Idempotent systems and character algebras

Abstract

We recently introduced the notion of an idempotent system. This linear algebraic object is motivated by the structure of an association scheme. There is a type of idempotent system, said to be symmetric. In the present paper we classify up to isomorphism the idempotent systems and the symmetric idempotent systems. We also describe how symmetric idempotent systems are related to character algebras.