Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 October 2008
Let p be an odd prime and G = HB be a semi-direct product where H is a cyclic, p-Sylow subgroup and B is finite Abelian. If K is a field of characteristic p the isomorphism classes of KG-modules relative to direct sum and tensor product generate a ring a(G) called the representation ring of G over K. If K is algebraically closed it is shown in (4) that there is a ring isomorphism a(G) ≃ a(HB2)⊗a(B1) where B1 is the kernel of the action of B on H and B2 = B/B1.> 2, Aut (H) is cyclic thus HB2 is metacyclic. The study of the multiplicative structure of a(G) is thus reduced to that of the known rings a(B1) and a(HB2) (see (3)).