Representations of extensions of simple groups

Abstract

Feit and Tits (1978) proved that a nontrivial projective representation of minimal dimension of a finite extension of a finite nonabelian simple group $G$ factors through a projective representation of $G$, except for some groups of Lie type in characteristic 2; the exact exceptions for $G$ were determined by Kleidman and Liebeck (1989). We generalise this result in two ways. First we consider all low-dimensional projective representations, not just those of minimal dimension. Second we consider all characteristically simple groups, not just simple groups.