Quasi-power automorphisms of infinite groups (Q4034572)

The automorphisms \(Q \text{Aut }G\) of a group \(G\) fixing all but finitely many subgroups are discussed in this paper. These form a normal subgroup of the full automorphism group and it is shown that they fix all infinite subgroups. They are not however characterized by the latter property. For an infinite group \(G\) the group \(Q \text{Aut }G\) is abelian and residually finite. The main result gives the structure of infinite groups \(G\) for which \(Q \text{Aut }G\) is distinct from the group of automorphisms fixing all subgroups of \(G\). In this case it is shown that subgroups of \(G\) which are not fixed under \(Q\text{Aut }G\) generate a characteristic finite subgroup \(\Theta(G)\) where \(G/\Theta(G)\) is a finite extension of a \(p\)-group (\(p\) a prime) and \(p^ 2\) divides the order of \(\Theta(G)\).