From Farey Symbols to Generators for Subgroups of Finite Index in Integral Group Rings of Finite Groups
 
From Farey Symbols to Generators for Subgroups of Finite Index in Integral Group Rings of Finite Groups 
 
Ann Dooms, Eric Jespers, A. Konovalov
 
Abstract 

Let U(ZG) be the group of units of the integral group ring ZG, of the finite nonabelian group G over the ring of integers Z. Although work of Borel and Harish-Chandra showed almost a half century ago that U(ZG) is finitely pre- sented, a specific set of generators for the group is known only in a few cases. Thus the focus of research has been finding specific generators for subgroups of finite index in U(ZG). The current paper extends work of many authors over a considerable period of time on this topic. The principle achievement of the paper is to eliminate the assumption that the rational group ring QG does not contain simple exceptional Wedderburn components of the type M2(Q). The problems caused by such factors are well known to experts on this topic. The paper overcomes these problems by introducing new units, using the theory of Farey symbols that yield generators for subgroups of finite index in PSL2(Z). As could be expected, Poincare's method which represents PSL2(Z) as Moebius transformations in the hyperbolic plane plays an important role in the above.