The torsion index of \(E_8\) and other groups (Q2572636)

The torsion index was defined by A. Grothendieck in the Séminaire C.~Chevalley (Exposé 5, 1958): it is a positive integer, \(t(G)\), associated to any connected compact Lie group \(G\). The torsion index of all the simply connected exceptional Lie groups except for \(E_8\) can be deduced from results of \textit{J. Tits} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 315, No. 11, 1131--1138 (1992; Zbl 0823.20042)]. It can also be proved, from previous results of Serre and Tits, that the torsion index of \(E_8\) must be between \(2^2.3.5\) and \(2^9.3^3.5\). In the paper under review, the author shows that the torsion index of \(E_8\) is exactly \(2^6.3^2.5\), the main part of the paper being the proof that \(2^6\) is a lower bound for the 2-part. First the author reduces, in some cases, the computation of \(t(G)\) to the knowledge of the cohomology ring of the homogeneous space \(G/H\), with \(H\) a closed connected subgroup of maximal rank. The final key argument is the use of an algorithm of Buchberger for the determination of a Gröbner basis for the ring \(H^*(E_8/A_8;{\mathbb Z}/2)\). The paper contains also the computation of the torsion index of the groups \(\text{ PSO}(2n)\), \(E_6/({\mathbb Z}/3)\) and \(E_7/({\mathbb Z}/2)\).