We present new constructions of several of the exceptional simple Lie superalgebras in characteristic $p = 3$ and $p = 5$ by considering the images of exceptional Lie algebras with a nilpotent derivation under the semisimplification functor from $mathrm{Rep} mathbf{alpha}_p$ to the Verlinde category $mathrm{Ver}_p$.
We propose a method of constructing abelian envelopes of symmetric rigid monoidal Karoubian categories over an algebraically closed field $bf k$. If ${rm char}({bf k})=p>0$, we use this method to construct generalizations ${rm Ver}_{p^n}$, ${rm Ver}_{p^n}^+$ of the incompressible abelian symmetric tensor categories defined in arXiv:1807.05549 for $p=2$ and by Gelfand-Kazhdan and Georgiev-Mathieu for $n=1$. Namely, ${rm Ver}_{p^n}$ is the abelian envelope of the quotient of the category of tilting modules for $SL_2(bf k)$ by the $n$-th Steinberg module, and ${rm Ver}_{p^n}^+$ is its subcategory generated by $PGL_2(bf k)$-modules. We show that ${rm Ver}_{p^n}$ are reductions to characteristic $p$ of Verlinde braided tensor categories in characteristic zero, which explains the notation. We study the structure of these categories in detail, and in particular show that they categorify the real cyclotomic rings $mathbb{Z}[2cos(2pi/p^n)]$, and that ${rm Ver}_{p^n}$ embeds into ${rm Ver}_{p^{n+1}}$. We conjecture that every symmetric tensor category of moderate growth over $bf k$ admits a fiber functor to the union ${rm Ver}_{p^infty}$ of the nested sequence ${rm Ver}_{p}subset {rm Ver}_{p^2}subsetcdots$. This would provide an analog of Delignes theorem in characteristic zero and a generalization of the result of arXiv:1503.01492, which shows that this conjecture holds for fusion categories, and then moreover the fiber functor lands in ${rm Ver}_p$.
Over algebraically closed fields of characteristic p>2, prolongations of the simple finite dimensional Lie algebras and Lie superalgebras with Cartan matrix are studied for certain simplest gradings of these algebras. Several new simple Lie superalgebras are discovered, serial and exceptional, including superBrown and superMelikyan superalgebras. Simple Lie superalgebras with Cartan matrix of rank 2 are classified.
As is well-known, the dimension of the space spanned by the non-degenerate invariant symmetric bilinear forms (NISes) on any simple finite-dimensional Lie algebra or Lie superalgebra is equal to at most 1 if the characteristic of the algebraically closed ground field is not 2. We prove that in characteristic 2, the superdimension of the space spanned by NISes can be equal to 0, or 1, or $0|1$, or $1|1$; it is equal to $1|1$ if and only if the Lie superalgebra is a queerification (defined in arXiv:1407.1695) of a simple classically restricted Lie algebra with a NIS (for examples, mainly in characteristic distinct from 2, see arXiv:1806.05505). We give examples of NISes on deformations (with both even and odd parameters) of several simple finite-dimensional Lie superalgebras in characteristic 2. We also recall examples of multiple NISes on simple Lie algebras over non-closed fields.
We prove that the tensor product of a simple and a finite dimensional $mathfrak{sl}_n$-module has finite type socle. This is applied to reduce classification of simple $mathfrak{q}(n)$-supermodules to that of simple $mathfrak{sl}_n$-modules. Rough structure of simple $mathfrak{q}(n)$-supermodules, considered as $mathfrak{sl}_n$-modules, is described in terms of the combinatorics of category $mathcal{O}$.
For each of the exceptional Lie superalgebras with indecomposable Cartan matrix, we give the explicit list of its roots of and the corresponding Chevalley basis for one of the inequivalent Cartan matrices, the one corresponding to the greatest number of mutually orthogonal isotropic odd simple roots. Our main tools: Grozmans Mathematica-based code SuperLie, and Python.