Reflection factorizations and quasi-Coxeter elements

Abstract

We investigate the so-called dual Matsumoto property or Hurwitz action in finite, affine and arbitrary Coxeter groups. In particular, we want to investigate how to reduce reflection factorizations and how two reflection factorizations of the same element are related to each other. We are motivated by the dual approach to Coxeter groups proposed by Bessis (2003) and the question whether there is an analogue of the well-known Matsumoto property for reflection factorizations. Our aim is a substantial understanding of the Hurwitz action. We therefore reprove uniformly results of Lewis–Reiner as well as Baumeister–Gobet–Roberts and the first author on the Hurwitz action in finite and affine Coxeter groups. Further we show that in an arbitrary Coxeter group all reduced reflection factorizations of the same element appear in the same Hurwitz orbit after a suitable extension by simple reflections.

As parabolic quasi-Coxeter elements play an outstanding role in the study of the Hurwitz action, we aim to characterize these elements. We provide a characterization of maximal parabolic quasi-Coxeter elements in arbitrary Coxeter groups as well as a characterization of all parabolic quasi-Coxeter elements in affine Coxeter groups.