The (2,3)-generation of the finite 8-dimensional orthogonal groups

Abstract

We construct $(2,3)$-generators for the finite $8$-dimensional orthogonal groups, proving the following results: the groups $\Omega_8^+(q)$ and $P\Omega_8^+(q)$ are $(2,3)$-generated if and only if $q\geq 4$; the groups $\Omega_8^-(q)$ and $P\Omega_8^-(q)$ are $(2,3)$-generated for all $q\geq 2$.