Uniform boundedness for algebraic groups and Lie groups

Abstract

Let $G$ be a semisimple linear algebraic group over a field $k$ and let $G^{+}(k)$ be the subgroup generated by the subgroups $R_u(Q)(k)$, where $Q$ ranges over all the minimal $k$-parabolic subgroups $Q$ of $G$. We prove that if $G^{+}(k)$ is bounded then it is uniformly bounded. Under extra assumptions we get explicit bounds for $\Delta (G^{+}(k))$: we prove that if $k$ is algebraically closed then $\Delta (G^{+}(k))\le 4\mathrm{rank}G$, and if $G$ is split over $k$ then $\Delta (G^{+}(k))\le 28\mathrm{rank}G$. We deduce some analogous results for real and complex semisimple Lie groups.

Preliminary version. 11 pages