On the topological generation of exceptional groups by unipotent elements (Q6971326)

Let \(G\) be a simple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic \(p\geq 0\) and let \(\mathcal{C}_1 , \ldots, \mathcal{C}_t\) be non-central conjugacy classes in \(G\), where \(t \geq 2\). Consider the irreducible subvariety \(X = \mathcal{C}_1 \times \cdots \times \mathcal{C}_t\) of the Cartesian product \(G^t\). Given a tuple \(x = (x_1 , \ldots , x_t ) \in X\), let \(G(x)\) denote the Zariski closure of the subgroup \(\langle x_1 ,\ldots , x_ t \rangle\) and set \(\Delta= \{x \in X : G(x) = G\}\). In this setting, a basic problem is to determine whether or not \(\Delta\) is empty. Note that if \(k\) is algebraic over a finite field then \(G\) is locally finite and thus \(\Delta\) is always empty, so this problem is only interesting when \(k\) is not algebraic over a finite field, which is a hypothesis the author adopts throughout the paper.\N\NExtending the earlier work by \textit{T. C. Burness} et al. [Adv. Math. 369, Article ID 107177, 49 p. (2020; Zbl 1505.20041)], the author proves the following result:\N\NLet \(G\) be a simple algebraic group of exceptional type over an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(p > 0\) that is not algebraic over a finite field. Set \(X = \mathcal{C}_1 \times \cdots \times \mathcal{C}_t\), where \(t\geq 2\) and each \(\mathcal{C}_i\) is a conjugacy class of elements of order \(p\) in \(G\). Assume \(p\geq 3\) if \(t = 2\). Then \(\Delta\) is empty if and only if \(X\) is one of the cases recorded in two tables given at the end of the paper.