An algorithm to construct candidates to counterexamples to the Zassenhaus conjecture (Q1783408): Difference between revisions

The paper under review is focused on the so-called \textit{Zassenhaus Conjecture}, which states the following: If \(G\) is a finite group and \(u \in \mathbb{Z}G\) is a unit of finite order in the integral group ring of \(G\) over the ring of all integers \(\mathbb{Z}\), then \(u\) is conjugate in the rational group algebra \(\mathbb{Q}G\) of \(G\) over the field of all rationals \(\mathbb{Q}\) to an element of the form \(\pm g\) for some \(g \in G\). An important aspect in proving or disproving this famous conjecture plays the following intriguing problem due to \textit{S. K. Sehgal}, posed as Problem 35 in his paramount monograph [Units in integral group rings. Harlow: Longman Scientific \& Technical; New York, N.Y.: John Wiley \& Sons (1993; Zbl 0803.16022)]. Sehgal's Problem. Let \(N\) be a normal nilpotent subgroup of the finite group \(G\) and let \(u\) be a torsion element of the group \(V(\mathbb{Z}G, N)\) formed by the units mapping to the identity under the linear extension of the homomorphism \(G \to G/N\) to \(\mathbb{Z}G \to \mathbb{Z}(G/N)\). Is \(u\) conjugate in the units of \(\mathbb{Q}G\) to an element in \(G\)? The central result in the paper under review, namely Theorem 1.1, asserts that assuming \(N\) is a nilpotent group which has exactly two non-cyclic Sylow subgroups and one of them is an elementary abelian \(p\)-group of rank \(2\) with \(p \leq 5\), then Sehgal's Problem has a positive solution for \(N\).