Characterization by order and degree pattern of the simple groups \({O}_8^-(q)\) for certain \(q\) (Q2107808)

Let \(G\) be a finite group, \(\pi(G)\) the set of prime divisors of its order, and \(\pi_e(G)\) the spectrum of \(G\), that is, the set of orders of the elements of \(G\). The well-known Gruenberg-Kegel graph \(\Gamma(G)\) (also called the prime graph of \(G\)) is the simple graph with set of vertices \(\pi(G)\) in which two distinct vertices \(p\) and \(q\) are connected by an edge if and only if \(pq\in \pi_e(G)\). The concept of degree pattern of \(\Gamma(G)\) was firstly introduced by \textit{A. R. Moghaddamfar} et al. [Algebra Colloq. 12, No. 3, 431--442 (2005; Zbl 1072.20015)] in the following way. If \(\pi(G)= \{p_1, p_2,...,p_k\}\) with \(p_1 < p_2 < \dots < p_k\), and \(\deg(p)\) denotes the degree of the vertex \(p\) in \(\Gamma(G)\), i.e, the number of edges incident on \(p\), then the degree pattern of \(G\) is \(D(G) = \{\deg(p_1), \deg(p_2),\dots,\deg(p_k)\}\). The fact that the order of finite group \(G\) and \(D(G)\) may characterize \(G\) (the group \(G\) is then called OD-characterizable) was then studied in the aforementioned paper, where the authors proved that several simple groups (including all the sporadic simple groups) are OD-characterizable. Since then, several authors have addressed this subject and have determined this propety for some other families of finite simple groups, some finite almost simple groups, and some automorphism groups of certain simple groups. In the paper under review, the authors prove that the group \(O^-_8(q)\) where \(q\in\{3,-5, 8, 9, 13\}\) is OD-characterizable.