The universal 2-cover of the \(P\)-geometry \({\mathcal G}(Co_ 2)\) (Q1197624)

As part of the programme of understanding the classification of finite simple groups geometrically, one wishes to classify all flag-transitive \(P\)-geometries, that is geometries whose rank 2 part consists of the vertices and edges of the Petersen graph [see \textit{A. A. Ivanov} and the author, Eur. J. Comb. 10, No. 4, 347-361 (1989; Zbl 0709.20014)]. All known examples of these geometries are related to sporadic simple groups and it is hoped to classify the geometries as just these examples. Here it is shown that the universal closures of the amalgams \({\mathcal A}(Co_ 2)\) and \(\hat{\mathcal A}(Co_ 2)\) are isomorphic to \(Co_ 2\) and \(3^{23}\cdot Co_ 2\). The modulo involved in the latter extension is the 23-dimensional irreducible submodule of \(\Lambda/3\Lambda\), where \(\Lambda\) is the Leech lattice.