Noether's problem for \(\text{GL}(2, 3)\) (Q2476192)

The author of the paper under review proves that if \(W\) is the regular representation of the general linear group \(G=\text{GL}(2,3)\) over any field \(K\), then the fixed field \(K(W)^G\) is purely transcendental over \(K\). From this, he concludes that the non-trivial double covers of the symmetric groups \(S_4\) and \(S_5\) in which transpositions lift to elements of order 2 do admit generic Galois extensions over \(\mathbb{Q}\) in the sense of \textit{D. Saltman} in [Adv. Math. 43, 250--283 (1982; Zbl 0484.12004)]. In contrast, the double covers of \(S_4\) and \(S_5\) in which transpositions and products of two disjoint transpositions lift to elements of order 4 do not admit generic Galois extensions over \(\mathbb{Q}\), as proved by \textit{S. Garibaldi}, \textit{A. Merkurjev}, and \textit{J.-P. Serre} in [Cohomological invariants in Galois cohomology (University Lecture Series 28, AMS, Chicago) (2003; Zbl 1159.12311)].