On subgroups of free Burnside groups of large odd exponent. (Q1409613)

Let \(\mathcal P\) be a class of groups. A group \(G\) is called SQ-universal in the class \(\mathcal P\) if \(G\in{\mathcal P}\) and every countable group in \(\mathcal P\) is isomorphic to a subgroup of a quotient of \(G\). A subgroup \(H\) of a group \(G\) is called a \(Q\)-subgroup if for every normal subgroup \(K\) of \(H\) the normal closure \(\langle K\rangle^G\) of \(K\) in \(G\) meets \(H\) in \(K\), i.e., \(\langle K\rangle^G\cap H=K\). The main result of the paper under review is the following Theorem: Let \(n\) be an odd integer, \(n\gg 1\) (e.g. \(n>10^{78}\)), \(m>1\) and \(B(m,n)\) be a free \(m\)-generator Burnside group of exponent \(n\). Then every noncyclic subgroup of \(B(m,n)\) contains a \(Q\)-subgroup of \(B(m,n)\) isomorphic to \(B(\infty,n)=F_\infty/F_\infty^n\), where \(F_\infty\) is the free group of countably infinite rank. In particular, every noncyclic subgroup of \(B(m,n)\) is SQ-universal in the class of groups of exponent \(n\). This result strengthens a theorem due to \textit{V. S. Atabekyan} [see On simple infinite groups with identity, 5381-B86, VINITI, Moscow; available upon request from the Depot of VINITI, Moscow and Vestn. Mosk. Univ., Ser. I 1987, No. 6, 76-78 (1987; Zbl 0661.20027)] that for odd \(n\gg 1\) (e.g., \(n>10^{78}\)) and \(m>1\), every noncyclic subgroup of \(B(m,n)\) contains a subgroup isomorphic to \(B(2,n)\). This latter result and the existence of an embedding \(B(\infty,n)\to B(2,n)\) for odd \(n\geq 665\), without the \(Q\)-subgroup property, which was first proved by \textit{V. L. Shirvanyan} [Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 40, 190-208 (1976; Zbl 0336.20027)], imply that every noncyclic subgroup of \(B(m,n)\) contains a subgroup isomorphic to \(B(\infty,n)\). This paper is based on the works of \textit{A. Yu. Ol'shanskij} who developed a geometric method of van Kampen's lemma for studying groups given by generators and many relations [see Geometry of defining relations in groups, Mathematics and Its Applications. Soviet Series, 70 (1991; see the review in Zbl 0676.20014)].