A note on the \(p\)-local rank. (Q1773924)

For a prime \(p\), the \(p\)-local rank of a finite group \(G\) is defined as the maximal length of a radical \(p\)-chain in \(G\). This definition was extended to \(p\)-blocks by \textit{J.~An} and \textit{C.~W.~Eaton} [J. Group Theory 3, No. 4, 369-380 (2000; Zbl 0978.20006)]. They showed that a \(p\)-block has \(p\)-local rank 0 if and only if it has a normal defect group, and that a \(p\)-block with a non-normal defect group \(D\) has \(p\)-local rank 1 if and only if \(D/O_p(G)\) is a TI subgroup of \(G/O_p(G)\). In the paper under review, the author characterizes \(p\)-blocks of \(p\)-local rank 2 in terms of subpairs and maximal intersections of defect groups.