2-minimal subgroups of monomial, linear and unitary groups (Q2333361)

This paper deals with finite groups \(G\) of Lie type over fields of odd characteristic. For a \(2\)-Sylow subgroup \(S\) and its normalizer \(B\), one is interested in classifying all the \(2\)-minimal subgroups (the minimal parabolic subgroups of \(G\) containing \(B\) properly in the language of buildings). Furthermore, one is interested in determining minimal parabolic systems -- these are families of mninimal parabolics \(P_1, \dots, P_m\) that generate \(G\) but contain no proper subfamilies that do. The paper under review completely describes in an explicit manner the \(2\)-minimal subgroups in the case of general linear and unitary groups over finite fields of odd characteristic. The list of \(2\)-minimal subgroups listed into seven families is pleasantly short. Moreover, excepting one family, the description is independent of the cardinality of the field (but can depend on the congruence class of cardinality mod \(8\)). On the way, the authors also study and use a description of the \(2\)-minimal subgroups of the wreath product of cyclic groups of odd order with symmetric groups. The authors also deduce an analogous description for the special linear and special unitary groups. In particular, their \(2\)-minimal subgroups turn out to be the intersections with the \(2\)-minimal subgroups of \(\mathrm{GL}_n\) and \(\mathrm{GU}_n\). The final section of the paper deals with \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(q)\) and \(\mathrm{SL}_2(q)\) for odd \(q\). Here, as the authors say, the main result is a ``minefield of congruences.''