An effective Lie-Kolchin theorem for quasi-unipotent matrices (Q2273880)

Let \(V\) be a finite dimensional complex vector space. The authors define a linear transformation \(T\in \mathrm{GL}(V)\) to be quasi-unipotent if all the eigenvalues of \(T\) are roots of unity. The main theorem of this paper is the following. (Theorem 1.2): Let \(A,B\in \mathrm{GL}(V)\) be quasi-unipotent and assume further that the Jordan form for \(B\ \)is a single block (so all eigenvalues of \(B\) are equal). Suppose that for each non-negative integer \(k\) the values of the traces \(\operatorname{tr}((AB^{n})^{k})\) are independent of \(n\). Then \(A\) and \(B\) have a common eigenvector. (Corollary 1.3): Under the same hypotheses, there exists a basis of \(V\ \)over which the subgroup \(\langle A,B\rangle \) has triangular form; hence \(\langle A,B\rangle \) is solvable. The authors also explain why they became interested in this theorem. (Proposition 2.1): Let \(S\) be an orientable connected surface of finite type and genus \(\geq3\), and let \(\mathrm{Mod}(S)\) be the group of homotopy classes of orientation-preserving homeomorphisms of \(S\). If \(T\in \mathrm{Mod}(S)\) is a Dehn twist then \(\rho(T)\) is quasi-unipotent for each linear representation \(\rho\) of \(\mathrm{Mod}(S)\).