Invariable generation of finite classical groups (Q2042945)

A subset of a finite group invariably generates the group if it generates even when we replace the elements by any of their conjugates. Let \(G_r(q)\) be a finite group of Lie type of rank \(r\) over \(\mathbb{F}_q\). In this paper, the author shows that for \(q\) large enough, the probability that four random elements invariably generate \(G_r(q)\) is bounded away from zero for all \(r\), while for three elements the probability tends to zero as \(q\) and \(r\) tends to infinity. The same threshold was previously proved for the symmetric groups by the combined results of \textit{R. Pemantle} et al. [Random Struct. Algorithms 49, No. 3, 409--428 (2016; Zbl 1349.05337)] and \textit{S. Eberhard} et al. [Duke Math. J. 166, No. 8, 1573--1590 (2017; Zbl 1475.20098)]. On the other hand, the author already proved with \textit{D. Garzoni} that two elements are sufficient when \(r\) is fixed [``On the probability of generating invariably a finite simple group'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2008.03812}]. The main part of the proof covers the classical groups of unbounded rank, which are handled by showing that the probability to invariably generate \(G_r(q)\) is close to the probability to invariably generate a certain symmetric group (Theorem 5.2). This requires some reduction, namely it is sufficient to study the probability that random separable elements invariably generate some irreducible subgroup (Proposition 2.2).