Classification of \(2F\)-modules. I (Q1858256): Difference between revisions

Starting with the work of \textit{J. G. Thompson} [Pac. J. Math. 16, 371-372 (1966; Zbl 0136.28502)] and continued by the work of \textit{G. Glauberman} [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 24, 71-77 (1973; Zbl 0255.20015); ibid. 26, 257-261 (1975; Zbl 0319.20022)]; \textit{G. Glauberman} and \textit{R. Niles} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 46, 411-453 (1983; Zbl 0488.20021)] groups which are factorized by \(N_G(A_1)\) and \(N_G(A_2)\) for certain characteristic subgroups \(A_1\), \(A_2\) of a given Sylow \(p\)-subgroup \(S\) of \(G\) have been investigated by various authors. Mostly one of the \(A_i\) was \(J(S)\). Obstructions for these factorizations are usually the existence of so-called failure of factorization modules \(V\), i.e. modules \(V\) over \(\text{GF}(p)\) for a group \(G\) acting faithfully on \(V\) and possessing an elementary Abelian \(p\)-subgroup \(A\) such that \(|V:C_V(A)|\leq|A|\). By a classical result these modules are all quadratic, i.e. there is some \(1\neq A\) with \([V,A,A]=0\). For \(p>3\) the quadratic modules for the simple groups have been classified by \textit{J. G. Thompson} [Actes Congr. Internat. Math., Nice 1970, Tome 1, 375-376 (1971; Zbl 0236.20024)]. For \(p=3\) there are various papers due to \textit{C.-Y. Ho}, for example [J. Algebra 43, 338-358 (1976; Zbl 0385.20006)] and quite recently the paper due to \textit{A. Chermak} [J. Algebra 258, No. 2, 442-476 (2002; Zbl 1024.20003)]. For \(p=2\) any module is quadratic. Results on failure of factorization modules (\(F\)-modules) for groups of Lie type in the defining characteristic 2 may be found in an unpublished paper due to \textit{B. Cooperstein} and \textit{G. Mason}. In the paper under review the authors study a more general situation. Let \(G\) be an automorphism group of a simple group acting faithfully on a \(\text{GF}(p)\)-module \(V\). Assume there is some elementary Abelian \(p\)-subgroup \(A\) such that \(|V:C_V(A)|\leq|A|^2\). Such modules are called \(2F\)-modules. Of course \(F\)-modules are \(2F\)-modules, too. This more general class of modules shows up in the classification of finite simple groups of characteristic \(p\)-type, i.e. \(C_G(O_p(H))\leq O_p(H)\) for all \(p\)-locals \(H\) of \(G\). In fact in this application these modules mostly have the additional property \([V,A,A,A]=0\), called cubic in the paper. In fact if \(A\) acts quadratically (\([V,A,A]=0\)) these modules can be found in a paper due to the reviewer [Groups and Combinatorics -- in memory of Michio Suzuki, Adv. Stud. Pure Math. 32, 391-400 (2001; Zbl 1008.20004)]. In the paper under review the authors determine all \(2F\)-modules for \(F^*(G)\) not of Lie type in characteristic \(p\). The remaining groups will be handled in a forthcoming paper. The key observation is that \(|V|\leq|G|^2\), so the dimension of \(V\) is bounded. By using ad hoc arguments for the sporadic groups, lower bounds for irreducible modules not the permutation module for \(A_n\) and Landazuri-Seitz-type bounds for the dimensions of irreducible modules for groups of Lie type in cross characteristic, they are able to come down with a complete list of such modules up to \(Co_2\) and \(Co_1\), where they could not decide if the 22-dimensional, 24-dimensional module of \(\text{GF}(2)\) is of this type. It is a remarkable fact that all the \(2F\)-modules are also cubic.