On \(\text{SU}(1,D)/[\text{U}(1,D),\text{U}(1,D)]\) for a quaternion division algebra \(D\). (Q933722)

Let \(k\) be a field of characteristic different from \(2\), \(K/k\) a quadratic field extension, \(N(K/k)\) the norm group of \(K/k\), and \(D\) a quaternion division \(K\)-algebra with an involution \(\sigma\) of the second kind (i.e. inducing on \(K\) a \(k\)-automorphism of order \(2\)). It is known that then there exists a quaternion division \(k\)-algebra \(A\), such that \(D\) is isomorphic to the \(K\)-algebra \(A\otimes_kK\). Denote by \(\text{U}(1,D)\) the unitary group of \(D\), defined as the subgroup \(\{d\in D:d\cdot d^\sigma=1\}\) of the multiplicative group \(D^*\). Also, let \(A^*\) be the multiplicative group of \(A\), \(N_0\colon A \to k\) the reduced norm map, and \(G=\{a\in A^*:N_0(a)\in N(K/k)\}\). Clearly, the special unitary group \(\text{SU}(1,D)=\text{SL}(1,D)\cap\text{U}(1,D)\), where \(\text{SL}(1,D)\) is the special linear group of \(D\), includes the commutator group \([\text{U}(1,D),\text{U}(1,D)]\). The paper under review considers the problem of whether \(\text{SU}(1,D)=[\text{U}(1,D),\text{U}(1,D)]\), i.e. whether \(\text{SU}(1,D)\) satisfies an analogue to \textit{S. Wang}'s theorem [see Am. J. Math. 72, 323-334 (1950; Zbl 0040.30302)]. It shows that the quotient groups \(\text{SU}(1,D)/[\text{U}(1,D),\text{U}(1,D)]\) and \(\text{SL}(1,A)/[G,G]\) are isomorphic. Relying on \textit{G. A. Margulis}' theorem [see Sov. Math. Dokl. 21, 780--784 (1980); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 252, 542--546 (1980; Zbl 0503.12011)], the authors find the structure and the order of \(\text{SL}(1,A)/[G,G]\) in the special case where \(k\) is a global field. The obtained result shows that \([\text{U}(1,D),\text{U}(1,D)]\) is a subgroup of \(\text{SU}(1,D)\) of finite index and, generally, \([\text{U}(1,D),\text{U}(1,D)]\neq\text{SU}(1,D)\).