On the minimal degrees of projective representations of the finite Chevalley groups. II (Q1801904)

[For part I, see ibid. 32, No. 2, 418-443 (1974; Zbl 0325.20008).] Let \(G(q)\) be a finite simple group of Lie type over a field of order \(q\) and characteristic \(p\) and let \(\ell(G(q))\) denote the minimal degree of all projective irreducible representations \(V\) of \(G(q)\) over a field of characteristic different from \(p\). This paper presents some improvements to and corrections of the previously known lower bounds for \(\ell(G(q))\). The earlier bounds were obtained by working within a parabolic subgroup \(P\). In most cases, \(P\) was chosen so that the unipotent radical \(Q\) of \(P\) is an abelian or special \(p\)-group. In the abelian case, the original argument determined a lower bound for the degree of an irreducible submodule \(L\) of \(\text{Res}^ G_ P(V)\) with \(Q \nleq \text{Ker}(L)\). The improvements here occur in the abelian case by determining the dimensions of the fixed point subspaces of two conjugate unipotent elements, one in \(Q\) and one in the Levi factor. Since these dimensions are different, the Levi factor has a non-trivial composition factor on \(V/L\). Induction then yields the bounds.