Group actions and non-vanishing elements in solvable groups (Q2208330)

Let \(G\) be a finite group. A non-vanishing element of \(G\) is an element \(g \in G\) such that, for every irreducible character \(\chi\) of \(G\), we have \(\chi(g) \ne 0\). It is conjectured in [\textit{I. M. Isaacs} et al., J. Algebra 222, No. 2, 413--423 (1999; Zbl 0959.20009)] that, if \(G\) is solvable, every non-vanishing element of \(G\) will be in \(F(G)\), the Fitting subgroup of \(G\). While cases of this conjecture are known, it remains open in general. The present paper proves that the conjecture holds for a class of finite solvable groups. Let \(G\) be a finite solvable group. Let \(\Phi(G)\) be the Frattini subgroups of \(G\). It is a well-known theorem of Gaschütz that \(F(G)/\Phi(G)\) is a direct sum of minimal normal subgroups of \(G/\Phi(G)\) and the action of \(G/F(G)\) on \(F(G)/\Phi(G)\) is faithful. Hence, we may view \(F(G)/\Phi(G)\) as a completely reducible faithful \(G/F(G)\)-module (over finite fields of possibly distinct prime orders). Assume that each irreducible \(G/F(G)\)-submodule of \(F(G)/\Phi(G)\) is primitive. Then the paper proves that every non-vanishing element of \(G\) is in \(F(G)\). The proof relies on results in [\textit{T. R. Wolf}, Int. J. Group Theory 3, No. 2, 41--51 (2014; Zbl 1330.20011)]. (On a side remark, the author of the paper points out that Lemma 2.5 in his 2014 paper was misstated, but that Lemma 2.5 as stated in 2014 now follows from the present paper.)