Inverse system characterizations of the (hereditarily) just infinite property in profinite groups. (Q2893257)

A profinite group \(G\) is just infinite if it is infinite, and every non-trivial normal subgroup of \(G\) is of finite index; it is hereditarily just infinite if in addition every open subgroup of \(G\) is just infinite. The aim of this paper is to show the existence of an inverse system with certain specified properties for any (hereditarily) just infinite profinite group, and in turn to show that the specified properties imply the (hereditarily) just infinite property in the limit.NEWLINENEWLINE The constructions in the paper are essentially variations on the following. Let \(\{(G_n)_{n>0},\rho_n\colon G_{n+1}\to G_n\}\) be an inverse system of finite groups and surjective homomorphisms and suppose that, for every \(n>0\), \(G_n\) contains a normal subgroup \(A_n\) such that \(A_n>\rho_n(A_{n+1})\), \(A_n\) has a unique maximal \(G_n\)-invariant subgroup and every normal subgroup of \(G_n\) either contains \(\rho_n(A_{n+1})\) or is contained in \(A_n\). Then \(G=\varprojlim G_n\) is just infinite and, conversely, every just infinite profinite group is the limit of such an inverse system.NEWLINENEWLINE The hereditary just infinite property is more difficult to characterize in this way and seems to require a division into two cases: hereditarily just infinite profinite groups which are virtually pro-\(p\) and those which are not. The existence of the latter was proved only recently by \textit{J. S. Wilson} [J. Algebra 324, No. 2, 248-255 (2010; Zbl 1209.20028)]. Inspired by this paper the author gives special consideration to hereditarily just infinite profinite groups that are not virtually pro-\(p\). He also discusses some examples of hereditarily just infinite profinite groups that are not virtually prosoluble, illustrating some features of this class.