2-coverings for exceptional and sporadic simple groups. (Q378893)

It is well known that any finite group \(G\) cannot be the union of the \(G\)-conjugates of a proper subgroup. However, such a group can be the union of the \(G\)-conjugates of two proper subgroups. If \(H\) and \(K\) are proper subgroups of \(G\) such that \(G=\bigcup_{g\in G}H^g\cup\bigcup_{g\in G}K^g\), then \(G\) is called 2-coverable and the pair \((H,K)\) is called 2-covering for \(G\). One may assume that both \(H\) and \(K\) are proper subgroups. The classification of the 2-coverable finite simple alternating or classical groups is obtained in papers by \textit{D. Bubboloni, M. S. Lucido} and \textit{Th. Weigel} [see Commun. Algebra 30, No. 5, 2143-2159 (2002; Zbl 1007.20030); Rend. Semin. Mat. Univ. Padova 115, 209--252 (2006; Zbl 1156.20039) and some unpublished papers]. In the present paper, the author closes the classification of the 2-coverable finite simple groups, considering the exceptional groups of Lie type and the sporadic groups. It is proved that such a group is one of the following groups: \(G_2(2^a)\), \(F_4(3^a)\), \(G_2(2)'\), \(^2G_2(3)'\), \(^2F_4(2)'\), \(M_{11}\).