Finite Groups With Many Conjugate Elements

Weights for symmetric and general linear groups

The aim of this paper is to prove certain characterization theorems for groups in which permutability is a transitive relation, the so called $${\mathcal{PT}}$$ -groups. In particular, it is shown that the finite solvable $${\mathcal{PT}}$$ -groups, the finite solvable groups in which every subnormal subgroup of defect two is permutable, the finite solvable groups in which every normal subgroup is permutable sensitive, and the finite solvable groups in which conjugate-permutability and permutability coincide are all one and the same class. This follows from our main result which says that the finite modular p-groups, p a prime, are those p-groups in which every subnormal subgroup of defect two is permutable or, equivalently, in which every normal subgroup is permutable sensitive. However, there exist finite insolvable groups which are not $${\mathcal{PT}}$$ -groups but all subnormal subgroups of defect two are permutable.

For a finite group G, let v(G) denote the number of conjugacy classes of non-normal subgroups of G and vc(G) denote the number of conjugacy classes of non-normal noncyclic subgroups of G. In this paper, we show that every finite group G satisfying v(G) ≤2|π(G)| or vc(G) ≤ |π(G)| is solvable, and for a finite nonsolvable group G, v(G) = 2|π(G)| +1 if and only if G ≅ A 5.

A computational method for determining the automorphism group of a finite solvable group

We prove a lifting theorem for odd Frattini covers of finite groups. Using this, we generalize a result of J. G. Thompson and characterize finite solvable groups as those finite groups which do not contain nontrivial elements xi , i = 1,2,3, with x 1 x 2 x 3 = 1 and xi a pi -element for distinct primes pi . We note some connections with coverings of curves.

Let G be a finite 2-generated non-cyclic group. The spread of G is the largest integer k such that for any nontrivial elements x1,…,xk, there exists y G ∈ G such that G = 〈xi,y〉 for all i. The more restrictive notion of uniform spread, denoted u(G), requires y to be chosen from a fixed conjugacy class of G, and a theorem of Breuer, Guralnick and Kantor states that u(G) ⩾ 2 for every non-abelian finite simple group G. For any group with u(G) ⩾ 1, we define the uniform domination number γu(G) of G to be the minimal size of a subset S of conjugate elements such that for each nontrivial x ∈ G there exists y ∈ S with G = 〈x, y〉 (in this situation, we say that S is a uniform dominating set for G). We introduced the latter notion in a recent paper, where we used probabilistic methods to determine close to best possible bounds on γu(G) for all simple groups G.In this paper we establish several new results on the spread, uniform spread and uniform domination number of finite groups and finite simple groups. For example, we make substantial progress towards a classification of the simple groups G with γu (G) = 2, and we study the associated probability that two randomly chosen conjugate elements form a uniform dominating set for G. We also establish new results concerning the 2-generation of soluble and symmetric groups, and we present several open problems.

Let A be a finite group and let n be the number of primes, including multiplicities, which divide the order of A. Suppose further that G is a finite solvable group which admits A as a fixed-point-free operator group and such that (i A I, G|I ) = 1. Under these assumptions it has been conjectured that l(G), the nilpotent length of G, is at most n, while lp(G), the p-length of G, is at most [(n+1)/2]. These inequalities have been verified and shown to be best-possible in certain special cases ( [3 ][5], [1]). It is the purpose of this note to show that these conjectured upper bounds are actually obtained provided A is solvable. Specifically we will prove

1.1. Let G be a connected reductive algebraic group defined over a finite (prime) field Fp of p elements. For a given rational G-module M one can consider the restrictions of M to the restricted Lie algebra Lie(G) and to the finite group G(Fp) of Fp-rational points. Even though there is no direct functorial connection between the categories of restricted Lie(G)-modules and G(Fp)-modules, the ambient algebraic group G can serve as a bridge linking these two important module categories. Early results of Curtis in the 1960s provided a one-to-one correspondence between the simple restricted modules (over k = Fp) of Lie(G) and those of G(Fp). This correspondence is given by simply restricting certain classes of simple G-modules. More importantly, these results, along with work of Steinberg, allow one to easily transfer the questions pertaining to the computation of irreducible characters among these three categories. For over thirty years, this approach has been one of the main ideas used to relate the representation and cohomology theory of algebraic groups, Lie algebras, and finite groups of Lie type (in the defining characteristic) (see, e.g., [CPSvan], [Jan2], [Hum3], and [Jan1]). Given the previous results in this area, a natural course of investigation should be to find relationships between canonical modules, like projective modules, for Lie(G) and G(Fp). More precisely,

Let G be a finite group and X a space on which G acts. In this chapter we will describe a cohomological analysis of X which involves H*(G; \({\Bbb F}\) p) in a fundamental way. First developed by Borel and then by Quillen, this approach is the natural generalization of classical Smith Theory. After reviewing the basic constructions and a few examples, we will apply these techniques to certain complexes defined from subgroups of a group G, first introduced by K. Brown and D. Quillen. Using results due to Brown and P. Webb we will show how these complexes provide a systematic method for approaching the cohomology of simple groups which will be discussed later on. One of the aims of this chapter is to expose the reader to the important part played by group cohomology in the theory of finite transformation groups. By no means is this a complete account; in addition it requires a different background than the previous chapters have. We recommend the texts [AP], [Brel] as excellent sources for those wanting to learn more about group actions. For a more recent survey, we suggest [AD].KeywordsFinite GroupSpectral SequenceSimplicial ComplexEquivariant CohomologyHomotopy EquivalentThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Variants of some of the Brauer-Fowler theorems

Weakly group-theoretical and solvable fusion categories

Let K be a commutative noetherian ring. It is proved that a representation of a finite group on a K-module of finite length or on a K-module of finite exponent has a finite basis for its identities. In particular, this implies an earlier result of Nguyen Hung Shon and the author stating that every representation of a finite group over a field is finitely based. The problem whether every representation of a finite group over a commutative noetherian ring is finitely based still remains open.

The representation theory of finite groups began with the pioneering research of Frobenius, Burnside, and Schur at the turn of the century. Their work was inspired in part by two largely unrelated developments which occurred earlier in the nineteenth century. The first was the awareness of characters of finite abelian groups and their application by some of the great nineteenth-century number theorists. The second was the emergence of the structure theory of finite groups, beginning with Galois’ brief outline of the main ideas in the famous letter written on the eve of his death and continuing with the work of Sylow and others, including Frobenius himself.

The notion of globally irreducible representations of finite groups was introduced by B.H. Gross, in order to explain new series of Euclidean lattices discovered recently by N. Elkies and T. Shioda using Mordell–Weil lattices of elliptic curves. It has been observed by R. Gow and Gross that irreducible Weil representations of certain finite classical groups lead to globally irreducible representations. In this paper we classify all globally irreducible representations coming from Weil representations of finite classical groups.

In this survey, we discuss some basic problems in representation theory of finite groups, including some long-standing conjectures of Alperin, Brauer, and others. A possible approach to some of these problems is to use the classification of finite simple groups to reduce the problem in consideration to some, more specific, questions about simple groups. We will describe recent progress on reduction theorems in this direction. We will also outline applications of these results to various problems in group theory, number theory, and algebraic geometry.