Nilpotency of Bocksteins, Kropholler's hierarchy and a conjecture of Moore. (Q631804)

In 1976 J. Moore posed the conjecture: If \(\Gamma\) is a torsion free group, \(H\) a subgroup of finite index and \(M\) a \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\) module, then \(M\) is projective if it is projective as a \(\mathbb ZH\)-module or more generally Conjecture: Let \(\Gamma\) be any group and \(H\) a subgroup of finite index. Assume no elements of prime order lie in \(\Gamma-H\) (cf. Moore's condition). Then the same conclusion holds, that is, if \(M\) is a \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\)-module which is projective over \(\mathbb ZH\), then it is also projective over \(\mathbb Z\Gamma\). Here the authors first reduce the conjecture to the case in which the subgroup \(H\) is normal in \(\Gamma\) and of prime index \(p\). If \(\beta_{\Gamma,H}\) denotes the Bockstein operator that corresponds to the pair \((\Gamma,H)\), i.e. \(\beta_{\Gamma,H}=\inf^\Gamma_{\Gamma/H}(\widehat\beta)\in H^2(\Gamma,\mathbb Z)\) where \(\widehat\beta\) is a generator of \(H^2(\Gamma/H,\mathbb Z)\), then they show that the nilpotency of \(\beta_{\Gamma,H}\) in the cohomology ring \(H^*(\Gamma,\mathbb Z)\) plays the same role for infinite groups as for finite groups, namely Proposition. Let \((\Gamma,H)\) be a group and a normal subgroup of prime index. If \(\beta_{\Gamma,H}\) is nilpotent in the cohomology ring, then Moore's conjecture is true for the pairs \((\Gamma,H)\) which satisfy Moore's condition. The corresponding result for finite groups was proved by \textit{L. G. Chouinard} [in J. Pure Appl. Algebra 7, 287-302 (1976; Zbl 0327.20020)]. It was observed by D. Benson [\textit{E. Aljadeff}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 208, No. 3, 1099-1102 (2007; Zbl 1111.20043)] that the Bockstein operator that corresponds to a pair \((\Gamma,H)\) may not be nilpotent even in cases where \(\Gamma\) is torsion free. One of the results in this paper is to show that Moore's conjecture may be true for such pairs \((\Gamma,H)\). They show: Theorem. For every pair of groups \(\Gamma_0,H_0\) (\(H_0\) is normal and of prime index in \(\Gamma_0\)) there exists a pair of groups \((\Gamma,H)\) such that: {\parindent6.5mm\begin{itemize}\item[(1)] \(H\) is normal and of prime index in \(\Gamma\). \item[(2)] The group \(H\) is acyclic and hence the Bockstein operator \(\beta_{\Gamma,H}\) is not nilpotent in \(H^*(\Gamma,\mathbb Z)\). \item[(3)] There is an embedding \(\varphi\colon\Gamma_0\to\Gamma\) which induces an isomorphism \(\Gamma_0/H_0\cong\Gamma/H\). \item[(4)] The pair \((\Gamma,H)\) satisfies Moore's condition if and only if the pair \((\Gamma_0,H_0)\) does. \item[(5)] The pair \((\Gamma,H)\) satisfies Moore's conjecture if and only if the pair \((\Gamma_0,H_0)\) does. \end{itemize}} The proof of the theorem uses the following result of \textit{D. J. Benson} and \textit{K. R. Goodearl} [Pac. J. Math. 196, No.~1, 45-67 (2000; Zbl 1073.20500)]: If \(\Gamma\) is a group, \(H\) a subgroup of \(\Gamma\) of finite index and \(M\) a \(\Gamma\)-module which is projective over \(H\) and flat over \(\Gamma\) then \(M\) is projective over \(\Gamma\). The second main result of this paper refers to a class of groups, \(LH\mathfrak F\), which was defined hierarchically by \textit{P. H. Kropholler} [in J. Pure Appl. Algebra 90, No. 1, 55-67 (1993; Zbl 0816.20042)]. They show: Theorem: Moore's conjecture holds for any pair \((\Gamma,H)\) where \(\Gamma\) is in \(LH\mathfrak F\) and the pair \((\Gamma,H)\) satisfies Moore's condition. The above theorem was proved by \textit{E. Aljadeff, J. Cornick, Y. Ginosar} and \textit{P. H. Kropholler} [in J. Pure Appl. Algebra 110, No. 2, 109-112 (1996; Zbl 0853.16032)] under the additional condition that the module \(M\), in the formulation of the conjecture, is finitely generated.