Minimal connected simple groups of finite Morley rank with strongly embedded subgroups. (Q2456197)

The algebraicity conjecture states that a simple group of finite Morley rank should be an algebraic group over an algebraically closed field; a programme initiated by Borovik tries to prove this, at least in the presence of involutions, following the outline of the classification of finite simple groups. According to whether a maximal \(2\)-subgroup has finite exponent, is divisible, or both, one defines the type to be even, odd, or mixed (the degenerate case corresponds to the absence of involutions, or in fact finite \(2\)-subgroups). The mixed case leads to a contradiction, and the proof in even type seems complete. The present paper is concerned with small groups of odd type. Recall that a subgroup \(M\) of a group \(G\) is `strongly embedded' if \(M\) contains involutions, but \(M\cap M^g\) does not for any \(g\in G\setminus M\). The authors show that a minimal connected simple group of finite Morley rank and odd type with a strongly embedded subgroup has Prüfer rank \(1\). They deduce that a simple non-algebraic group of finite Morley rank and odd type, all of whose proper simple sections are algebraic, (i) has Prüfer rank at most \(2\), and (ii) if it is minimal and tame, and all involutions in a standard Borel subgroup are central, then it has Prüfer rank \(1\). Here a group is `tame' if it does not interpret a `bad' field, i.e.\ a field with a proper infinite definable multiplicative subgroup; a `Borel' subgroup is a maximal soluble connected subgroup; it is `standard' if it contains a Sylow \(2\)-subgroup. The results improve [\textit{G. Cherlin, E. Jaligot}, J. Algebra 276, No. 1, 13-79 (2004; Zbl 1056.20020)] in two respects: First, the tameness assumption is removed, and secondly one of the problematic configurations of Prüfer rank \(2\) is eliminated. The proof is rather long and involved; it relies on the first author's theory of \(0\)-unipotency and his paper [J. Algebra 312, No. 1, 33-55 (2007; see the preceding review Zbl 1130.20030)].