Automorphisms of finite order of nilpotent groups. (Q480422)

Let \(G\) be a group, \(\varphi\in\Aut(G)\) an automorphism of order \(m\), then the following two maps from \(G\) to \(G\) are defined: \[ \Gamma\colon g\mapsto g^{-1}\cdot g^\varphi\quad\text{ and }\quad\Psi\colon g\mapsto g\cdot g^\varphi\cdots g^{\varphi^{m-1}}. \] These maps are usually not homomorphisms, so although \(\ker(\Gamma)=C_G(\varphi)\) is always a subgroup, \(G^\Gamma\), \(G^\Psi\) and \(\ker(\Psi)=\{g\in G\mid g^\Psi=1\}\) need not be. A subset \(S\) of a group \(G\) has finite index in \(G\) if \(S\) contains a subgroup of finite index in \(G\). The main result of this paper is the following theorem. Let \(G\) be a nilpotent group of class \(c\), \(m\) a positive integer, and \(\varphi\in\Aut(G)\) with \(\varphi^m=1\). Let \(\pi\) be a set of primes such that \(G\) satisfies \(\min\)-\(q\) for every \(q\in\pi\). Let \(N\) be a normal subgroup of finite index of \(G\) such that \(N\subseteq\ker\Psi\), then (a) If \(|G:N|\) is a \(\pi\)-number, then \(\langle G^\Psi\rangle\) is a finite \(\pi\)-group. Moreover \(g^\Psi\) has order dividing \(|G:N|\cdot m^{c-1}\). (b) If \(m\) is a \(\pi\)-number, then \(C_G(\varphi)=\ker(\Gamma)\) is finite. Moreover \(|C_G(\varphi)|\) divides \(|G:N|\cdot|C_N(\varphi)|\), \(C_N(\varphi)\) has exponent dividing \(m\) and \(G_G(\varphi)\) has exponent dividing \(|G:N|\cdot m\). If the group \(G\) is a finitely generated nilpotent group and \(\varphi\in\Aut(G)\), then it is proved that (a) \(G^\Psi\) is of finite index in \(G\) if and only if \(\ker(\Psi)\) is finite; (b) \(\ker(\Gamma)\) is of finite index in \(G\) if and only if \(G^\Gamma\) is finite and then \(|G:\ker(G)|=|G^\Gamma|\). The paper concludes with a paragraph containing sixteen interesting examples illustrating the results obtained.