We present the complete proof of Frobenius Reciprocity, establishing the fundamental adjunction between induction and restriction.
TheoremFrobenius Reciprocity
Let H≤G be a subgroup, V a representation of G, and W a representation of H over a field F. Then:
HomG(IndHG(W),V)≅HomH(W,ResHG(V))
naturally (functorially in both V and W).
ProofConstruction of Isomorphism
We construct explicit inverse maps between these Hom-spaces.
Step 1: Map Φ:HomG(IndHG(W),V)→HomH(W,V)
Given ϕ:IndHG(W)→V (a G-homomorphism), define Φ(ϕ):W→V by evaluation:
Φ(ϕ)(w)=ϕ(w~)
where w~:G→W is the function defined by:
w~(g)={w0if g∈Hif g∈/H
More precisely, w~ satisfies w~(hg)=ρW(h)(w~(g)) for h∈H, so w~∈IndHG(W).
Verification that Φ(ϕ) is H-equivariant: For h∈H and w∈W:
Φ(ϕ)(h⋅w)=ϕ(h⋅w)=ϕ(ρH(h)∘w~)
Since ϕ is G-equivariant and using properties of induced representations:
=ρV(h)(ϕ(w~))=h⋅Φ(ϕ)(w)
Step 2: Map Ψ:HomH(W,V)→HomG(IndHG(W),V)
Given ψ:W→V (an H-homomorphism), define Ψ(ψ):IndHG(W)→V by:
Ψ(ψ)(f)=∑i=1nρV(gi)ψ(f(gi))
where {g1,…,gn} is a set of left coset representatives for H in G, so G=⨆i=1ngiH.
Verification that Ψ(ψ) is well-defined: We need to check independence of coset representatives. If gi′=gihi for some hi∈H, then:
f(gi′)=f(gihi)=ρW(gi)−1ρW(hi)−1f(e)
and the formula remains consistent using H-equivariance of ψ.
Verification that Ψ(ψ) is G-equivariant: For g∈G:
Ψ(ψ)(ρG(g)f)=Ψ(ψ)(f(⋅g))=∑i=1nρV(gi)ψ(f(gig))
Reindexing and using that multiplication by g permutes cosets:
=ρV(g)∑i=1nρV(gi′)ψ(f(gi′))=ρV(g)Ψ(ψ)(f)
Step 3: Verify Φ and Ψ are inverse
Φ∘Ψ=id: For ψ:W→V and w∈W:
(Φ∘Ψ)(ψ)(w)=Φ(Ψ(ψ))(w)=Ψ(ψ)(w~)=∑i=1nρV(gi)ψ(w~(gi))
Since w~(gi)=0 except when gi∈H (which we can take as g1=e):
=ρV(e)ψ(w)=ψ(w)
Ψ∘Φ=id: For ϕ:IndHG(W)→V and f∈IndHG(W):
(Ψ∘Φ)(ϕ)(f)=Ψ(Φ(ϕ))(f)=∑i=1nρV(gi)Φ(ϕ)(f(gi))=∑i=1nρV(gi)ϕ(f(gi))
Using properties of ϕ and the definition of IndHG(W), this equals ϕ(f).
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Remark
This proof is constructive and provides explicit formulas for the correspondence. The key insight is that evaluating an induced representation at coset representatives extracts complete information, and conversely, data on cosets can be assembled into a global G-map.
The naturality of this isomorphism (functoriality) follows from the explicit formulas—composition with morphisms on either side respects the correspondence.