Periodic subgroups of projective linear groups in positive characteristic

We classify the maximal irreducible periodic subgroups of PGL(q, ), where is a field of positive characteristic p transcendental over its prime subfield, q = p is prime, and ^× has an element of order q. That is, we construct a list of irreducible subgroups G of GL(q, ) containing the centre ^×1 _q of GL(q, ), such that G/ ^×1 _q is a maximal periodic subgroup of PGL(q, ), and if H is another group of this kind then H is GL(q, )-conjugate to a group in the list. We give criteria for determining when two listed groups are conjugate, and show that a maximal irreducible periodic subgroup of PGL(q, ) is self-normalising.      

The residual finiteness of positive one-relator groups

It is proven that every positive one-relator group which satisfies the condition has a finite index subgroup which splits as a free product of two free groups amalgamating a finitely generated malnormal subgroup. As a consequence, it is shown that every positive one-relator group is residually finite. It is shown that positive one-relator groups are generically and hence generically residually finite. A new method is given for recognizing malnormal subgroups of free groups. This method employs a 'small cancellation theory' for maps between graphs. Received: August 4, 2000     

Computing invariants of algebraic groups in arbitrary characteristic

Let G be an affine algebraic group acting on an affine variety X. We present an algorithm for computing generators of the invariant ring KG[X] in the case where G is reductive. Furthermore, we address the case where G is connected and unipotent, so the invariant ring need not be finitely generated. For this case, we develop an algorithm which computes KG[X] in terms of a so-called colon-operation. From this, generators of KG[X] can be obtained in finite time if it is finitely generated. Under the additional hypothesis that K[X] is factorial, we present an algorithm that finds a quasi-affine variety whose coordinate ring is KG[X]. Along the way, we develop some techniques for dealing with nonfinitely generated algebras. In particular, we introduce the finite generation ideal.     

Connected components of compact matrix quantum groups and finiteness conditions

We introduce the notion of identity component of a compact quantum group and that of total disconnectedness. As a drawback of the generalized Burnside problem, we note that totally disconnected compact matrix quantum groups may fail to be profinite. We consider the problem of constructing the identity component by introducing canonical approximating transfinite sequences of subgroups. These sequences have lengths ≤1 in the classical case but can be countably infinite for duals of discrete groups. We give examples of free product quantum groups where the identity component is not normal and the associated sequence has length 1.     

Abelian subgroups of any order in class groups of global function fields

Let be a finite field with q elements, and T a transcendental element over . In this paper, we construct infinitely many real function fields of any fixed degree over with ideal class numbers divisible by any given positive integer greater than 1. For imaginary function fields, we obtain a stronger result which shows that for any relatively prime integers m and n with m,n>1 and relatively prime to the characteristic of , there are infinitely many imaginary fields of fixed degree m such that the class group contains a subgroup isomorphic to .     

On commutativity and finiteness in groups

The second author introduced notions of weak permutablity and commutativity between groups and proved the finiteness of a group generated by two weakly permutable finite subgroups. Two groups H, K weakly commute provided there exists a bijection f: H → K which fixes the identity and such that h commutes with its image h ^f for all h ∈ H. The present paper gives support to conjectures about the nilpotency of groups generated by two weakly commuting finite abelian groups H, K.      

Linear groups and computation

We present an exposition of our ongoing project in a new area of applicable mathematics: practical computation with finitely generated linear groups over infinite fields. Methodology and algorithms available for this class of groups are surveyed. We illustrate the solution of hard mathematical problems by computer experimentation. Possible avenues for further progress are discussed.     

Rings of matrix invariants in positive characteristic

Denote by R_n,m the ring of invariants of m-tuples of n×n matrices (m,n?2) over an infinite base field K under the simultaneous conjugation action of the general linear group. When char(K)=0, Razmyslov (Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR Ser. Mat. 38 (1974) 723) and Procesi (Adv. Math. 19 (1976) 306) established a connection between the Nagata-Higman theorem and the degree bound for generators of R_n,m. We extend this relationship to the case when the base field has positive characteristic. In particular, we show that if 0<char(K))?n, then R_n,m is not generated by its elements whose degree is smaller than m. A minimal system of generators of R_2,m is determined for the case char(K)=2: it consists of 2^m+m−1 elements, and the maximum of their degrees is m. We deduce a consequence indicating that the theory of vector invariants of the special orthogonal group in characteristic 2 is not analogous to the case char(K)≠2. We prove that the characterization of the R_n,m that are complete intersections, known before when char(K)=0, is valid for any infinite K. We give a Cohen-Macaulay presentation of R_2,4, and analyze the difference between the cases char(K)=2 and char(K)≠2.     

The local finiteness of some groups generated by a conjugacy class of order 3 elements

We prove local finiteness for the groups generated by a conjugacy class of order 3 elements whose every pair generates a subgroup that is isomorphic to Z ₃, A ₄, A ₅, SL ₂(3), or SL ₂(5).     

On the residual finiteness and other properties of (relative) one-relator groups

A relative one-relator presentation has the form where is a set, is a group, and is a word on . We show that if the word on obtained from by deleting all the terms from has what we call the unique max-min property, then the group defined by is residually finite if and only if is residually finite (Theorem 1). We apply this to obtain new results concerning the residual finiteness of (ordinary) one-relator groups (Theorem 4). We also obtain results concerning the conjugacy problem for one-relator groups (Theorem 5), and results concerning the relative asphericity of presentations of the form (Theorem 6).

     

Computing invariants of reductive groups in positive characteristic

This paper gives an algorithm for computing invariant rings of reductive groups in arbitrary characteristic. Previously, only algorithms for linearly reductive groups and for finite groups have been known. The key step is to find a separating set of invariants.     

Even dimensional higher class groups of orders

Let F be a number field, and let denote the ring of integers in F. Let A be a finite-dimensional central simple F-algebra, and let Λ be an -order in A. In this paper it is shown that the p-torsion of the even dimensional higher class group Cl _2n (Λ) can only occur for primes p, which lie under prime ideals , at which is not maximal, or which divide the dimension of A. Supported by NSFC 10401014, and partially funded by Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology Basic Research Grant SC/02/265.     

The norm theorem for quadratic forms over a field of characteristic 2

ABSTRACT

In this paper we prove that a finite group G is isomorphic to the finite simple group L _n (q) with n ≥ 3 if and only if they have the same set of order of solvable subgroups.

     

Cross characteristic representations of even characteristic symplectic groups

We classify the small irreducible representations of with even in odd characteristic. This improves even the known results for complex representations. The smallest representation for this group is much larger than in the case when is odd. This makes the problem much more difficult.

     

On the Euler characteristic of definable groups

We show that in an arbitrary o‐minimal structure the following are equivalent: (i) conjugates of a definable subgroup of a definably connected, definably compact definable group cover the group if the o‐minimal Euler characteristic of the quotient is non zero; (ii) every infinite, definably connected, definably compact definable group has a non trivial torsion point (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On abstract representations of the groups of rational points of algebraic groups in positive characteristic

We analyze the structure of a large class of connected algebraic rings over an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic using Greenberg’s perfectization functor. We then give applications to rigidity problems for representations of Chevalley groups.     

The complexity of the weight problem for permutation and matrix groups

Given a metric d on a permutation group G, the corresponding weight problem is to decide whether there exists an element π∈G such that d(π,e)=k, for some given value k. Here we show that this problem is NP-complete for many well-known metrics. An analogous problem in matrix groups, eigenvalue-free problem, and two related problems in permutation groups, the maximum and minimum weight problems, are also investigated in this paper.