A Phan-type theorem for \(\text{Sp}(2n,q)\) (Q1399173)

Let \(V\) be a non-degenerate \(2n\)-dimensional symplectic \(\text{GF}(q^2)\)-space with form \((\cdot,\cdot)\), let \(G=\text{Sp}(2n,q^2)\) be the group of linear transformations of \(V\) preserving \((\cdot,\cdot)\), and let \(\mathcal B\) be the building for \(G\). Then the `opposites geometry' \(\Gamma_{op}\) related to \(\mathcal B\) is defined as \[ \Gamma_{op}=\{(U,U')\mid U,U'\in{\mathcal B},\;V=U'\oplus U^\perp \}. \] In the article, a certain involutory automorphism \(\sigma\) of \(\Gamma_{op}\) (called a `flip') and an associated geometry \[ \Gamma_\sigma=\{(U,U')\mid(U,U')\in\Gamma_{op},\;U'=U^\sigma\} \] (the `flipflop geometry') are defined. The main theorem of the article states the following. (1) \(\Gamma_\sigma\) is a rank \(n\) geometry admitting \(G_\sigma=\{g\in G\mid g\sigma=\sigma g\}\cong\text{Sp}(2n,q)\) as flag-transitive group of automorphisms. (2) \(\Gamma_\sigma\) is connected unless \(n=q=2\) and residually connected if \(q>2\). (3) \(\Gamma_\sigma\) is simply connected if \(n\geq 5\), or if \(n\geq 4\) and \(q\geq 3\), or if \(n=3\) and \(q\geq 8\). -- Along with this some group theoretical consequences are proved. One should note that the result can be viewed as an extension of the famous Curtis-Tits theorem and of a theorem by Kok-Wee Phan and that it will be needed in the ongoing revision of the classification of the finite simple groups.