On conciseness of words in profinite groups. (Q258169)

Let \(G\) be a group and let \(w=w (x_1,\ldots,x_k)\) be a group-word; \(w\) is called \textit{commutator} word if the sum of exponents of every variable involved in \(w\) is zero. If a commutator word \(w\) can be written in the form of multilinear Lie monomials, then \(w\) is called \textit{multilinear commutator} word. The verbal subgroup of \(G\) determined by a word \(w\) is the subgroup \(w(G)=\langle w(g_1,\ldots,g_k)\mid g_1,\ldots,g_k\in G\rangle\) of \(G\) generated by the set of the \(w\)-values of \(w\) in \(G\). Let \(G\) be a profinite group and let \(w\) be a group-word (the verbal subgroup \(w(G)\) is defined as the closed subgroup generated by all \(w\)-values). The main results proved in the paper under review are: (1) If \(w\) is a multilinear commutator word having only countably many \(w\)-values, then \(w(G)\) is finite. (2) If \(w(x)=x^2\) or if \(w(x,y)=[x^2,y]\) and \(w\) has only countably many \(w\)-values, then \(w(G)\) is finite.