Bass units as free factors in integral group rings of simple groups. (Q401627)

Pairs of units generating a nonabelian free subgroup in the unit group of an integral group ring have been studied intensively in the past decades. Let \(\mathbb ZG\) be such that \(G\) is finite, its group of units contains a free group of rank 2. \textit{J. Z. Gonçalves} and \textit{Á. del Río} [Int. J. Algebra Comput. 21, No. 4, 531-545 (2011; Zbl 1236.16035)] have proved that if \(u\) is a Bass cyclic unit of \(\mathbb ZG\) with \(G\) solvable such that \(u\) has infinite order modulo the center of the unit group of \(\mathbb ZG\) based on an element of prime order, then there is a nonabelian free group generated by a power of \(u\) and a power of a unit \(v\) which is either a Bass cyclic unit or a bicyclic unit, verified that if \(G\) does not satisfy this then \(G\) is necessarily simple, conjectured that this holds for any \(G\). Call the set \(D_G(g)\) of all elements in \(G\) either centralizing or inverting \(g\) the dihedralizer of \(g\in G\). The method of proof was that it suffices to prove the statement for \(u\) based on a dihedral \(p\)-critical element \(g\), that is, \(g\) is of prime order \(p\), \(D_G(g)\neq G\), \(D_H(g)=H\) for any proper subgroup \(H\) of \(G\) containing \(g\) and \(G/N=D_{G/N}(gN)\) for every nontrivial normal subgroup \(N\) of \(G\).NEWLINENEWLINE The method of proof is similar in the paper under review. The authors establish that if \(G\) is a finite simple group and \(g\) is of order \(p\) with \(p>3\) prime then \(g\) is dihedral \(p\)-critical in \(G\) if and only if \(G\cong\text{PSL}(2,q=l^r)\) with \(l\) prime, and either \(p=q=5\) or \(l=p>5\) and \(2r\) is the multiplicative order of \(l\) modulo \(p\). The case \(q=5\) is well-known. Based on this, they prove the conjecture when \(q\) is a 2-power or \(q=2p-1\). Proofs are highly conceptual, involved and use the classification of finite simple groups. The authors also prove the conjecture for odd prime powers \(q\) for \(q<10000\) by means of machine calculations, the GAP functions applied are also included.