On the 2-local structure of groups of characteristic 2 type (Q1089096)

By definition a finite group G is of characteristic 2-type if \(| G|\) is even and every 2-local subgroup L satisfies: \(C_ L(O_ 2(L))\leq O_ 2(L)\). Also if Y is a subgroup of a group X and Y is contained in a unique maximal subgroup of X, then X is said to be Y- irreducible. For finite groups G and \(S\in Syl_ 2(G)\), let \({\mathcal C}'(S)\) (or \({\mathcal C}'(S,G))\) denote the set of all S-irreducible subgroups of G, let \({\mathcal C}(S)\) (or \({\mathcal C}(S,G))\) denote the set of all elements \(X\in {\mathcal C}'(S)\) such that \(O_ 2(X)\neq 1\) and \(N_ X(S)\neq X\) and let \({\mathcal L}(S)\) (or \({\mathcal L}(S,G))\) denote the set of all subgroups Y of G such that \(S\leq Y\) and \(O_ 2(Y)\neq 1.\) A finite group G is almost simple if the generalized Fitting subgroup, \(F^*(G)\), is a nonabelian simple group. For almost simple groups G and \(S\in Syl_ 2(G)\), let \({\mathcal C}''(S)\) (or \({\mathcal C}''(S,G))\) denote the set of all elements \(X\in {\mathcal C}'(S)\) such that \(N_ X(S\cap F^*(G))\neq X\). (It is easy to see that \({\mathcal C}''(S)\neq \emptyset.)\) Define \(D''(S)=D''(S,G)=\cap_{X\in {\mathcal C}''(S)}O_ 2(X)\). The almost simple group G is said to be large if D''(S,G)\(\neq 1\) for \(S\in Syl_ 2(G)\). Also if G is of characteristic 2-type and \(S\in Syl_ 2(G)\), let \({\mathcal M}(S)\) (or \({\mathcal M}(S,G))\) denote the set of all maximal 2-local subgroups of G containing S. The main result of this paper is: Theorem. Let G be a group of characteristic 2-type and let \(S\in Syl_ 2(G)\). Then one of the following holds: (1) \(| {\mathcal M}(S)| =1\); (2) There exist \(X_ i\in {\mathcal C}(S)\) for \(i=1,2\) such that \(O_ 2(<X_ 1,X_ 2>)=1\); (3) There exist \(X_ i\in {\mathcal C}(S)\) for \(i=1,2\) such that \(O_ 2(<X_ 1,X_ 2>)\neq 1\) and whenever \(<X_ 1,X_ 2>\leq Y\in {\mathcal L}(S)\) then \(Y/O_ 2(Y)\) has a quasisimple component \(K/O_ 2(Y)\) such that the almost simple group \[ A_ S(K)=N_ S(K)K/C_{N_ S(K)K}(K/O_{2,2''}(K)) \] is large. - As noted, this result for all finite groups of characteristic 2-type is suggested by an analogous trichotomy fact when G is a finite simple group of Lie type defined over a finite field of characteristic 2. Section 1 also contains the definition of a graph and some basic results about this graph that are used in the proof of the Theorem and two problems that the Theorem suggests to the author.