Almost Engel linear groups (Q1662410)

An element \(g\) in a group \(G\) is called a left Engel element if for any \(x \in G\) there is some \(n = n(x, g) \geq 1\) such that \([x, {}_ng] = 1\). The commutator \([x, {}_ng]\) is defined by \([x, \, _n \,g] = [[x, {}_{n - 1}g], g]\) assuming \([x, {}_0g] = x\). If \(n\) can be chosen independently of \(x\) then \(g\) is a (left) \(n\)-Engel element. A group \(G\) is almost Engel if for every \(g \in G\) there is a finite set \(\mathcal{E}(g)\) such that for every \(x \in G\) all sufficiently long commutators \([x, {}_ng]\) belong to \(\mathcal{E}(g)\). A group \(G\) is almost nil if it is almost Engel and for every \(g \in G\) there is a positive integer \(n\) depending on \(g\) such that \([x, {}_sg] \in G\) and every \(s\geq n\). The main result that the author obtains is the following theorem: Assume \(G\) is a linear group, i. e. \(G = \mathrm{GL}(m,F)\). 1. If \(G\) is almost Engel, then \(G\) is finite-by-hypercentral. 2. If \(G\) is almost nil, then \(G\) is finite-by-nilpotent.