On certain subgroups of E8(2) and their Brauer character tables

Abstract

For the exceptional group of Lie type E8(2) a maximal subgroup is either one of a known set or it is almost simple. In this thesis we compile a complete list of almost simple groups that may have a maximal embedding in E8(2) and in many cases it is proved that such an embedding does not exist. For the groups L2(32) and L2(128) we go further and find all conjugacy classes of their embeddings in E8(2). Extensive use is made of the theory of Brauer characters and modular representation theory, and as such include Brauer character tables in characteristic 2 for many small rank simple groups. The work in this thesis relies heavily on the computer package Magma and includes a collection of useful procedures for computational group theory. The results presented are the author’s contribution to the ongoing attempt to classify the maximal subgroups of E8(2)

Date of Award	31 Dec 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Louise Walker (Supervisor) & Peter Rowley (Supervisor)