The Characteristic Polynomial of a Random Matrix

Abstract

Form an $n \times n$ matrix by drawing entries independently from $\{\pm1\}$ (or another fixed nontrivial finitely supported distribution in $\mathbf{Z}$) and let $\phi$ be the characteristic polynomial. Conditionally on the extended Riemann hypothesis, with high probability $\phi$ is irreducible and $\mathrm{Gal}(\phi) \geq A_n$.