Maximal Subgroups of Large Rank in Exceptional Groups of Lie Type

Let G = G(q) be a finite almost simple exceptional group ofLie type over the field of q elements, where q = p^a and p isprime. The main result of the paper determines all maximal subgroupsM of G(q) such that M is an almost simple group which is alsoof Lie type in characteristic p, under the condition that rank(M)> rank(G). The conclusion is that either M is a subgroupof maximal rank, or it is of the same type as G over a subfieldof F_q, or (G, M) is one of (, F₄(q)), (, C₄(q)), (E₇(q),³D₄(q)). This completes work of the first author with Saxl andTesterman, in which the same conclusion was obtained under someextra assumptions.     

The Natural Morphisms between Toeplitz Algebras on Discrete Groups

Let G be a discrete group and (G, G₊) be a quasi-ordered group.Set G₊(G₊)^–1 and G₁= (G₊\){e}. Let F^G₁(G) andF^G₊(G) be the corresponding Toeplitz algebras. In the paper,a necessary and sufficient condition for a representation ofF^G₊(G) to be faithful is given. It is proved that when G isabelian, there exists a natural C*-algebra morphism from F^G₁(G)to F^G₊(G). As an application, it is shown that when G = Z² andG₊ = Z₊ x Z, the K-groups K₀(F^G₁(G)) Z², K₁(F^G₁(G)) Z andall Fredholm operators in F^G₁(G) are of index zero.     

Isomorphisms of Group Algebras

Let G₁ and G₂ be locally compact groups. If T is an algebraisomorphism of L¹(G₁) onto L¹(G₂) with ||T|| (1+3), then G₁and G₂ are isomorphic. This improves on earlier results, and,in a certain sense, is best possible. However, the main conjecturethat the groups are isomorphic if ||T|| < 2 remains unsolvedexcept for abelian groups and for connected groups. Similarresults are given for the measure algebra M(G) and for the algebraC(G) of continuous functions when the group G is compact.     

Invariants of Finite Reflection Groups and the Mean Value Problem for Polytopes

Let P be an n-dimensional polytope admitting a finite reflectiongroup G as its symmetry group. Consider the set H_P(k) of allcontinuous functions on Rⁿ satisfying the mean value propertywith respect to the k-skeleton P(k) of P, as well as the setH_G of all G-harmonic functions. Then a necessary and sufficientcondition for the equality H_P(k) = H_G is given in terms of adistinguished invariant basis, called the canonical invariantbasis, of G. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 20F55,52B15.     

A characterization of finite soluble groups

Let G be a finite soluble group of order m and let w(x₁, ...,x_n) be a group word. Then the probability that w(g₁, ..., g_n)= 1 (where (g₁, ..., g_n) is a random n-tuple in G) is at leastp^–(m–t), where p is the largest prime divisor ofm and t is the number of distinct primes dividing m. This contrastswith the case of a non-soluble group G, for which Abérthas shown that the corresponding probability can take arbitrarilysmall positive values as n .     

Support Varieties of Non-Restricted Modules over Lie Algebras of Reductive Groups

Let G be a connected semisimple group over an algebraicallyclosed field K of characteristic p>0, and g=Lie (G). Fixa linear function g* and let Z_g() denote the stabilizer of in g. Set N_p(g)={xg|x^[p]=0}. Let C(g) denote the category offinite-dimensional g-modules with p-character . In [7], Friedlanderand Parshall attached to each MOb(C(g)) a Zariski closed, conicalsubset V_g(M)N_p(g) called the support variety of M. Suppose thatG is simply connected and p is not special for G, that is, p2if G has a component of type B_n, C_n or F₄, and p3 if G has acomponent of type G₂. It is proved in this paper that, for anynonzero MOb(C(g)), the support variety V_g(M) is contained inN_p(g)Z_g(). This allows one to simplify the proof of the Kac–Weisfeilerconjecture given in [18].     

The Series of Norms in a Soluble p-Group

The norm of a group G is the subgroup of elements of G whichnormalise every subgroup of G. We shall denote it (G). An ascendingseries of subgroups _i(G) in G may be defined recursively by:₀(G) = 1 and, for i 0, _i+1(G)/_i(G) = (G/_i(G)). For each i,the section _i+1(G)/i(G) clearly contains the centre of the groupG/_i(G). A result of Schenkman [8] gives a very close connectionbetween this norm series and the upper central series: _i(G) _i(G) _2i(G). 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 20E15.     

A Bound on the Presentation Rank of a Finite Group

Let G be a finite group, and let I_G be the augmentation idealof ZG. We denote by d(G) the minimum number of generators forthe group G, and by d(I_G) the minimum number of elements ofI_G needed to generate I_G as a G-module. The connection betweend(G) and d(I_G) is given by the following result due to Roggenkamp]14]: where pr(G) is a non-negative integer, called the presentationrank of G, whose definition comes from the study of relationmodules (see [4] for more details). 1991 Mathematics SubjectClassification 20D20.     

Serre's Theorem on the Cohomology Algebra of a p-Group

The purpose of this note is to give a proof of a theorem ofSerre, which states that if G is a p-group which is not elementaryabelian, then there exist an integer m and non-zero elementsx₁, ..., x_m H¹ (G, Z/p) such that with ß the Bockstein homomorphism. Denote by m_G thesmallest integer m satisfying the above property. The theoremwas originally proved by Serre [5], without any bound on m_G.Later, in [2], Kroll showed that m_G p^k – 1, with k =dim_Z/pH¹ (G, Z/p). Serre, in [6], also showed that m_G (p^k –1)/(p – 1). In [3], using the Evens norm map, Okuyamaand Sasaki gave a proof with a slight improvement on Serre'sbound; it follows from their proof (see, for example, [1, Theorem4.7.3]) that m_G (p + 1)p^k–2. However, m_G can be sharpenedfurther, as we see below. For convenience, write H^*(G, Z/p) = H^*(G). For every x_i H¹(G),set 1991 Mathematics SubjectClassification 20J06.     

Projective modules for Frobenius kernels and finite Chevalley groups

Let G be a connected reductive algebraic group with a Frobeniusmorphism F: G G defined over a finite field _p^r. The main resultof the paper is to prove that any rational G-module M whichis projective when restricted to the Frobenius kernel G_r = Ker(F)is also projective over the split and twisted finite Chevalleygroups. In 1987, Parshall conjectured this statement for r =1 in the split case. The authors verified this in 1999 withthe possible exclusion of primes 2 and 3 in non-simply lacedcases. The converse of the main result is also discussed forsplit groups in this paper.     

The Consistency of Holt's Conjectures on Cohomological Dimension of Locally Finite Groups

Let G be a locally finite group of cardinality _n where n isa natural number. Let (G) be the set of primes p for which Ghas an element of order p. In [5], Holt conjectures that ifk is a finite field with char k (G) then (1) G has cohomological dimension n+1 over k; (2) Hⁿ⁺¹(G, kG) has cardinality 2^_n; (3) Hⁱ(G, kG) = 0 for 0 i n.     

Lie Powers of Modules for Groups of Prime Order

Let L(V) be the free Lie algebra on a finite-dimensional vectorspace V over a field K, with homogeneous components Lⁿ(V) forn 1. If G is a group and V is a KG-module, the action of Gextends naturally to L(V), and the Lⁿ(V) become finite-dimensionalKG-modules, called the Lie powers of V. In the decompositionproblem, the aim is to identify the isomorphism types of indecomposableKG-modules, with their multiplicities, in unrefinable directdecompositions of the Lie powers. This paper is concerned withthe case where G has prime order p, and K has characteristicp. As is well known, there are p indecomposables, denoted hereby J₁,...,J_p, where J_r has dimension r. A theory is developedwhich provides information about the overall module structureof LV) and gives a recursive method for finding the multiplicitiesof J₁,...,J_p in the Lie powers Lⁿ(V). For example, the theoryyields decompositions of L(V) as a direct sum of modules isomorphiceither to J₁ or to an infinite sum of the form J_r J_{p-1} J_{p-1} ... with r 2. Closed formulae are obtained for the multiplicitiesof J₁,..., J_p in Lⁿ(J_p and Lⁿ(J_{p-1). For r < p-1, the indecomposableswhich occur with non-zero multiplicity in Lⁿ(J_r) are identifiedfor all sufficiently large n. 2000 Mathematical Subject Classification:17B01, 20C20.     

On the Asymptotic Behaviour of a Certain Non-linear Difference Equation

Arising from the study of the convergence properties of a rationalapproximation method for determining a zero of the functionf(x)is a certain non-linear difference equation. This equation hasthe form v_n+1 = g_p–1(v_n)/g_p(v_n), Where g_p(v_n) is a polynomialin v_n whose coefficients depend on a parameter p, the orderof the zero of f The asymptotic behaviour of the differenceequation is studied and it is shown that if there is a limitorder of convergence it is always linear for multiple zeros.     

Finite CI-Groups are Soluble

For a finite group G and a subset S of G with 1 S and S = S^–1,the Cayley graph Cay(G, S) is the graph with vertex set G suchthat {x, y} is an edge if and only if yx^–1 S. The groupG is called a CI-group if, for all subsets S and T of G\{1},Cay(G, S) Cay(G, T) if and only if S = T for some Aut(G).In this paper, for each prime p 1 (mod 4), a symmetric graph(p) is constructed from PSL(2, p) such that Aut (p) = Z₂ x PSL(2,p); it is then shown that A₅ is not a CI-group, and that allfinite CI-groups are soluble. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification05C25.     

The Steinberg Lattice of a Finite Chevalley Group and its Modular Reduction

Let p be a prime and let q = p^a, where a is a positive integer.Let G 7equals; G(F_q) be a Chevalley group over F_q, with associatedsystem of roots and Weyl group W. Steinberg showed in 1957that G has an irreducible complex representation whose degreeequals the p-part of |G| [11]. This representation, now knownas the Steinberg representation, has remarkable properties,which reflect the structure of G, and there have been many researchpapers devoted to its study. The module constructed in [11]is in fact a right ideal in the integral group ring ZG of G,and is thus a ZG-lattice, which we propose to call the Steinberglattice of G. It should be noted that lattices not integrallyisomorphic to the Steinberg lattice may also afford the Steinbergrepresentation, and such lattices may differ considerably intheir properties compared with the Steinberg lattice.     

Fast Solution of Vandermonde-Like Systems Involving Orthogonal Polynomials

Consider the (n + 1) ? (n + 1) Vandermonde-like matrix P=[p_i-1(_j-1)],where the polynomials p_o(x), ..., p_n(x) satisfy a three-termrecurrence relation. We develop algorithms for solving the primaland dual systems, Px = b and P^Ta = f respectively, in O(n²)arithmetic operations and O(n) elements of storage. These algorithmsgeneralize those of Bj?rck & Pereyra which apply to themonomial case p_i(x). When the p_i(x) are the Chebyshev polynomials,the algorithms are shown to be numerically unstable. However,it is found empirically that the addition of just one step ofiterative refinement is, in single precision, enough to makethe algorithms numerically stable.     

A Characterization of Finite Soluble Groups by Laws in Two Variables

Define a sequence (s_n) of two-variable words in variables x,y as follows: s₀(x, y) = x, s_n+1(x,y)=[s_n(x, y]^–y, s_n(x,y)for n 0. It is shown that a finite group G is soluble if andonly if s_n is a law of G for all but finitely many values ofn. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 20D10, 20D06.     

Definable groups and compact p-adic Lie groups

We formulate p-adic analogues of the o-minimal group conjecturesfrom the works of Hrushovski, Peterzil and Pillay [J. Amer.Math. Soc., to appear] and Pillay [J. Math. Log. 4 (2004) 147–162];that is, we formulate versions that are appropriate for groupsG definable in (saturated) P-minimal fields. We then restrictour attention to saturated models K of Th(_p) and Th(_{p, an}),record some elementary observations when G is defined over thestandard model _p, and then make a detailed analysis of the casewhere G = E(K) for E an elliptic curve over K. Essentially,our P-minimal conjectures hold in these contexts and, moreover,our case study of elliptic curves yields counterexamples toa more naive direct translation of the o-minimal conjectures.     

On the Efficiency of Coxeter Groups

If G is a finitely presented group and K is any (G,2)-complex(that is, a finite 2-complex with fundamental group G), thenit is well known that X(K) (G), where (G) = 1–rk H₁G+ dH₂G. We define (G) to be min{(K): K a (G, 2)-complex}, andwe say that G is efficient if (G)=(G). In this paper we givesufficient conditions for a Coxeter group to be efficient (Theorem4.2). We also give examples of inefficient Coxeter groups (Theorem5.1). In fact, we give an infinite family G_n(n = 2, 3, 4, ...)of Coxeter groups such that (G_n)–(G_n) as n . 1991 MathematicsSubject Classification 20F05, 20F55.     

On Waring's Problem in Number Fields

Let K be an algebraic number field of degree n over the rationals,and denote by J_k the subring of K generated by the kth powersof the integers of K. Then G_K(k) is defined to be the smallests1 such that, for all totally positive integers vJ_k of sufficientlylarge norm, the Diophantine equation (1.1) is soluble in totally non-negative integers _i of K satisfying N(_i)<<N(v)^1/k (1is). (1.2) In (1.2) and throughout this paper, all implicit constants areassumed to depend only on K, k, and s. The notation G_K(k) generalizesthe familiar symbol G(k) used in Waring's problem, since wehave G_Q(k) = G(k). By extending the Hardy–Littlewood circle method to numberfields, Siegel [8, 9] initiated a line of research (see [1–4,11]) which generalized existing methods for treating G(k). Thistypically led to upper bounds for G_K(k) of approximate strengthnB(k), where B(k) was the best contemporary upper bound forG(k). For example, Eda [2] gave an extension of Vinogradov'sproof (see [13] or [15]) that G(k)(2+o(1))k log k. The presentpaper will eliminate the need for lengthy generalizations assuch, by introducing a new and considerably shorter approachto the problem. Our main result is the following theorem.