Developments in finite Phan theory. (Q1959041)

In 1977 \textit{K.-W. Phan} introduced what is now known as Phan theory [J. Aust. Math. Soc., Ser. A 23, 67-77 (1977; Zbl 0369.20026); ibid. 129-146 (1977; Zbl 0381.20034)]. It provided a way to identify groups of Lie type by a set of 3-dimensional unitary groups. Together with the Curtis-Tits theory this became a standard way for such identifications, as can be seen in the paper of \textit{M. Aschbacher} [Ann. Math. (2) 106, 353-398, 399-468 (1977; Zbl 0393.20011)], where he identified Lie groups in odd characteristic by subnormal subgroups \(\text{SL}_2(q)\) in the centralizer of an involution. In 2001 a group of authors, C. Bennett, R. Gramlich, C. Hoffman and S. Shpectorov, started a project to revise the work of Phan and extend it. This paper now is a very complete and good readable report on the current status of this project. It starts with the paper of Phan and gives the modern treatments and the relations with geometric objects like Curtis-Tits theory, amalgams, buildings including twin buildings and flip-flop geometries. It ends collecting the main results of the theory, which read as follows. A Phan system related to a spherical Dynkin diagram \(\Delta\) is a set of subgroups \(U_\alpha=\text{SU}_2(q^2)\) of a group \(G\) indexed by the nodes of \(\Delta\). Further we have that \([U_\alpha,U_\beta]=1\) if \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are not connected in \(\Delta\), \(\langle U_\alpha,U_\beta\rangle\cong\text{(P)SU}_3(q^2)\) if \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are connected by a single bond and \(\langle U_\alpha,U_\beta\rangle\cong\text{(P)Sp}_4(q)\) if they are connected by a double bond. In the last two cases we also ask for a special embedding of \(U_\alpha\), \(U_\beta\) in \(\langle U_\alpha,U_\beta\rangle\). Finally \(G=\langle U_\alpha\mid\alpha\in \Delta\rangle\). The main result is that if \(\Delta\) is of rank at least 3 then \(G\cong\text{SU}_n(q^2)\), \(\text{Spin}_n(q)\), \(\text{Sp}_{2n}(q)^2\), \(E_6(q^2)\), \(E_7(q)\), \(E_8(q)\) provided \(q\geq 4\) or \(F_4(q)\) (in case \(\Delta\) of type \(F_4\) and \(q\geq 13\)).