Computing matrix group decompositions with respect to a normal subgroup (Q1815004)

The authors present an algorithm `SMASH' designed to aid the computer recognition of a finite matrix group \(G\leq\text{GL}(d,q)\). If \(G\) is known to act absolutely irreducibly on the underlying vector space \(V\), `SMASH' investigates whether \(G\) has one of the following decompositions with respect to the normal closure \(N:=\langle S\rangle^G\) for a subset \(S\subseteq G\) not all of whose elements are scalar: (1) \(G\) acts imprimitively on \(V\), with blocks \(V_1,\dots,V_r\), and \(N\) preserves each of the subspaces \(V_i\). (2) \(G\) is a group of semilinear (but not linear) automorphisms in some dimension dividing \(d\), over an extension field of \(\text{GF}(q)\). Thus, for some \(e>1\), \(G\) embeds in \(\Gamma(d/e,q^e)\) but not in \(\text{GL}(d/e,q^e)\), and \(N\leq G\cap\text{GL}(d/e,q^e)\). (3) \(G\) preserves a tensor product decomposition \(U\otimes W\) of \(V\), and \(N\) acts as scalar matrices on \(U\). Thus \(N\) preserves a decomposition of \(V\) as a direct sum of subspaces isomorphic to \(W\), and fixed by \(N\). (4) For some prime \(r\), where \(d=r^m\), \(G\) is the normalizer of an \(r\)-group, \(R\), of order \(r^{2m+1}\) or \(2^{2m+2}\). In this case, \(N\) is contained in \(RZ\) where \(Z=Z(\text{GL}(d,q))\cap G\). (5) \(G\) preserves a symmetric tensor product of \(m\) spaces each of dimension \(r\), and is an amalgamated wreath product of a subgroup of \(\text{GL}(r,q)\), and a subgroup of the symmetric group \(S_m\), for some \(r\), \(m\) with \(d=r^m\). Then \(N\) preserves each of the \(m\) factors of the tensor product. In cases (1)--(4) `SMASH' will identify at least one such decomposition. However, in case (5) `SMASH' is at present a non-deterministic algorithm, and so the failure to find such a decomposition does not conclusively prove its non-existence. `SMASH' constitutes a component of another algorithm by the authors trying to decide whether or not a matrix group is primitive [J. Algebra 184, No. 3, 795-817 (1996; see the preceding review Zbl 0865.20013)]. Implementations of the algorithm are publicly available in the computer algebra systems GAP and MAGMA.