The multiplicative Jordan decomposition in group rings. II. (Q2460805)

Let \(A\) be a finite-dimensional algebra over the field \(k\) with identity \(1\in A\). An element \(\alpha\in A\) is said to be semisimple (resp. unipotent) if the minimal polynomial of \(\alpha\) over \(k\) does not have repeated roots in the algebraic closure \(\overline k\) of \(k\) (resp. the element \(\alpha-1\) is nilpotent). If \(k\) is a perfect field, then every element \(\alpha\in A\) possesses over \(k\) a unique additive Jordan decomposition \(\alpha=\alpha_s+\alpha_n\), where \(\alpha_s\) is semisimple, \(\alpha_n\) is nilpotent and \(\alpha_s\alpha_n=\alpha_n\alpha_s\). Further, if \(\alpha\in A\) is an invertible element, then \(\alpha\) has a unique multiplicative Jordan decomposition \(\alpha=\alpha_s\alpha_n=\alpha_n\alpha_s\) with \(\alpha_s\) semisimple and \(\alpha_n\) nilpotent [see \textit{A. Borel}, Linear algebraic groups. 2nd enlarged ed. Graduate Texts Math. 126. New York: Springer-Verlag (1991; Zbl 0726.20030), p.~80]. Let \(G\) be a finite group and \(A=\mathbb{Q}[G]\) be the rational group algebra of \(G\). Then the integral group ring \(\mathbb{Z}[G]\) is said to have the AJD property of \(\alpha_s\in\mathbb{Z}[G]\) for every \(\alpha\in\mathbb{Z}[G]\), and to have the MJD property if \(\alpha_s,\alpha_n\in\mathbb{Z}[G]\) for every invertible element \(\alpha\in\mathbb{Z}[G]\). The finite groups \(G\) for which \(\mathbb{Z}[G]\) has the property AJD are completely characterized by \textit{A. W. Hales} and \textit{I. B. S. Passi} [Arch. Math. 57, No. 1, 21-27 (1991; Zbl 0696.16004)]. This paper is a continuation of part I [\textit{S. R. Arora}, \textit{A. W. Hales} and \textit{I. B. S. Passi}, J. Algebra 209, No. 2, 533-542 (1998; Zbl 0919.16021)]. The main result asserts that if \(G\) is a finite group of order \(2^n\) and \(n>5\), then \(\mathbb{Z}[G]\) has the MJD property if and only if \(G\) is a Hamiltonian group. Moreover, the authors give a result which places very strong restrictions on the structure of those finite groups \(G\) for which \(\mathbb{Z}[G]\) has the MJD property.