Varieties of elements of given order in simple algebraic groups

Abstract: Given a positive integer $u$ and a simple algebraic group $G$ defined over an algebraically closed field $K$ of characteristic $p$, we derive properties about the subvariety $G_{[u]}$ of $G$ consisting of elements of $G$ of order dividing $u$. In particular, we determine the dimension of $G_{[u]}$, completing results of Lawther [7] in the special case where $G$ is of adjoint type. We also apply our results to the study of finite simple quotients of triangle groups, giving further insight on a conjecture we proposed in [10] as well as proving that some finite quasisimple groups are not quotients of certain triangle groups.