Normal subgroups with nonabelian quotients in \(p\)-groups (Q5957513)

\textit{G.~A.~Fernández-Alcober} and \textit{A.~Moretó} have considered [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 353, No.~6, 2171-2192 (2001; Zbl 0968.20005)] two conditions for finite \(p\)-groups \(P\). Define \({\mathcal N}(P)\) to be the set of normal subgroups of \(P\) with nonabelian quotient. \(P\) is said to satisfy the strong condition when every element of \({\mathcal N}(P)\) is contained in the centre \(Z(P)\) of \(P\); it is said to satisfy the weak condition when for each \(N\in{\mathcal N}(P)\) one has \(|N:N\cap Z(P)|\leq p\). Fernández-Alcober and Moretó have proved among others that if \(P\) satisfies the weak condition, and has nilpotence class \(2\), then the derived subgroup \(P'\) has exponent at most \(p^2\); while if the nilpotence class of \(P\) is greater then \(2\), then \(|P:Z(P)|\leq p^6\). In the paper under review the author proves a powerful generalization of these results. Define the integer invariant \(a(P)\) of \(P\) via \(p^{a(P) -1}=\max\{|N:N\cap Z(P)|:N\in{\mathcal N}(P)\}\). (If \(P\) is Abelian, set \(a(P)=0\).) Note that \(P\) satisfies the strong condition if and only if \(a(P)=1\), and it satisfies the weak condition (but not the strong one) if and only if \(a(P)=2\). Theorem A states that the exponent of \(P'\) is at most \(p^{a(P)}\), expect possibly when \(p=2\) and \(P\) has nilpotence class greater than \(2\); in this case the exponent is at most \(p^{a(P)+1}\). Furthermore, if \(P\) has nilpotence class greater than \(2\) then \(|P:Z(P)|\leq p^{3a(P)}\). (Also submitted to MR).