Structure of Borel subgroups in simple groups of finite Morley rank. (Q891076)

This paper constitutes a major step towards the structural analysis of groups of finite Morley rank. Recall that the Cherlin-Zilber algebraicity conjecture asserts that a simple group of finite Morley rank be an algebraic group over an algebraically closed field; the analysis of such groups has been inspired both by algebraic group theory, and by the classification of finite simple groups. A \textit{minimal simple group of finite Morley rank} is one whose proper connected subgroups are soluble; a \textit{Borel subgroup} is a maximal connected definable soluble subgroup, a \textit{Carter} subgroup is a definable connected nilpotent subgroup of finite index in its normalizer, and a \textit{torus} is a definable abelian divisible subgroup; a torus is \textit{decent} if it is the definable envelope of its torsion. The authors describe the structure of minimal simple groups of finite Morley rank satisfying the following hypothesis (*): Either \(G\) has a nilpotent Borel subgroup, or no Borel subgroup is generically disjoint from its conjugates. Under hypothesis (*), any Borel subgroup \(B\) decomposes as a semi-direct product \(B=U\rtimes D\), where \(D\) is any Carter subgroup of \(B\) and \(U\) is a normal nilpotent connected definable subgroup of \(B\). Moreover, if \(D\) is abelian, then \(B'=U\) and \(Z(B)=F(B)\cap D\). The proof uses a kind of \textit{Jordan decomposition} entirely new in the abstract context of groups of finite Morley rank. Call an element \(g\) \textit{semisimple} if it belongs to some Carter subgroup, and \textit{unipotent} if its definable envelope \(d(g)\) contains no non-trivial semisimple element. Then in a minimal simple group of finite Morley rank satisfying (*), for every element \(g\) there are unique unipotent \(g_u\) and semisimple \(g_s\) with \(g=g_ug_s=g_sg_u\). Morover, \(d(g)=d(g_s)\times d(g_u)\), and if \(gh=hg\), then \((gh)_u=g_uh_u\) and \((gh)_s=g_sh_s\). In any connected definable soluble subgroup \(H\), the set of unipotent elements forms a definable normal connected subgroup \(H_u\), and \(H=H_u\rtimes T\) for any maximal semisimple torus \(T\) of \(H\). The proof proceeds by case distinction according to the tetratochomy theorem established by the authors [in Isr. J. Math. 197, 377-407 (2013; Zbl 1298.20047)], which analyses Borel and Carter subgroups according to two criteria: whether or not the Weyl group is trivial, and whether or not there is a Borel subgroup generically disjoint from its conjugates. Note that the hypothesis (*) covers three out of the four cases completely. (The Weyl group is defined as \(N_G(T)/C_G(T)\), where \(T\) is any maximal decent torus. As maximal decent tori are conjugate, the Weyl group is well-defined.) The authors use most of the tools developed for groups of finite Morley rank, which are reviewed in sections 2 and 3. Despite the highly technical nature, the authors have tried to make the paper as accessible as possible.