The Margulis-Platonov conjecture for \(\text{SL}_{1,D}\) and 2-generation of finite simple groups.
Let \(K\) be a global field, \(G\) a simple simply connected algebraic group defined over \(K\), and \(A\) the set of all nonarchimedean valuations \(v\) of \(K\), such that \(G\) is anisotropic over the completion \(K_v\) of \(K\) with respect to the topology of \(v\). It is known that \(A\) is finite [see e.g. Sect. 9.1 of \textit{V. P. Platonov} and \textit{A. S. Rapinchuk}'s book Algebraic groups and number theory. Moscow: Nauka (1991; Zbl 0732.20027)]. Denote by \(G(L)\) the group of rational points of \(G\) over an arbitrary extension \(L\) of \(K\), and by \(G_A\) the topological group product \(\prod G(K_v)\), indexed by \(A\). Also, let \(\delta\colon G(K)\to G_A\) be the diagonal map. The Margulis-Platonov conjecture states that for any noncentral normal subgroup \(H\) of \(G(K)\) there exists an open normal subgroup \(W\) of \(G_A\) whose pre-image in \(G(K)\) coincides with \(H\); in particular, if \(A\) is empty, then \(H\) does not possess proper noncentral normal subgroups. This conjecture has been proved in a number of cases including the one of \(G=\text{SL}_1(D)\), where \(D\) is a finite-dimensional central division \(K\)-algebra. The proofs of the obtained results rely heavily on the classification of finite simple groups [see \textit{Y. Segev} and \textit{G. M. Seitz}, Pac. J. Math. 202, No. 1, 125-225 (2002; Zbl 1058.20015)]. The paper under review gives a new (considerably shorter) proof of the Margulis-Platonov conjecture, for \(G=\text{SL}_1(D)\), in which the use of this classification is limited to its consequence that finite simple groups are generated by two elements.
finite dimensional central division algebras
simple simply connected algebraic groups
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 5000058
scientific article