The values of unipotent characters at unipotent elements for groups of type \(\mathsf{E}_8\) and \(^2{\mathsf{E}}_6\) (Q6971249)

This paper completes the determination of the values of unipotent characters at unipotent elements for the finite groups \( G(q) \), where \( G \) is the simple exceptional group of type \(\mathsf{E}_8\) and for \( G = {}^2{\mathsf{E}}_6 \) when \( q \) is a power of~2. This computational program originates from the theory of character sheaves developed by Lusztig in the 1980's and was further refined by \textit{T. Shoji} [Adv. Math. 111, No.~2, 244--313, 314--354 (1995; Zbl 0832.20065)], who showed that the problem could be reduced to determining certain roots of unity. Values in all other cases had been determined previously using this framework, with the groups \(\mathsf{E}_8(q) \) and \( {}^2{\mathsf{E}}_6(q) \) (for even \( q \)) remaining as the final open instances.\N\NThe author resolves the final ambiguities in this context, namely the identification of specific roots of unity that appear in the expression of character values via the Lusztig-Shoji algorithm. These roots are not determined intrinsically by the structure of the character sheaves or by the general theory, but require separate case-by-case determination. The paper carries out this computation for \(\mathsf{E}_8(q) \) for all prime powers \( q \) and for \( {}^2{\mathsf{E}}_6(q) \) when \( q \) is a power of \(2\), thereby completing the set of known evaluations at unipotent elements for these groups.\N\NThe results rely on a detailed understanding of the parametrization of character sheaves, the combinatorics of families and the explicit structure of the associated Fourier matrices.