Quasi-powerful \(p\)-groups (Q2037528)

Let \(p\) be an odd prime. The paper introduces the notion of \emph{quasi-powerful} (finite) \(p\)-group; this being a finite \(p\)-group \(G\) with the property that \(G/Z(G)\) is powerful, i.e. \(G^{\prime}Z(G)/Z(G) \leq \mho_1 (G/Z(G))\). Since their introduction in [\textit{A. Lubotzky} and \textit{A. Mann}, J. Algebra 105, 484--505 (1987; Zbl 0626.20010); J. Algebra 105, 506--515 (1987; Zbl 0626.20022)] powerful \(p\)-groups have enjoyed a very fruitful life in group-theoretical research, with a multitude of far-reaching uses. The authors foresee quasi-powerful \(p\)-groups being useful in induction arguments. Since the class of quasi-powerful \(p\) groups includes all \(p\)-groups of class \(2\), there exist quasi powerful non-powerful \(p\)-groups. The authors' hypothesis that quasi-powerful \(p\)-groups would share many well-known properties of powerful \(p\)-groups is however borne out by the main results: Theorem \(1\) states that a quasi-powerful \(p\)-group \(G\) has a \emph{regular power structure}: For each \(i\), \(\Omega_i (G)\) is the set of elements of order at most \(p^i\), while \(\vert G \colon \mho_i(G) \vert = \vert \Omega_i(G) \vert\). Theorem \(2\) says that \(\mho_i (G)\) is powerful for \(i \geq 1\), Theorems \(3\) and \(4\) provide bounds for the order of commutators of powers of elements \(x\) and \(y\) of \(G\) in terms of \(o(x)\) and \(o(y)\), while Theorem \(5\) is a best possible (See Example \(6.1\) taken from [\textit{G. Higman}, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 10, 24--30 (1960; Zbl 0093.02603)] analogon to Theorem \(1.12\) of Mann and Lubotzky's first paper cited above [Zbl 0626.20010, loc. cit.]: If \(H \leq G\), then \(d(H) \leq \frac{1}{2} d(G) (d(G) + 3).\)\\ \noindent A key ingredient in the proofs is Proposition \(3.6\) stating that the subgroup \(\mho_1(G)Z(G)\) is powerfully embedded in \(G\). The proofs use appropiate versions of the Hall-Petrescu formula and frequently use both results of and techniques similar to [\textit{G. A. Fernández-Alcober}, Isr. J. Math. 162, 75--79 (2007; Zbl 1147.20015)].