Linear groups with large cyclic subgroups and translation planes (Q1092159)

In this interesting paper the author investigates irreducible subgroups G of GL(V), V a finite vector space, which are generated by cyclic groups R of prime order r acting as lazy as possible, i.e. [V,R] is a nontrivial irreducible R-submodule of V. He calls such groups R 1-irreducible. In [Geom. Dedicata 2, 425-460 (1974; Zbl 0292.20045); J. Algebra 93, 151-164 (1985; Zbl 0583.20003)], \textit{Chr. Hering} determined G if \(V=[V,R]\). Hence the results of the paper under review are generalizations of Hering's results. The author first determines the structure of G and shows that in the generic case \(F^*(G)\) is a quasisimple group. Under the additional assumption that dim \(V\leq 2\dim [V,R]\) he determines all groups of Lie type which can occur as \(F^*(G)\). For the application the author has in mind this result is satisfactory. For a general classification (without the assumption on the dimension) one could use his result as a starting point for some kind of induction because it applies to any group generated by two such groups R. Unfortunately the list of occurring groups is very long. The proof of the theorem uses the modular representation theory of the groups of Lie type and depends very heavily on a result of \textit{V. Landazuri} and \textit{G. M. Seitz} [J. Algebra 32, 418-443 (1974; Zbl 0325.20008)] bounding the degrees of projective representations. In the second part of the paper the author gives an application of his result to the so called (G,\(\Gamma\),n,q)-translation planes. These are planes P with kernel GF(q) admittig a group G such that G fixes on \(\ell_{\infty}^ a \)set \(\Delta\) of \(q+1\) points and acts transitively on \(\Gamma =\ell_{\infty}-\Delta\). If the order of P is \(q^{d+1}\) and \(G_ 0=<R|\) \(R\in Syl_ r(G)\), \(r| f^*_ d(q)>\) then the author proves that one of the following holds: (1) \(d\leq 2\), (2) \(G_ 0\) is solvable, (3) \(G_ 0/Z(G_ 0)\cong L_ 2(7)\). Furthermore in (2) \(G_ 0\neq 1\).