Arities of permutation groups: Wreath products and \(k\)-sets (Q1914011)

Consider a group \(G\) acting on a finite set \(X\). \(G\) then acts also on \(X^n\). The orbits of \(G\) on \(X^n\) are called the \(n\)-types. Write \(\text{tp}(a)\) for the \(G\)-orbit of the \(n\)-tuple \(a\). For subsets \(I\subseteq\{1,\dots,n\}\) of cardinality \(r\) the projection \(\pi_I:X^n\to X^I\) induces a map from the orbits of \(G\) on \(X^n\) to the orbits of \(G\) on \(X^I\). By taking an order preserving bijection from \(I\) with \(\{1,\dots,r\}\) this map is viewed as a map from \(n\)-types to \(r\)-types. The \(r\)-type of an \(n\)-tuple \(a\) for \(r\leq n\) is by definition the function which associates to each such \(I\) of cardinality \(r\) the type \(\text{tp}(\pi_Ia)\). The \(r\)-types are said to determine \(n\)-types if any two \(n\)-tuples with the same \(r\)-type have the same \(n\)-type. The arity of \((G,X)\) is defined to be the least \(r\) such that \(r\)-types determine \(n\)-types for all \(n\geq r\). This invariant of a finite permutation group is well known in model theory. In the present paper this invariant is examined from an algebraic point of view. (A similar notion, called weak arity is introduced also which coincides with arity in most cases.) The arity is computed exactly for the symmetric groups \(\text{Sym}(n)\) acting on \(k\)-subsets and for sharply \(t\)-transitive groups. Otherwise in many cases upper and lower estimates are given. In particular the behaviour of the invariant in power actions of wreath products is analyzed which is important with respect to the O'Nan-Scott theorem for primitive permutation groups.