Decomposability of symplectic matrices over principal ideal domain (Q2254214)

It is well known that the characteristic polynomial of any integral symplectic matrix is palindromic. The author of the present article proves the converse. More precisely, it is proved that for any palindromic monic polynomial \(f(x)\) of even degree, there is an integral symplectic matrix whose characteristic polynomial is \(f(x)\). The author also proves a sufficient condition on decomposability of integral symplectic matrices as symplectic direct sums of two symplectic matrices which have smaller genera and coprime characteristic polynomials. Furthermore, the author finds the number of conjugacy classes of \(pq\)-torsion in the symplectic group of genus \((p + q - 2)/2\) over rational integers, where \(p\) and \(q\) are distinct odd primes.