Involutions in Coxeter groups (Q6970375)

The authors provide a combinatorial characterization of the number \(\mathrm{cc}_2\) of conjugacy classes of involutions in arbitrary Coxeter groups. Building on the results of \textit{V. V. Deodhar} [Commun. Algebra 10, 611--630 (1982; Zbl 0491.20032)] and \textit{R. W. Richardson} [Bull. Aust. Math. Soc. 26, 1--15 (1982; Zbl 0531.20017)], they introduce a generalization of the notion of the odd graph associated with a Coxeter diagram, defining a family of so-called higher rank odd graphs \(\Gamma^k\). The main result asserts that the conjugacy classes of involutions of rank \(k\) in a Coxeter group \(W\) are in bijection with the connected components of the \(k\)-odd graph \(\Gamma^k\) derived from its diagram. The total number of involution classes is then given by \(\sum_k |\pi_0(\Gamma^k)|\).\N\NThis framework yields a new, purely combinatorial method to compute \(\mathrm{cc}_2(W)\), which the authors compare with the Deodhar-Richardson procedure. As a key step, they prove a criterion (Theorem~1.2) to decide when two spherical standard parabolic subgroups with central longest elements are conjugate. The argument hinges on odd-adjacency relations among Coxeter generators and relies on earlier work by \textit{R. B. Howlett} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 21, 62--80 (1980; Zbl 0427.20040)] and \textit{D. Krammer} [Groups Geom. Dyn. 3, No. 1, 71--171 (2009; Zbl 1176.20032)].\N\NSeveral extremal cases are discussed: in particular, the paper determines precisely when all involutions are reflections and when there exists a unique involution class. The bounds \(1 \le \mathrm{cc}_2(W) \le 2n-1\) are revisited, with a sharp description of the cases attaining equality.