On groups in which Engel sinks are cyclic (Q2326449)

For an element \(g\) of a group \(G\), an Engel sink is a subset \(\mathcal{E}(g)\) such that for every \(x\in G\) all sufficiently long commutators \([x,g,\dots,g]\) belong to \(\mathcal{E}(g)\). For example, Engel groups are precisely the groups \(G\) for which we can choose \(\mathcal{E}(g) = \{1\}\) for all \(g\in G\). The main results deal with groups in which all Engel sinks can be chosen to be `small' in some sense. Both theorems generalize the aforementioned characterization of finite nilpotent groups: Theorem 1.2. If \(G\) is finite group in which every element admits an Engel sink generating a cyclic subgroup, then \(\gamma_\infty(G)\) is cyclic. Theorem 1.3. Let \(G\) be a soluble pro-\(p\) group in which every element admits an Engel sink generating a procyclic subgroup. Then \(G\) has a procyclic normal subgroup \(K\) such that \(G/K\) is locally nilpotent. It is conjectured that Theorem 1.3 holds for all profinite groups without any further hypothesis.