Generation of the symplectic group by involutions

DOI10.1016/J.LAA.2020.01.003MaRDI QIDQ2174510zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Erich W. Ellers, Oliver Villa

Publication date 21 April 2020

Published in Linear Algebra and its Applications (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1016/j.laa.2020.01.003

zbMATH Keywords

classical groupsinvolutionssymplectic group

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Factorization of matrices (15A23) Matrix Lie algebras (15B30) Other matrix groups over fields (20H20) Orthogonal and unitary groups in metric geometry (51F25) Geometry of classical groups (51N30)

Review text

Let \(\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) be the symplectic group of a \(2n\)-dimensional vector space \(V\) over a field \(F\) with \(n>1\). A group \(G\) is called \(m\)-reflectional, if every element of \(G\) is a product of \(m\) involutions. If \(F\) is of characteristic \(2\), according to [\textit{E. W. Ellers} and \textit{W. Nolte}, Arch. Math. 39, 113--118 (1982; Zbl 0491.51019)], \(\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) is \(2\)-reflectional. In [\textit{R. J. de la Cruz}, Linear Algebra Appl. 466, 382--400 (2015; Zbl 1310.15020)] it is shown that in the case where \(F\) is the field of complex numbers, \(\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) is \(4\)-reflectional. For the case where \(F\) is the field of complex number in [\textit{D. Awa} and \textit{R. J. de la Cruz}, Linear Algebra Appl. 589, 85--95 (2020; Zbl 1441.15008)] it is shown that every element of \(\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) is a product of a finite number of involution, but this group is not \(4\)-reflectional. In the current paper, the authors show if \(F\) is of characteristic different from \(2\) and \(-1\) is a square in \(F\) then \(\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) is \(4\)-reflectional (resp. \(6\)-reflectional) if \(n\) is even (resp. \(n\) is odd and \(n\geq5\)). The proofs use a lemma which states that every element \(\tau\) of \(\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) can be expressed as \(\tau=\sigma_1\sigma_2\) where \(\sigma_1, \sigma_2\in\mathrm{Sp}(V)\) with \(\sigma_1^2=\sigma_2^2=-1\). This lemma is a consequence of a theorem of \textit{M. J. Wonenburger} [J. Math. Mech. 16, 327--338 (1966; Zbl 0168.03403)].

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Cites work

• Bireflectionality of orthogonal and symplectic groups
• Each symplectic matrix is a product of four symplectic involutions
• Every real symplectic matrix is a product of real symplectic involutions
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Cited in

(14)

• Commutators in the symplectic group
• Classes of conjugate involutions of symplectic groups over fields of even order and related questions
• Products of commutators of symplectic involutions
• Decomposition of symplectic matrices into products of commutators of symplectic involutions
• Every real symplectic matrix is a product of commutators of real symplectic involutions
• Reality of unipotent elements in classical Lie groups
• Products of two involutions in orthogonal and symplectic groups
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 7692346 (Why is no real title available?)
• Products of involutions in symplectic groups over general fields (I)
• Commutators of skew-involutions
• Every 2n-by-2n complex symplectic matrix is a product of n + 1 symplectic dilatations
• Products of involutions in symplectic groups over general fields. II: Finite fields
• Bireflectionality of the weak orthogonal and the weak symplectic groups
• On the geometry of symplectic involutions

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