Products of quasi-involutions in unitary groups (Q1360282)

Let \(V\) be an \(n\)-dimensional vector space over a commutative field \(K\) of characteristic \(\neq 2\), \(i\) be an involutory isomorphism of \(K\), \(f:V\times V \rightarrow K\) be a regular hermitian form, and \(U(V,f)\) be the associated unitary group. An element \(\sigma\in U(V,f)\) is called a quasi-symmetry if its fixed space is \((n-1)\)-dimensional and regular, and a quasi-involution if it is a product of commuting quasi-symmetries. If \((V, f)\) is anisotropic, then every \(\sigma\in U(V,f)\) is a product of two quasi-involutions, as shown by \textit{E. Ellers} [Can. J. Math. 29, 1157-1162 (1977; Zbl 0371.15009)]. If \(i=1_K\) (i.\ e.\ if \(U(V,f)\) is an orthogonal group), then every \(\sigma\in U(V,f)\) is a product of two involutions. The authors show that, in the general case (if \((V, f)\) need not be anisotropic and \(i\neq 1_K\)) every \(\sigma\in U(V,f)\) is a product of three unitary involutions and two quasi-involutions. If \(K\) is algebraically closed, then \(\sigma\) is a product of a unitary involution and two quasi-involutions.