The maximal subgroups of the Chevalley groups \(G_ 2(q)\) with q odd, the Ree groups \(2G_ 2(q)\), and their automorphism groups (Q1106320)

This paper forms part of the author's Ph. D. thesis, in which he also determines the maximal subgroups of the groups \(P\Omega\) \(+_ 8(q)\), \(3D_ 4(q)\) and their automorphism groups [J. Algebra 110, No.1, 173-242 (1987; Zbl 0623.20031) and J. Algebra 115, No.1, 182-199 (1988; Zbl 0642.20013)]. Here he makes use of the inclusions \[ \quad 2G_ 2(q)<G_ 2(q)<\quad 3D_ 4(q)<P\Omega \quad +_ 8(q), \] and more particularly the fact that \(G_ 2(q)\) is the centralizer in \(P\Omega_ 8\) \(+(q)\) of a triality automorphism, to study \(G_ 2(q)\) via the associated 8- dimensional representation. The maximal subgroups of the Ree groups \(2G_ 2(q)\) have earlier been determined by \textit{V. M. Levchuk} and \textit{Ya. N. Nuzhin} [Algebra Logika 24, No.1, 26-41 (1985; Zbl 0581.20025)]. The author determines the maximal subgroups of all groups H with \(G\leq H\leq Aut G\), for \(G\cong G_ 2(q)\) or \(2G_ 2(q)\). It should be noted that if \(G\cong G_ 2(q)\) and H contains a graph automorphism of G, then this list is quite different from the list of maximal subgroups of G. The author also determines the exact number of conjugacy classes of each type of maximal subgroup. The methods depend ultimately on the classification of finite simple groups, and the author uses some modular character- tables to help classify non-local subgroups.