EXPLICIT CONSTRUCTIONS OF RAMANUJAN COMPLEXES 5 0 0 ALEXANDER LUBOTZKY, BETH SAMUELS, AND UZI VISHNE 2 n Abstract. In this paper we present for every d 2 and every a ≥ localfieldF ofpositivecharacteristic,explicitconstructionsofRa- J manujan complexes which are quotients of the Bruhat-Tits build- 5 ing d(F) associated with PGLd(F). B ] O C . h 1. Introduction t a m In [LSV] we defined and proved the existence of Ramanujan com- [ plexes, see also [B1], [CSZ] and [Li]. The goal of this paper is to present an explicit construction of such complexes. 2 v Our work is based on the lattice constructed by Cartwright and Ste- 7 ger [CS]. This remarkable discrete subgroup Γ of PGL (F), when F 1 d 2 is a local field of positive characteristic, acts simply transitively on the 6 vertices of the Bruhat-Tits building (F), associated with PGL (F). d d 0 B By choosing suitable congruence subgroups of Γ, we are able to present 4 0 the 1-skeleton of the corresponding finite quotients of (F) as Cayley d / B h graphs of explicit finite groups, with specific sets of generators. The t simplicial complex structure is then defined by means of these genera- a m tors. : Let [d] denote the number of subspaces of dimension k of Fd. v k q q i X Theorem 1.1. Let q be a prime power, d 2, e 1 (e > 1 if q = 2). ar Then, the group G = PGLd(Fqe) has an (≥explicit≥) set S of [d1]q+[d2]q+ +[ d ] generators, such that the Cayley complex of G with respect ··· d−1 q to S is a Ramanujan complex, covered by (F), when F = F ((y)). d q B The Cayley complex of G with respect to a set of generators S is the simplicial complex whose 1-skeleton is the Cayley graph Cay(G;S), where asubset ofi+1vertices isani-celliff every two vertices comprise an edge. The generators in Theorem 1.1 are explicitly given in Section 9. Date: Received: Aug. 31, 2003, Revised: Feb. 25, 2004. This researchwas supported by the NSF and the BSF (U.S.-Israel). 1 2 ALEXANDERLUBOTZKY,BETH SAMUELS, ANDUZI VISHNE In the case d = 2 there are two types of Ramanujan graphs, bi- partite, and non-bi-partite ([LPS], [Mo], [Lu1]). Here too, given r dividing d, we produce r-partite complexes, by proving an analog of Theorem 1.1 for every subgroup of PGL (F ) containing PSL (F ). d qe d qe There is also a version of the theorem for subgroups of PGL (L) where d L is a finite local ring. The paper is organized as follows: In Section 2 we describe affine buildings of type A˜ in general, in the language of -sublattices of Fd d O (where is the valuation ring of F). The Cartwright-Steger group Γ O is constructed in Sections 3–4. Our construction slightly differs from theirs, but is more convenient for the computations to follow. The simply transitive action of Γ on the building is used in Section 5 to describe the defining relations of Γ. In Section 6 we present and analyze the finite Ramanujan quotients. Inparticular,weuse[LSV]toshowthatthecomplexesconstructedhere are Ramanujan. We should note that the proof of this result in [LSV] relies on what is called the global ‘Jacquet-Langlands correspondence’ for function fields (a correspondence between automorphic representa- tions of a division algebra and of GL , cf. [HT, Thm VI.1.1] for the d characteristic zero case). This correspondence in the function field case is also considered to be true by experts, as the main ingredients of the proof are known; though the task of writing down a complete proof has not been carried out yet. Originally, Γ is a group of d2 d2 matrices over a ring R. Section × 8 provides an explicit embedding of Γ into d d matrices over a finite × extension of R. In Section 9 this embedding is refined to identify finite quotients of Γ with subgroups of PGL (L) which contain PSL (L), d d where L is a finite local ring; a detailed algorithm is given, with an example in Section 10. In particular the generators of Γ are given as d d matrices over F [x]. For the convenience of the reader, we include q × a glossary in the final section. Added in Proof: We recently learned that Alireza Sarveniazi [Sa] has also given an explicit construction of Ramanujan complexes. 2. Buildings To every reductive algebraicgroupover alocalfieldonecanassociate a building, which is a certain simplicial complex, on which the group acts (see [R]). This complex plays the role of a symmetric space for Lie groups. Recall that a complex is a structure composed of i-cells, where the 0-cells are called the vertices, and an i-cell is a set of i + 1 vertices. EXPLICIT CONSTRUCTIONS OF RAMANUJAN COMPLEXES 3 A complex is simplicial if every subset of a cell is also a cell. The i- skeleton is the set of all i-cells in the complex. Buildings are in fact clique complexes, which means that a set of i + 1 vertices is a cell iff every two vertices form a 1-cell. This property holds for quotient complexes, which will be the subject of Section 6. We will now describe the affine building associated to PGL (F), d where F is a local field. These are called ‘buildings of type A˜ ’ d−1 because of the Dynkin diagram of the associated Weil group (which is isomorphic to S ⋉Zd−1). Let denote the valuation ring of F; choose d a uniformizer ̟ (so for F =OF ((y)), = F [[y]] and ̟ = y), and q q O assume /̟ = F . Consider the -lattices of full rank in Fd. For q every latOticeLO, ̟Lisasublattice, anOdasF -vector spaces L/̟L = Fd. q ∼ q We define an equivalence relation by setting L sL for every s F×. ∼ ∈ Remark 2.1. Let ̟ denote the multiplicative subgroup of F× gen- h i erated by ̟, and let × be the invertible elements of . Then F× = O O ̟ ×. h i·O Since L = sL for any element s ×, the equivalence classes have ∈ O the form [L] = ̟iL . Let 0 be the graph whose vertices are the { }i∈Z B equivalence classes. There is an edge from [L] to a class x 0, iff ∈ B there is a representative L′ x such that ̟L L′ L. Notice that ∈ ⊂ ⊂ this is a symmetric relation, since then ̟L′ ̟L L′. ⊂ ⊂ The vertices of 0 form the 0-skeleton of a complex , and the edges B B are the 1-skeleton, 1. As i-cells of we take the complete subgraphs B B of size i+1 of 0, which correspond to flags B ̟L L L L ; 0 i 1 0 ⊂ ⊂ ··· ⊂ ⊂ the i-skeleton is denoted i. It immediately follows that has (d B B − 1)-cells (corresponding to maximal flags in quotients L/̟L). It also follows that there are no higher dimensional cells. The groupGL (F) actstransitively onlattices byits actiononbases. d moreover note that the action preserves inclusion of lattices. We call L = d Fd the standard lattice . If τ GL (F) has entries in , 0 d O ⊆ ∈ O then τL L . The stabilizer of L in G is thus the maximal compact 0 0 0 ⊆ subgroup GL ( ). According to the definition of the equivalence rela- d O tion, the scalar matrices of GL (F) act trivially on , so the action of d B GL (F)inducesawelldefinedactionofPGL (F)on(theverticesof) , d d B which is easily seen to be an action of an automorphism group. Again, the stabilizer of [L ] is the maximal compact subgroup PGL ( ). The 0 d O set of vertices can thus be identified with PGL (F)/PGL ( ). d d O Since the only ideals of are powers of ̟ , The Invariant Factor O h i Theorem for F asserts that any matrix in GL (F) can be decomposed d 4 ALEXANDERLUBOTZKY,BETH SAMUELS, ANDUZI VISHNE asaga′ fora,a′ GL ( ) andg = diag(̟i1,...,̟id), wherei d 1 ∈ O ≤ ··· ≤ i are integers. If L = aga′L = agL , then ̟−i1L = a(̟−i1g)L L , d 0 0 0 0 ⊆ and on the other hand ̟−idL = a(̟−idg)L L , so any two lattices 0 0 ⊇ of maximal rank are commensurable. Moreover in this case, L /̟−i1L 0 is annihilated by ̟id−i1, and so is a module over /̟id−i1 , a local O O ring of order qid−i1. In particular [L :̟−i1L] is a q power. 0 This basic fact allows us to define a color function ̺: 0 Z/d by B → ̺(L) = log [L :̟iL] for large enough i; this function is well de- q 0 fined since [̟iL:̟i+1L] = qd. Also notice that ̺([τL ]) = ν (det(τ)) 0 0 (mod d), when ν is the valuation of F. This shows that SL (F) is 0 d color preserving, while on the other hand, τ = diag(̟,1,...,1) has ̟ determinant ̟, so ̺(τ (L)) = ̺(L) + 1 for every L. It follows that ̟ GL (F) acts transitively on colors. d The color is additive in the sense that if L′′ L′, then ̺(L′′) = ⊆ ̺(L′)+log [L′:L′′]. Similarly if L L and τ GL (F), then ̺(τL) = q ⊆ 0 ∈ d ̺(τL )+̺(L). 0 The colors provide us with d Hecke operators, defined on functions of 0 by summation over the neighbors of fixed color-shift: B A f(x) = f(y). k X y∼x,̺(y)−̺(x)≡k These operators generate the Hecke algebra H(PGL (F),PGL ( )) d d O (see [LSV, Sec. 2] for more details). For 1 t < d, let [t] denote the graph defined on the vertices 0, ≤ B B with the edges (x,x′) 1 for which there are L x and L′ x′ such ∈ B ∈ ∈ that L′ L and [L:L′] = qt (in particular, ̺(x) ̺(x′) = t). ⊆ − Remark 2.2. If L′ L is a sublattice of index q, then [L],[L′] are ⊂ connected in 1. B Proof. We need to prove that ̟L L′, but this is obvious since L/L′ is annihilated (as an -module) by⊆multiplication by ̟. (cid:3) O For every L′ L there is a composition series of sublattices L′ = ⊆ L(m) L(m−1) L(0) = L, such that [L(i):L(i+1)] = q. It ⊆ ⊆ ··· ⊆ follows that [1] is a connected (directed) subgraph of . In fact, [1] B B B determines 1, and thus all of : B B Proposition 2.3. Vertices x,x′ are connected in 1 iff there is a chain B x ,x ,...,x 0 such that x = x = x, (x ,x ) [1] for i = 0 1 d 0 d i i+1 ∈ B ∈ B 0,...,d 1, and such that x′ x ,...,x . 1 d−1 − ∈ { } Proof. Firstassumethatsuchachainexists, andchooserepresentatives L x with L = ̟L . By the definition of [1], we may assume that i i d 0 ∈ B EXPLICIT CONSTRUCTIONS OF RAMANUJAN COMPLEXES 5 [L :L ] = q and then L L L L . In particular i i+1 d 2 1 0 ⊂ ··· ⊂ ⊂ ⊂ ([L ],[L ]) 1 for every i. i 0 ∈ B On the other hand, if (1) ̟L L′ L 0 0 ⊂ ⊂ are lattices, we can lift a maximal flag in L/̟L = Fd to a maximal 0 ∼ q chain of lattices refining (1), resulting in a chain x ,...,x . (cid:3) 0 d Corollary 2.4. If (x,x′) [t], then there is a path of length t in [1] ∈ B B from x to x′. Using this criterion, it is easy to see that if the greatest common divisor (t′,d) equals t, and (x,x′) [t′], then there is a path from x ∈ B to x′ in [t]. In particular, [t′] has the same connected components B B as [t]. The final result of this section is not needed in the rest of the B paper. We thank the referee for some simplification in the proof of the fol- lowing proposition. Proposition 2.5. Let t be a divisor of d. If t divides ̺(x′) ̺(x), then − there is a path from x to x′ in the (directed) graph [t] defined above. B Proof. Wemay assume x = [L ], andx′ = [L] withL = aga′L = agL , 0 0 0 a,a′ GL ( ) and g = diag(̟i1,...,̟id). We may assume 0 i d 1 ∈ O ≤ ≤ i , and in particular L L . If the claim is true for gL L , d 0 0 0 ··· ≤ ⊆ ⊆ then acting with a we get a chain from aL = L to L; we can thus 0 0 assume a = 1. Before going on by induction, we multiply L by a power of ̟ so that t (2) i (i i ). 1 d 1 ≥ d t − − Now, by assumption, i + +i = rt for some r N. 1 d ··· ∈ Case 1. If i > i , then we can lower t of the entries i ,...,i , d−t+1 1 2 d each by 1, keeping the increasing order. Let i′,...,i′ denote the re- 1 d sulting values and g′ = diag(̟i′1,...,̟i′d). Then gL0 g′L0 L0 ⊂ ⊆ with [g′L :gL ] = qt and ̟g′L gL , so (g′L ,gL ) [t]. Since 0 0 0 0 0 0 ⊆ ∈ B the condition i d(i i ) still holds (as i was not changed), we are 1 ≥ t d− 1 1 done by induction on r. Case 2. Now assume i = i ; let j be maximal with i = i . d−t+1 1 j 1 If j = d then i = = i so L L and we are done. Therefore 1 d 0 ··· ≡ assume j < d. Of course j d t+ 1. If i = 0 then i = 0 too by 1 d ≥ − the assumption (2), so L = L and again we are done. Assume i > 0 0 1 and j < d. In the first step we can lower i ,...,i , but we also have j+1 d to lower i ,...,i in order to change exactly t components. We 1 t−(d−j) continue lowering the highest entries, using the remaining d t entries − 6 ALEXANDERLUBOTZKY,BETH SAMUELS, ANDUZI VISHNE F ((y)) qd ppppppp NNNNNNN k = F (y) F = F ((y)) 1 qd q NNNNNNN ppppppp k = F (y) q R = F [[y]] q oooooooOoo R T Figure 1. Subrings of F ((y)) qd i ,...,i whenever necessary. In each of the next d/t 1 steps, t−(d−j)+1 j − i is lowered by one with i unharmed—so at the end our condition d 1 (2) is still met. The d/t modules we constructed form a chain in L , 0 climbing from L using [t] steps, and ending with indices which now sum up to rt d, so agBain we are done by induction. (cid:3) − Vertices x and x′ for which (t,d) does not divide ̺(x′) ̺(x) can- − not be connected in [t], so we proved that [t] has (t,d) connected B B components for every 1 t < d. ≤ 3. The arithmetic lattice Let F denote the field of order q (a prime power), and F the q qd extension of dimension d. Let φ denote a generator of the Galois group Gal(F /F ). Fix a basis ζ ,...,ζ for F over F , where ζ = φi(ζ ). qd q 0 d−1 qd q i 0 Extend φ to an automorphism of the function field k = F (y) by 1 qd setting φ(y) = y; the fixed subfield is k = F (y), of co-dimension d. Let q ν denote the valuation defined by ν (a ym+ +a yn) = m (a = 0, y y m n m m < n), and set F = F ((y)), the completion··w·ith respect to ν ,6and q y = F [[y]], its ring of integers. q O Let 1 1 R = F y, , k, q (cid:20) y 1+y(cid:21) ⊆ and let R denote the subring T 1 (3) R = F y, . T q (cid:20) 1+y(cid:21) Since 1+y is invertible in , R . T O ⊆ O EXPLICIT CONSTRUCTIONS OF RAMANUJAN COMPLEXES 7 For a commutative R -algebra S (namely a commutative ring with T unit which is an R -module, e.g. k, F, R or R/I for an ideal I(cid:1)R), we T denote by y the element y 1 S. For such S we define an S-algebra · ∈ (S), by A d−1 (S) = Sζ zj, i A iM,j=0 with the relations (4) zζ = φ(ζ )z, zd = 1+y. i i The center of (S) is S. We will frequently use the fact that for an A R -algebra S, (S) = (R ) S. It is well known that (k) is a T A A T ⊗RT A central simple algebra, and so there is a norm map (k)× k×, which A → induces a norm map (S)× S× for every S k. The norm map is a A → ⊆ homogeneous form of degree d (in the coefficients of the basis elements ζ zj ), so the norm is also defined for quotients (S/I). We remark i {that }Fqd⊗FqS is Galois over S and 1 + y is inverAtible in S, so A(S) is an Azumaya algebra over S (see [DI], where they are called ‘central separable algebras’). This fact will not be used in the rest of the paper. If (S) = M (S), we say that (S) is split. We need a criterion for ∼ d thistAohappen. IfS1 = Fqd⊗FqS isAafield(sonecessarilyS isasubfield), then (S)isthecyclicalgebra(S /S,φ,1+y) = S [z]withtherelations 1 1 A in (4). This is a simple algebra of degree d over its center S. Recall Wedderburn’s norm criterion for cyclic algebras [Jac, Cor. 1.7.5]: the algebra (S) = (S /S,φ,1 + y) splits iff 1 + y is a norm in the field 1 A extension S /S. More generally, the exponent of (S /S,φ,1+y) (i.e. 1 1 its order in the Brauer group Br(S)) is the minimal i > 0 such that (1+y)i is a norm. In particular, if this exponent is d = [S :S], (S) 1 A is a division algebra (since the exponent of a central simple algebra is always bounded by the degree of the underlying division algebra). The algebra (R) will later be used to construct the desired com- A plexes. Asmentionedabove, (R) (k),k beingtheringoffractions A ⊆ A of R; moreover, (k) is the ring of central fractions of this algebra, A (k) = (R 0 )−1 (R). A −{ } A We now consider completions of (k). The global field k = F (y) q has the minus degree valuation, defiAned for f,g F [y] by ν(f/g) = q ∈ deg(g) deg(f). Also recall that the other nonarchimedean discrete valuatio−ns of F (y) are in natural correspondence with the prime poly- q nomials of F [y]. For a prime polynomial p F [y], the valuation is de- q q ∈ fined by ν (pif/g) = i, where f,g are polynomials prime to p. The ring p of p-adic integers in k is F [y] = f/g: (p,g) = 1 . The completion q p { } 8 ALEXANDERLUBOTZKY,BETH SAMUELS, ANDUZI VISHNE det GL (F) // F× d OO OO (cid:31)? N (cid:31)? (R)× // R× A Figure 2. Norm and determinant with respect to a valuation ν = ν is k = F [y] ((p)) = ∞ α pi p ν q p { i=−v i } (which we will also denote by kp). The ring of integers ofPkp is p = F [y] [[p]]. The notation ν is used for the degree valuation, sincOe the q p 1/y completion of k with respect to this valuation is F ((1/y)); moreover, q filtration by the ideal 1/y of the ring of integers F [[1/y]] determines q h i the valuation. The Albert-Brauer-Hasse-Noether Theorem describes division alge- bras over k in terms of their local invariants, which translates to an injection Br(k) Br(k ). More precisely, the d-torsion part of Br(k ) p p →⊕ is cyclic of order d for every valuation ν . Taking the unramified exten- p sion k′/k of dimension d, these d classes can be written as the cyclic p p algebras (k′/k ,φ,̟i) for i = 0,...,d 1, where ̟ is a uniformizer. p p − If (k /k,φ,c) is a cyclic k-algebra, the local invariants are determined 1 by the values ν(c) ([P, Chaps. 17–18] is a standard reference, though the focus is on number fields). There are only two valuations ν of k for which ν(1+y) = 0, namely 6 ν and ν , for which the values are 1 and 1, respectively. We thus 1+y 1/y − have Proposition 3.1. The completions (F ((1/y))) and (F ((1+y))) of q q A A (k) are division algebras. On the otherhand, forany other completion A k of k, (k ) splits. ν ν A In particular (5) (R) (k) F = (F) = M (F). k ∼ d A ⊆ A ⊗ A The same argument embeds (6) (R ) ( ) = M ( ). T ∼ d A ⊆ A O O We use the algebras (S) to define algebraic group schemes. For an A R -algebra S, let G˜′(S) = (S)×, the invertible elements of (S), and T A A G′(S) = (S)×/S×. Recall that for every R -algebra S, one can define T A a multiplicative function (S) S× called the reduced norm (e.g. by A → taking the determinant in a splitting extension of S). In particular, the diagram in Figure 2 commutes. We can thus define G˜′(S) as the set of 1 EXPLICIT CONSTRUCTIONS OF RAMANUJAN COMPLEXES 9 elements of G˜′(S) of norm 1, and G′(S) as the image of G˜′(S) under 1 1 the map G˜′(S) G′(S) (see the square in the middle of Figure 5). → Remark 3.2. The sequence 1 µ (S) G˜′(S) G′(S) 1 −→ d −→ 1 −→ 1 −→ is exact, where µ (S) is the group of d-roots of unity in S. d ˜ ThesegroupschemesareformsoftheclassicalgroupsG(S) = GL (S), d G(S) = PGL (S), G˜ (S) = SL (S) and G (S) = PSL (S). If (S) is d 1 d 1 d A a matrix ring, we have that G˜′(S) = G˜(S) and G′(S) = G(S). It is useful to have equivalent definitions for the groups G′(S) for various rings S. Fix the ordered basis ζ ,...,ζ ,ζ z,...,ζ z,...,ζ zd−1,...,ζ zd−1 0 d−1 0 d−1 0 d−1 { } of (S) over S. Conjugation by an invertible element a (S) is a A ∈ A linear transformation of the algebra. Let i :G′(S) GL (S) be the S d2 → induced embedding. If S S′, then the diagram ⊆ G′(S′) iS′ // GLd2(S′) OO OO G′(cid:31)?(S) iS // GL(cid:31)d?2(S) commutes. Proposition 3.3. Let R S S′ be commutative rings, such that T ⊆ ⊆ S is a Noetherian unique factorization domain. Then i G′(S) = i G′(S′) GL (S), S S′ d2 ∩ the intersection taken in GL (S′). d2 Proof. The inclusion i G′(S) i G′(S′) GL (S) is trivial since S S′ d2 ⊆ ∩ (S) (S′). Let α i G′(S′) GL (S), then α is an isomor- S′ d2 A ⊆ A ∈ ∩ phism of algebras (since it is induced by an element of (S′)) and A preserves S (as it belongs to GL (S)). It is thus an automorphism of d2 (S), which must be inner [AG, Thm. 3.6]. (cid:3) A The proposition covers, in particular, S = R ,R,k,k , , as well as T ν ν R¯ , and R¯ which are defined in Section 8, with an arbitrOary extension T S′ (usually taken to be from the same list). Proposition 3.4. G′(R) is a discrete subgroup of G(F). 10 ALEXANDERLUBOTZKY,BETH SAMUELS, ANDUZI VISHNE Proof. The ring R = F [1,y, 1 ] embeds (diagonally) as a discrete q y 1+y subgroup of the product F k k . 1/y p × × This can be seen by letting a = fn(y) be a sequence of non-zero n yin(1+y)jn elements in R (with f (λ) F [λ] and i ,j 0) such that a 0. We n q n n n ∈ ≥ → then have that ν (a ) , which implies i = 0 for n large enough y n n →∞ and ν (f (y)) . Likewise, ν (a ) , so j = 0 for n large enough. y n p n n →∞ →∞ This implies that ν (a ) , which is a contradiction. 1/y n →−∞ It follows that the diagonal embedding of G′(R) into G′(F) G′(k ) G′(k ) 1/y p × × is discrete. But an algebraic group over a local field is compact iff it has rank zero [PR]. Therefore, by Proposition 3.1, G′(k ) and G′(k ) 1/y p are compact, and G′(R) is discrete in the other component G′(F) = G(F). (cid:3) In fact, from general results it follows that G′(R) is a cocompact lattice in G′(F), but we will show it directly when we demonstrate that G′(R) acts transitively on the vertices of the affine building of G(F) = PGL (F). d Consider G( ) = PGL ( ), a maximal compact subgroup of G(F), d O O which is equal to G′( ) by Equation (6). Viewing K = i G′( ) and O O O i G′(R) as subgroups of i G′(F) GL (F), the intersection R F d2 ⊆ (7) i G′(R ) = K i G′(R) RT T ∩ R isfinite, being the intersection ofdiscrete andcompact subgroups (note that R = R ). T ∩O Proposition 3.5. G′(R ) is a semidirect product of z = Z/dZ acting T ∼ on F×/F×. h i qd q Proof. Recall that R = F [y,1/(1+y)], so that (R ) = F [y,1/(1+ T q T qd A y),z]withtherelations zαz−1 = φ(α)(α F ) andzd = 1+y. Setting qd ∈ y = zd 1, we see that (R ) = F [z,z−1] is a skew polynomial ring T qd with on−e invertible variaAble over F . Every element of (R ) has a qd T A monomial αzr (α F×) with r maximal, called the upper monomial ∈ qd (with respect to z), and similarly every element has a lower monomial. The upper monomial of a product fg is equal to the product of the respective upper monomial, and likewise for the lower monomials. Now let f,g (R ) be elements with fg = 1, then the product of T ∈ A the upper monomials and that of the lower monomials are both equal to1, provingthatf andg aremonomials. Thus, theinvertible elements