M. Aschbacher – författare

During the last 40 years the theory of finite groups has developed dramatically. The finite simple groups have been classified and are becoming better understood. Tools exist to reduce many questions about arbitrary finite groups to similar questions about simple groups. Since the classification there have been numerous applications of this theory in other branches of mathematics. Finite Group Theory develops the foundations of the theory of finite groups. It can serve as a text for a course on finite groups for students already exposed to a first course in algebra. It could supply the background necessary to begin reading journal articles in the field. For specialists it also provides a reference on the foundations of the subject. This second edition has been considerably improved with a completely rewritten Chapter 15 considering the 2-Signalizer Functor Theorem, and the addition of an appendix containing solutions to exercises.

During the last 40 years the theory of finite groups has developed dramatically. The finite simple groups have been classified and are becoming better understood. Tools exist to reduce many questions about arbitrary finite groups to similar questions about simple groups. Since the classification there have been numerous applications of this theory in other branches of mathematics. Finite Group Theory develops the foundations of the theory of finite groups. It can serve as a text for a course on finite groups for students already exposed to a first course in algebra. It could supply the background necessary to begin reading journal articles in the field. For specialists it also provides a reference on the foundations of the subject. This second edition has been considerably improved with a completely rewritten Chapter 15 considering the 2-Signalizer Functor Theorem, and the addition of an appendix containing solutions to exercises.

Five areas of concentrated research were chosen on which attention would be focused, namely: diagram geometries and chamber systems with transitive automorphism groups, geometries viewed as incidence systems, properties of finite groups of Lie type, geometries related to finite simple groups, and algebraic groups.

The workshop was set up in order to stimulate the interaction between (finite and algebraic) geometries and groups. Five areas of concentrated research were chosen on which attention would be focused, namely: diagram geometries and chamber systems with transitive automorphism groups, geometries viewed as incidence systems, properties of finite groups of Lie type, geometries related to finite simple groups, and algebraic groups. The list of talks (cf. page iii) illustrates how these subjects were represented during the workshop. The contributions to these proceedings mainly belong to the first three areas; therefore, (i) diagram geometries and chamber systems with transitive automorphism groups, (ii) geometries viewed as incidence systems, and (iii) properties of finite groups of Lie type occur as section titles. The fourth and final section of these proceedings has been named graphs and groups; besides some graph theory, this encapsules most of the work related to finite simple groups that does not (explicitly) deal with diagram geometry. A few more words about the content: (i). Diagram geometries and chamber systems with transitive automorphism groups. As a consequence of Tits'' seminal work on the subject, all finite buildings are known. But usually, in a situation where groups are to be characterized by certain data concerning subgroups, a lot less is known than the full parabolic picture corresponding to the building.