Quasisplit Hecke algebras and symmetric spaces

Abstract

Let (G,K) be a symmetric pair over an algebraically closed field of characteristic different of 2 and let sigma be an automorphism with square 1 of G preserving K. In this paper we consider the set of pairs (O,L) where O is a sigma-stable K-orbit on the flag manifold of G and L is an irreducible K-equivariant local system on O which is "fixed" by sigma. Given two such pairs (O,L), (O',L'), with O' in the closure \bar O of O, the multiplicity space of L' in the a cohomology sheaf of the intersection cohomology of \bar O with coefficients in L (restricted to O') carries an involution induced by sigma and we are interested in computing the dimensions of its +1 and -1 eigenspaces. We show that this computation can be done in terms of a certain module structure over a quasisplit Hecke algebra on a space spanned by the pairs (O,L) as above.