On the restriction of cross characteristic representations of \(^2F_4(q)\) to proper subgroups. (Q1042427)

In this paper, it is proved that the restriction of any nontrivial representation of the Ree groups in odd characteristic to any proper subgroup is reducible. This is a case of the problem of classifying all pairs \((\Phi,H)\), where \(\Phi\) is a representation of \(G\) which is absolutely irreducible over a proper subgroup \(H\) of \(G\) when \(G\) is a quasi-simple group. The authors show that if \(G\) is a Ree group and \(\Phi\) is any nontrivial representation of \(G\) in odd characteristic and \(H\) is any proper subgroup of \(G\), then \(\Phi\) restricted to \(H\) is reducible. The authors establish the result by first showing that the restriction of any irreducible representation of the Ree groups in odd characteristic to the maximal subgroups is reducible, except for possibly the maximal parabolic subgroups. The cases of \(^2F_4(2)\) and \(^2F_4(2)'\) are handled separately and then it is shown in Section~4 that the restrictions to maximal parabolic subgroups are reducible. The proof relies on results concerning the lower bounds of degrees of nontrivial irreducible representations of the Ree groups, established by \textit{P. H. Tiep} [J. Algebra 306, No. 1, 227-243 (2006; Zbl 1113.51005)].