Elementary covering numbers in odd-dimensional unitary groups (Q6043875)

Let \(G\) be a group and and \(S\subseteq G\) a subset. For any subset \(X\subseteq G\) define \(\operatorname{cn}_{X}(S)\) as the least positive integer \(m\) such that \(S\subseteq X^m=\{x_1\dots x_m\mid x_1,\dots,x_m\in X\}\). If no such \(m\) exists, then \(\operatorname{cn}_{X}(S):=\infty\). The author calls \(\operatorname{cn}_X(S)\) the \textit{covering number of \(S\) with respect to \(X\)}. For any set \(\mathcal{X}\) of subsets of \(G\), define \(\operatorname{cn}_{\mathcal{X}}(S)\) as the supremum of all covering numbers \(\operatorname{cn}_X(S)\) where \(X\in \mathcal{X}\). The author calls \(\operatorname{cn}_\mathcal{X}(S)\) the \textit{covering number of \(S\) with respect to \(\mathcal{X}\)}. He notes that if \(\mathcal{X}\) is the set of all conjugacy classes in \(G\) that are not contained in a proper normal subgroup, then \(\operatorname{cn}_\mathcal{X}(G)\) is the usual covering number \(\operatorname{cn}(G)\). The author calls \(\operatorname{scn}_X(S):=\operatorname{cn}_{X\cup X^{-1}}(S)\) the \textit{symmetric covering number of \(S\) with respect to \(X\)} and \(\operatorname{scn}_\mathcal{X}(S):=\sup\{\operatorname{scn}_X(S)\mid X\in \mathcal{X}\}\) the \textit{symmetric covering number of \(S\) with respect to \(\mathcal{X}\)}. The investigation of products of conjugacy classes in different types of groups is an important topic in group theory during the last 30--40 years. Let \(\mathcal{C}\) denote the set of all conjugacy classes of level \((K,\Delta)\), \(S_{\operatorname{short}}\) the set of all nontrivial short root transvections and \(S_{\operatorname{extra}}\) the set of all nontrivial extra short root transvections. In this paper, the author proves that \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{C}}(S_{\operatorname{short}})\leq 4\) and \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{C}}(S_{\operatorname{extra}})\leq 12\). Moreover, he shows that the bound \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{C}}(S_{\operatorname{short}})\leq 4\) is sharp, i.e. there is no better bound valid for all Hermitian form fields \((K,\Delta)\) and \(n\geq 3\). If the Hermitian form \(B\) is degenerate and \(K\times 0\subseteq \Delta\), then there is a second nonzero odd form ideal, namely \((0,K\times 0)\). Let \(\mathcal{D}\) denote the set of all conjugacy classes of level \((0,K\times 0)\) and \(T\) the set of all nontrivial \((0,K\times 0)\)-elementary extra short root transvections. The author proves that \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{D}}(T)=1\) if \(K=\mathbb{F}_2\) and \((0,1)\in \Delta\), and \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{D}}(T)=2\) otherwise. The author also investigates covering numbers with respect to conjugacy classes of level \((0,K\times 0)\). The author discusses the following open problems too: \begin{itemize} \item[(1)] Can the bound \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{C}}(S_{\operatorname{short}})\leq 4\) be improved if one restricts to Hermitian form fields \((K,\Delta)\) where \(\mu\neq 0\) (i.e. the Hermitian form \(B\) is nondegenerate) or \(2\) is invertible? \item[(2)] What is the optimal bound for \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{C}}(S_{\operatorname{short}})\) for the classical Chevalley groups \(\operatorname{Sp}_{2n}(K)\), \(\operatorname{O}_{2n}(K)\) and \(\operatorname{O}_{2n+1}(K)\), respectively? \item[(3)] What is the optimal bound for \(\operatorname{scn}_{\mathcal{C}}(S_{\operatorname{extra}})\)? \end{itemize}