Alastair Litterick

University of Essex · Department of Mathematical Sciences

In this paper we give the first explicit enumeration of all maximal Condorcet domains on $n\leq 7$ alternatives. This has been accomplished by developing a new algorithm for constructing Condorcet domains, and an implementation of that algorithm which has been run on a supercomputer. We follow this up by the first survey of the properties of all ma...

Let $G$ be a simple algebraic group of exceptional type over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p > 0$. This paper continues a long-standing effort to classify the connected reductive subgroups of $G$. Having previously completed the classification when $p$ is sufficiently large, we focus here on the case that $p$ is bad for $G$. We c...

We describe a new approach for classifying conjugacy classes of elementary abelian subgroups in simple algebraic groups over an algebraically closed field, and understanding the normaliser and centraliser structure of these. For toral subgroups, we give an effective classification algorithm. For non-toral elementary abelian subgroups, we focus on a...

This survey article has two components. The first part gives a gentle introduction to Serre's notion of $G$-complete reducibility, where $G$ is a connected reductive algebraic group defined over an algebraically closed field. The second part concerns consequences of this theory when $G$ is simple of exceptional type, specifically its role in elucid...

In this note, we unify and extend various concepts in the area of G -complete reducibility, where G is a reductive algebraic group. By results of Serre and Bate–Martin–Röhrle, the usual notion of G -complete reducibility can be re-framed as a property of an action of a group on the spherical building of the identity component of G . We show that ot...

Let 𝑘 be a non-perfect separably closed field. Let 𝐺 be a connected reductive algebraic group defined over 𝑘. We study rationality problems for Serre’s notion of complete reducibility of subgroups of 𝐺. In particular, we present the first example of a connected non-abelian 𝑘-subgroup 𝐻 of 𝐺 that is 𝐺-completely reducible but not 𝐺-completely reduci...

Let $k$ be a nonperfect separably closed field. Let $G$ be a connected reductive algebraic group defined over $k$. We study rationality problems for Serre's notion of complete reducibility of subgroups of $G$. In particular, we present the first example of a connected nonabelian $k$-subgroup $H$ of $G$ such that $H$ is $G$-completely reducible but...

We study a relative variant of Serre’s notion of $G$ -complete reducibility for a reductive algebraic group $G$ . We let $K$ be a reductive subgroup of $G$ , and consider subgroups of $G$ that normalize the identity component $K^{\circ }$ . We show that such a subgroup is relatively $G$ -completely reducible with respect to $K$ if and only if its i...

In this note, we unify and extend various concepts in the area of $G$-complete reducibility, where $G$ is a reductive algebraic group. By results of Serre and Bate--Martin--R\"{o}hrle, the usual notion of $G$-complete reducibility can be re-framed as a property of an action of a group on the spherical building of the identity component of $G$. We s...

Let $K$ be a reductive subgroup of a reductive group $G$ over an algebraically closed field $k$. The notion of relative complete reducibility, introduced in [M. Bate, B. Martin, G. Röhrle, R. Tange, Complete reducibility and conjugacy classes of tuples in algebraic groups and Lie algebras, Math. Z.269 (2011), no. 1, 809–832], gives a purely algebra...

We prove a generalization of a conjecture of C. Marion on generation properties of finite groups of Lie type, by considering geometric properties of an appropriate representation variety and associated tangent spaces.

We study a relative variant of Serre's notion of $G$-complete reducibility for a reductive algebraic group $G$. We let $K$ be a reductive subgroup of $G$, and consider subgroups of $G$ which normalise the identity component $K^{\circ}$. We show that such a subgroup is relatively $G$-completely reducible with respect to $K$ if and only if its image...

We establish the existence of two rigid triples of conjugacy classes in the algebraic group $G_{2}$ in characteristic $5$, extending results of the second author with Liebeck and Marion. As a corollary, the finite groups $G_{2}(5^n)$ are not $(2,4,5)$-generated; this reproves a case of a conjecture of Marion.

Let $G$ be a simple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field. A closed subgroup $H$ of $G$ is called $G$-completely reducible ($G$-cr) if, whenever $H$ is contained in a parabolic subgroup $P$ of $G$, it is contained in a Levi factor of $P$. In this paper we complete the classification of connected reductive $G$-cr subgroups when $G$ has...

For a simple algebraic group G in characteristic p, a triple (a,b,c) of positive integers is said to be rigid for G if the dimensions of the subvarieties of G of elements of order dividing a,b,c sum to 2dim G. In this paper we complete the proof of a conjecture of the third author, that for a rigid triple (a,b,c) for G with p>0, the triangle group...

The study of finite subgroups of a simple algebraic group $G$ reduces in a sense to those which are almost simple. If an almost simple subgroup of $G$ has a socle which is not isomorphic to a group of Lie type in the underlying characteristic of $G$, then the subgroup is called non-generic. This paper considers non-generic subgroups of simple algeb...

Let $G$ be a simple algebraic group of exceptional type, over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p \ge 0$. A closed subgroup $H$ of $G$ is called $G$-completely reducible ($G$-cr) if whenever $H$ is contained in a parabolic subgroup $P$ of $G$, it is contained in a Levi subgroup of $P$. In this paper we determine the $G$-conjugacy cla...

We produce a rigid triple of classes in the algebraic group G 2 in characteristic 5, and use it to show that the finite groups G 2(5n) are not (2, 5, 5)-generated.