Index of a subgroup of the Modular Group

group-theorymodular-groupstring-theory

The subgroup of $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ generated by

$\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\1&1\end{pmatrix}$ and $\begin{pmatrix}1&5\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$

has come up in a research question in string theory, and I am interested in determining whether or not its index is infinite.

I found the article "Manipulating Subgroups of the Modular Group" by Daniel Schultz in the Mathematica Journal, and it seems that the package referenced therein (ModularSubgroups) could answer this question for me. However, I have not been able to find where to download this package.

Does anyone know if this particular subgroup has infinite index?

More Details:
I actually have the subgroup of $Sp(4,\mathbb{Z})$ generated by

$\begin{pmatrix}1&0&0&0\\1&1&0&0\\0&-5&1&0\\0&0&-1&1\end{pmatrix}$ and $\begin{pmatrix}1&0&0&1\\0&1&0&1\\0&0&1&-5\\0&0&0&1\end{pmatrix}$

And I want to know if the action of this subgroup on the lattice $\mathbb{Z}^4$ has a finite or an infinite number of orbits. Since the third row of matrices in this subgroup is always $(0,0,1,0)$ mod 5, the answer to the modular group question will help me to guide my efforts toward solving the actual problem that I have.

Best Answer

It is well known that ${\rm SL}(2,{\mathbb Z})$ is generated by the matrices $$a = \left(\begin{array}{rr}0&1\\-1&0\end{array}\right)\ \ \ {\rm and}\ \ \ b = \left(\begin{array}{rr}0&1\\-1&1\end{array}\right),$$ and that $\langle a,b \mid a^2=b^3, a^4=1 \rangle$ is a presentation on these generators. Furthermore, we have $$(b^{-1}a)^5 = \left(\begin{array}{rr}1&5\\0&1\end{array}\right)\ \ \ {\rm and}\ \ \ ba^{-1} = \left(\begin{array}{rr}1&0\\1&1\end{array}\right),$$ which generate your subgroup.

My KBMAG package can often compute presentations of subgroups of automatic groups (when thyey are quasi-isometrically embedded). The group ${\rm SL}(2,{\mathbb Z})$ is virtually free and is an easy calculation.

I will demonstrate how to do it using the GAP interface to KBMAG.

gap> LoadPackage("kbmag");
true
gap> F := FreeGroup(2);; a:=F.1;; b:=F.2;;
gap> G := F/[a^2*b^-3, a^4];;
gap> R := KBMAGRewritingSystem(G);
gap> S := SubgroupOfKBMAGRewritingSystem(R, [(b^-1*a)^5, b*a^-1] );;
gap> A := AutomaticStructureOnCosetsWithSubgroupPresentation(R, S);
true
gap> Index(R, S);
infinity
gap> presH := PresentationOfSubgroupOfKBMAGRewritingSystem(R, S);
<fp group of size infinity on the generators [ f1, f2 ]>
gap> RelatorsOfFpGroup(presH);
[  ]

So we see that the index of the subgroup is infinite, and it has a presentation with two generators and no relators, so it is free.

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