Rank 3 permutation modules of the finite classical groups. (Q2572080)

Let \(G\) denote one of the finite classical groups consisting of the full group of isometries of a non-degenerate alternating, Hermitian or quadratic form. In the case that \(G\) is a symplectic group, it is well known that \(G\) acts as a rank 3 permutation group on the set of one-dimensional subspaces of the underlying vector space. The unitary and orthogonal groups likewise act as rank 3 permutation groups on the set of singular one-dimensional subspaces (where a singular subspace is one for which the restriction of the underlying form is identically zero). The analysis of the irreducible constituents of the associated rank 3 permutation modules was begun in a paper of D. G. Higman in 1964. In two papers of 1984 and 1985, M. Liebeck investigated these permutation modules over fields of prime characteristic different from the characteristic of the field defining the geometry of the underlying vector space. He obtained much information about submodule structure but omitted certain cases associated with combinatorial degeneracies. The paper under review resumes the so-called cross characteristic analysis of the rank 3 permutation modules and fills in the gaps left in Liebeck's work. Specifically, the authors assume that \(G\) is one of the general unitary or orthogonal groups \(U(2n,q^2)\), \(O(2m+1,q)\), \(O^+(2m,q)\), \(O^-(2m,q)\), and work over an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(\ell\), where \(\ell\) is a divisor of \(q+1\). They then describe in detail the submodule structure of the rank 3 permutation module in characteristic \(\ell\). It is impossible for us to describe the authors' precise findings, as the statement of the main theorem consists of eight cases, summarized in the form of submodule diagrams occupying several journal pages.