Overgroups of regular unipotent elements in simple algebraic groups

We investigate positive-dimensional closed reductive subgroups of almost simple algebraic groups containing a regular unipotent element. Our main result states that such subgroups do not lie inside proper parabolic subgroups unless possibly when their connected component is a torus. This extends the earlier result of Testerman and Zalesski treating connected reductive subgroups.

Properties of the commutators of some elements of linear groups over divisions rings

Inclusions resulting from the commutativity of elements and their commutators with trans\-vections in the language of residual and fixed submodules are found. The residual and fixed submodules of an element $\sigma $ of the complete linear group are defined as the image and the kernel of the element $\sigma -1$ and are denoted by $R(\sigma )$ and $P(\sigma )$, respectively. It is shown that for an arbitrary element $g$ of a complete linear group over a division ring whose characteristic is different from 2 and the transvection $\tau $ from the commutativity of the commutator $\left[g,\tau \right]$ with $g$ is followed by the inclusion of $R(\left[g,\tau \right])\subseteq P(\tau )\cap P(g)$. It is proved that the same inclusions occur over an arbitrary division ring if $g$ is a unipotent element, $\mathrm{dim}\mathrm{}(R\left(\tau \right)+R\left(g\right))\le 2$ and the commutator $\left[g,\tau \right]$ commutes with $\tau $ or if $g$ is a unipotent commutator of some element of the complete linear group and transvection $\ \tau $.

TOTAL POSITIVITY IN SPRINGER FIBRES

Let u be a unipotent element in the totally positive part of a complex reductive group. We consider the intersection of the Springer fibre at u with the totally positive part of the flag manifold. We show that this intersection has a natural cell decomposition which is part of the cell decomposition (Rietsch) of the totally positive flag manifold.

-TYPE SUBGROUPS CONTAINING REGULAR UNIPOTENT ELEMENTS

Let $G$ be a simple exceptional algebraic group of adjoint type over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$ and let $X=\text{PSL}_{2}(p)$ be a subgroup of $G$ containing a regular unipotent element $x$ of $G$. By a theorem of Testerman, $x$ is contained in a connected subgroup of $G$ of type $A_{1}$. In this paper we prove that with two exceptions, $X$ itself is contained in such a subgroup (the exceptions arise when $(G,p)=(E_{6},13)$ or $(E_{7},19)$). This extends earlier work of Seitz and Testerman, who established the containment under some additional conditions on $p$ and the embedding of $X$ in $G$. We discuss applications of our main result to the study of the subgroup structure of finite groups of Lie type.

Minimally ramified deformations when

Let $p$ and $\ell$ be distinct primes, and let $\overline{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}}$ be an orthogonal or symplectic representation of the absolute Galois group of an $\ell$-adic field over a finite field of characteristic $p$. We define and study a liftable deformation condition of lifts of $\overline{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}}$ ‘ramified no worse than $\overline{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}}$’, generalizing the minimally ramified deformation condition for $\operatorname{GL}_{n}$ studied in Clozel et al. [Automorphy for some$l$-adic lifts of automorphic mod$l$Galois representations, Publ. Math. Inst. Hautes Études Sci. 108 (2008), 1–181; MR 2470687 (2010j:11082)]. The key insight is to restrict to deformations where an associated unipotent element does not change type when deforming. This requires an understanding of nilpotent orbits and centralizers of nilpotent elements in the relative situation, not just over fields.

Unipotent elements forcing irreducibility in linear algebraic groups

Let G be a simple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field K of characteristic {p>0} . We consider connected reductive subgroups X of G that contain a given distinguished unipotent element u of G. A result of Testerman and Zalesski [D. Testerman and A. Zalesski, Irreducibility in algebraic groups and regular unipotent elements, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 141 2013, 1, 13–28] shows that if u is a regular unipotent element, then X cannot be contained in a proper parabolic subgroup of G. We generalize their result and show that if u has order p, then except for two known examples which occur in the case {(G,p)=(C_{2},2)} , the subgroup X cannot be contained in a proper parabolic subgroup of G. In the case where u has order {>p} , we also present further examples arising from indecomposable tilting modules with quasi-minuscule highest weight.

Irreducible representations of simple algebraic groups in which a unipotent element is represented by a matrix with a single non-trivial Jordan block

LetGbe a simply connected simple linear algebraic group of exceptional Lie type over an algebraically closed fieldFof characteristic{p\geq 0}, and let{u\in G}be a nonidentity unipotent element. Let ϕ be a non-trivial irreducible representation ofG. Then the Jordan normal form of{\phi(u)}contains at most one non-trivial block if and only ifGis of type{G_{2}},uis a regular unipotent element and{\dim\phi\leq 7}. Note that the irreducible representations of the simple classical algebraic groups in which a non-trivial unipotent element is represented by a matrix whose Jordan form has a single non-trivial block were determined by I. D. Suprunenko [21].

Moufang Structures

This chapter uses the notion of a Moufang structure to show that if Δ‎ is a spherical building satisfying the Moufang condition and Γ‎ is a descent group of Δ‎, then the fixed point building Δ‎Γ‎ also satisfies the Moufang condition. The discussion begins with the notation: Let (W, S) denote the type of Δ‎, let G = Aut(Δ‎) and let G° denote the group of type-preserving elements of G. The chapter then presents the conditions for an element g of G to be unipotent and for a subgroup U of G to be unipotent. It also describes a unipotent group U stabilizing a residue R and a unipotent element fixing two chambers x and y. Finally, it considers the set of extensions that forms a group acting faithfully on R.