Recognising the Suzuki groups in their natural representations. (Q2496861)

The so-called `matrix group recognition project' aims to produce effective algorithms to compute structural information about arbitrary groups defined by a generating set of matrices over a finite field. An important component is constructive recognition of simple groups, which is generally taken to mean setting up an isomorphism with a standard copy of the group, in such a way that images of arbitrary elements under the isomorphism and its inverse can be effectively computed. In the case of simple groups of Lie type the obvious approach is to proceed by induction on the Lie rank, and deal with the base cases individually. For example, the base case \(\text{PSL}_2(q)\) is dealt with (in its natural representation) by \textit{M. Conder} and \textit{C. R. Leedham-Green} [Groups and computation III. Ohio State Univ. Math. Res. Inst. Publ. 8, 113-121 (2001; Zbl 1012.20043)], and provides the model for the case \(\text{Sz}(q)\) dealt with in the present paper. The crucial step is to find generators for a Borel subgroup (of index \(q^2+1\)), which is achieved by solving a complicated system of equations. Assuming that this system of equations always has a solution (no counterexample has yet been found!) the resulting algorithms are shown to run in Las Vegas polynomial time, given a random element oracle and a discrete logarithm oracle. An implementation in MAGMA deals comfortably with \(\text{Sz}(2^{111})\), a group whose order is approximately the square of the order of the Monster sporadic simple group.