A note on generators for arithmetic subgroups of algebraic groups (Q1188092)

Let \(k\) be a global field, \(G\) an absolutely almost simple simply connected \(k\)-subgroup of \(GL(n)\). Let \(A\) be the \(S\)-integers of \(k\) for a finite set \(S\) of valuations including all the Archimedean ones, \(J\) a nonzero ideal of \(A\). For any subgroup \(H\) of \(G\), set \(H(J)\) to be the subgroup of \(S\)-integral matrices in \(H\) which are congruent to \(I \bmod J\). Assume that the \(k\)-rank of \(G\) is at least 2, and fix a root system. The main theorem asserts that the group generated by the \(U(J)\), as \(U\) runs over all the root groups, has finite index in \(G(J)\). The author points out that this theorem follows from Margulis' work in the 1970s, but the current proof is different and more direct. It uses the Borel-Tits structure theory, Tits' classification of groups over global fields, and some methods coming from the congruence subgroup problem.