On some ranks of infinite groups. (Q2467938)

The paper studies the structure of (locally) generalized radical groups, a class which is defined as follows: the group (every finitely generated subgroup of the group) has an ascending series with locally nilpotent or locally finite factors. The authors define a generalization of the Hirsch number: a group is said to be of finite Hirsch-Zaicev rank \(r\) if it has an ascending series with factors either periodic or infinite cyclic, \(r\) in number. A structure theorem is proved: A locally generalized radical group of finite Hirsch-Zaicev rank has normal subgroups \(T,L,K\) and \(S\) such that the group \(T\) is locally finite, the factor group \(G/T\) is soluble-by-finite of finite rank, the factor group \(L/T\) is torsion-free nilpotent, the factor group \(K/L\) finitely generated torsion-free Abelian, the factor group \(G/K\) is finite and the factor group \(S/T\) is the soluble radical of the factor group \(G/T\). Also other deep results are proved, such as a similar structure theorem for locally generalized radical groups with every finitely generated subgroup of bounded finite section \(p\)-rank; moreover, a locally generalized radical group with Abelian subgroups of bounded rank is also of bounded rank. This last result is a generalization of a famous result of \textit{Yu. I. Merzlyakov} [Algebra Logika 8, 686-690 (1969; Zbl 0244.20021)], namely, that a locally solvable group with its Abelian subgroups of bounded rank is also of bounded rank.