induction and restriction, we construct a categorical action of a Kac-Moody algebra on the category of unipotent representations of finite unitary groups in non-defining characteristic. We show that the decategorified representation is naturally isomorphic to a direct sum of level 2 Fock spaces. From our construction we deduce that the Harish-Chandra branching graph coincides with the crystal graph of these Fock spaces, solving a recent conjecture of Gerber-Hiss-Jacon. We also obtain derived equivalences between blocks, yielding Broue’s abelian defect group conjecture for unipotent \(\ell \)-blocks at linear primes \(\ell \).