Zero Excess and Minimal Length in Finite Coxeter Groups

Abstract: Let $\mathcal{W}$ be the set of strongly real elements of $W$, a Coxeter group. Then for $w \in \mathcal{W}$, $e(w)$, the excess of $w$, is defined by $e(w) = \min{\ell(x) + \ell(y) - \ell(w) \; | \; w=xy, x^2 = y^2 = 1}$. When $W$ is finite we may also define $E(w)$, the reflection excess of $w$. The main result established here is that if $W$ is finite and $X$ is a $W$-conjugacy class, then there exists $w \in X$ such that $w$ has minimal length in $X$ and $e(w) = 0 = E(w)$.