On the structure of \(n\)-isoclinism classes of groups (Q1076149)

Generalizing an idea of P. Hall, two groups \(G, H\) are called \(n\)-isoclinic if there is an isomorphism \(\alpha\) of \(G/\zeta_ n(G)\) onto \(H/\zeta_ n(H)\) which induces an isomorphism \(\beta\) of \(\gamma_{n+1}(G)\) onto \(\gamma_{n+1}(H)\); here \(\{\gamma_ n(G)\}\), \(\{\zeta_ n(G)\}\) are the lower and upper central series of \(G\) respectively, and \(\beta\) is defined by \([g_ 1,\ldots,g_{n+1}]\beta =[h_ 1,\ldots,h_{n+1}]\) with \(h_ i\zeta_ n(H)=(g_ i\zeta_ n(G))\alpha\). Hall introduced this in the case \(n=1\) and used it to classify various kinds of \(p\)-groups, most notably the groups with an abelian subgroup of index \(p\). The present paper is concerned with general properties of \(n\)-isoclinism. It was proved in 1963 by Weichsel that two isoclinic groups are always factor groups of a group isoclinic to both, and this was generalized to \(n\)-isoclinism by Bioch. Here it is proved that isoclinic groups can be embedded in a group isoclinic to both. If \(G_ 1\), \(G_ 2\) are \(n\)-isoclinic, \(G_ 1/\zeta_ i(G_ 1)\) and \(G_ 2/\zeta_ i(G_ 2)\) are \((n-i)\)-isoclinic and \(\gamma_{i+1}(G_ 1)\), \(\gamma_{i+1}(G_ 2)\) are \(m\)-isoclinic for an appropriate \(m\). A group \(S\) is called an \(n\)-stem group if \(\zeta_ 1(S)\leq \gamma_{n+1}(S)\); any finitely generated group \(G\) with \(\gamma_{n+1}(G)\) finite is \(n\)-isoclinic to a finite \(n\)-stem group. If \(N\) is a normal subgroup of \(G\) and \(N\cap \gamma_{n+1}(G)=1\), then \(G/N\) is \(n\)-isoclinic to \(G\). A group \(G\) is called quotient irreducible if \(N\cap \gamma_{n+1}(G)=1\) implies \(N=1\); this is equivalent to the condition that the socle of \(G\) is contained in \(\gamma_{n+1}(G)\) and \(\zeta_ 1(G)/(\zeta_ 1(G)\cap \gamma_{n+1}(G))\) is periodic. A similar theorem is proved for subgroups.