Groups with less than \(n\) subgroups of index \(n\). (Q2574908)

Let \(a_n(G)\) be the number of subgroups of index \(n\) in a group \(G\). The author presents a positive solution to a problem posed by \textit{A. Shalev} [Int. J. Algebra Comput. 7, No. 1, 77-91 (1997; Zbl 0876.20017)] proving that for a residually-finite group the following are equivalent: (1) \(a_n(G)<n\) for almost all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\); (2) there exists \(c\in\mathbb{R}\) such that \(a_n(G)<c\) for all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\); (3) \(G\) has a central subgroup of finite index all of whose finite quotients are cyclic. The main implication \((1)\Rightarrow (3)\) can be reformulated in the language of profinite groups: if \(G\) is a profinite group such that \(a_n(G)<n\) for almost all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), then \(G\) has an open central procyclic subgroup. This is a consequence of a similar statement for pro-\(p\)-groups: if \(G\) is a pro-\(p\)-group such that \(a_{p^n}(G)\leq p^n\) for almost all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), then \(G\) has an open central procyclic subgroup. In the non-soluble case the proof of this last statement relies on the theory of \(p\)-adic analytic groups, but the cases \(p\in\{2,3\}\) require some extra work. The results are as strong as possible: for every prime \(p>2,\) the pro-\(\{2,p\}\) dihedral group \(G=\langle -1\rangle\ltimes\mathbb{Z}_p\) satisfies \(a_n(G)\leq n\) for all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), but does not have a central subgroup of finite index; moreover for every positive real number \(\varepsilon\) there exist a prime \(p\) and a non-soluble pro-\(p\) group \(G\) such that \(a_{p^n}(G)<(1+\varepsilon)p^n\) for almost all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\).