A product for permutation groups and topological groups (Q1681615)

Let \(M\leq \mathrm{Sym}(X)\) and \(N\leq \mathrm{Sym}(Y)\) be nontrivial (possibly infinite) permutation groups. The author defines a new product \(\boxtimes\) (the box product) such that \(M\boxtimes N\) is an infinite permutation group and this paper explores some of the product's interesting properties. Given a tree \(T\) it is possible to partition the vertices into two classes whose vertices are labelled \(M\) and \(N\), respectively, such that no edge joins two vertices with the same label. A subgroup \(G\leq \mathrm{Aut}(T)\) is called locally-\((M,N)\) if each vertex \(v\) labelled \(M\) (respectively, \(N\)) has degree \(\left| Y\right| \) (respectively, \(\left| X\right| \)) and the stabilizer of \(G_{v}\) induces an action which is permutation isomorphic to \(N\) (respectively, \(M\)) on the set of neighbouring vertices. When \(M\) and \(N\) are transitive there exists an essentially unique tree \(T\) and a group \(\mathcal{U}(M,N)\leq \mathrm{Aut}(T)\) which is locally-\((M,N)\) and contains a permutationally isomorphic copy of every locally-\((M,N)\) group. Then, \(M\boxtimes N\;\)is defined to be the permutation group induced by \(\mathcal{U}(M,N)\) on one of the parts of the partition of the vertices of \(T\). The groups \(M\boxtimes N\) and \(\mathcal{U}(M,N)\) are also isomorphic as topological groups under the permutation group topology. This construction generalizes that of the universal group with prescribed local action due to \textit{M. Burger} and \textit{S. Mozes} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 92, 113--150 (2000; Zbl 1007.22012)] and indeed the group \(U(M)\) defined by Burger and Mozes [loc. cit.] is topologically isomorphic to \(\mathcal{U}(M, \mathrm{Sym}(2))\). Suppose \(M\) and \(N\) are transitive and \(\mathcal{U}(M,N)\leq \mathrm{Aut}(T)\). Amongst the properties proved are the following: (1) if \(M\) and \(N\) are generated by their point stabilizers, then \(\mathcal{U}(M,N)\) is simple; (2) each locally-\((M,N)\) subgroup \(H\) of \(\mathrm{Aut}(T)\) is conjugate to a subgroup of \(\mathcal{U}(M,N)\); (3) \(M\boxtimes N\) is primitive if and only if \(M\) is primitive and not regular. The author also uses the box product to construct \(2^{\aleph_{0}}\) pairwise nonisomorphic topologically simple groups which are nondiscrete, totally disconnected, locally compact, and compactly generated; this answers a question in [\textit{P.-E. Caprace} and \textit{T. De Medts}, Transform. Groups 16, No. 2, 375--411 (2011; Zbl 1235.20026)].