Butler groups cannot be classified by certain invariants (Q1315169)

A \(B_ 0\)-group \(G\) is a Butler group such that for each type \(\sigma\) the subgroup \(G(\sigma^*) = \sum \{G(\rho) : \rho > \sigma\}\) is pure in \(G\). The authors prove the following necessary and sufficient condition for two \(B_ 0\)-groups to be quasi-isomorphic. Theorem. Let \(G\) and \(G'\) be \(B_ 0\)-groups. Suppose that \[ 0 \to B \to A \to G \to 0 \quad \text{and} \quad 0 \to B' \to A \to G' \to 0 \] are balanced exact sequences where \(A\) is completely decomposable of finite rank. Then \(G\) and \(G'\) are quasi-isomorphic if and only if there exist monomorphisms \(\psi, \psi':A \to A\) such that \(B'/ \psi(B)\) and \(B/\psi' (B')\) are finite groups. ``Balanced'' means that \(A (\sigma) \to G( \sigma) \to 0\) is exact for every type \(\sigma\). However, the authors develop criteria for being balanced which are more suitable to their needs. The difficult ``only if'' part of the theorem is used to construct \(B_ 0\)-groups \(G\), \(G'\) as quotients of a completely decomposable group \(A\) of rank 4 modulo balanced subgroups of rank 2 such that \(G\) and \(G'\) are not quasi- isomorphic, yet have equal ranks, typesets and cotypesets, have isomorphic endomorphism rings, the same Richman type and are indistinguishable by any of the invariants used recently to classify certain special kinds of Butler groups.