The values of unipotent characters at unipotent elements for groups of type $E_8$ and ${^2\!E}_6$

Abstract

In order to tackle the problem of generically determining the character tables of the finite groups of Lie type $\mathbf{G}(q)$ associated to a connected reductive group $\mathbf{G}$ over $\overline{\mathbb F}_p$, Lusztig developed the theory of character sheaves in the 1980s. The subsequent work of Lusztig and Shoji in principle reduces this problem to specifying certain roots of unity. The situation is particularly well understood as far as character values at unipotent elements are concerned. We complete the computation of the values of unipotent characters at unipotent elements for the groups $\mathbf{G}(q)$ where $\mathbf{G}$ is the simple group of type $E_8$, by specifying the aforementioned roots of unity for all prime powers $q$. We also resolve this task for the groups ${^2\!E}_6(q)$ when $q$ is a power of $p=2$. Our results thus conclude the project of computing the values of unipotent characters at unipotent elements for the simple exceptional groups of Lie type.