Algorithms for computing with nilpotent matrix groups over infinite domains. (Q2481472)

The authors develop a technique for computing with matrix groups defined over infinite domains, based on changing the ground domain via congruence homomorphisms. These methods can be applied to the design of algorithms for nilpotent groups. In particular, they are applied to nilpotency testing algorithms for matrix groups over an infinite field. Let \(\mathbb{F}\) be a field and suppose that \(G\) is a finitely generated subgroup of the general linear group \(\text{GL}(n,\mathbb{F})\). The authors obtain algorithms for carrying out the following tasks: (i) Testing nilpotency of \(G\); and if \(G\) is nilpotent: (ii) constructing a polycyclic presentation of \(G\); (iii) testing whether \(G\) is completely reducible, and finding a completely reducible series of \(G\)-modules; (iv) deciding finiteness of \(G\), and calculating \(|G|\) if \(G\) is finite; (v) finding the \(p\)-primary decomposition of \(G\), and finding all Sylow \(p\)-subgroups if \(G\) is finite. The main algorithms have been implemented in GAP, for groups over the rational number field.