On the power structure of powerful p-groups (Q4532302)

In a regular \(p\)-group \(G\) one has, for all \(k\), that \(G^{p^k}\), the \textit{subgroup generated} by the \(p^k\)-th powers, is the \textit{set} of the \(p^k\)-th powers, and \(\Omega_k(G)\), the \textit{subgroup generated} by the elements whose order divides \(p^k\), is the \textit{set} of elements whose orders divide \(p^k\). Moreover \(|G^{p^k}|=|G:\Omega_k(G)|\). In Theorem~3.1 of the paper under review, the author shows the remarkable fact that all of these properties hold in powerful \(p\)-groups as well, for odd primes \(p\). A finite \(p\)-group, where \(p\) is an odd prime, is said to be powerful if the subgroup generated by the \(p\)-th powers contains the derived subgroup. The first property had been shown to hold for powerful \(p\)-groups in the paper by \textit{A.~Lubotzky} and \textit{A.~Mann} [J. Algebra 105, 484-505 (1987; Zbl 0626.20010)] in which this class of groups was introduced. (It must be remarked that powerful \(p\)-groups have played a tremendous role in the recent developments of the theory of \(p\)-groups; see the books of \textit{J.~D.~Dixon, M. P. F. du Sautoy, A. Mann} and \textit{D. Segal} [Analytic pro-\(p\) groups. Revised and enlarged by Marcus du Sautoy and Dan Segal. 2nd ed. (Cambridge Studies in Advanced Mathematics. 61. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) (1999; Zbl 0934.20001)] and \textit{C.~R.~Leedham-Green} and \textit{S.~McKay} [The structure of groups of prime power order. (London Mathematical Society Monographs. New Series. 27. Oxford: Oxford University Press) (2002; Zbl 1008.20001)].) The ingenious, and technically very well-crafted, proof is based among others on a very nice result of \textit{L.~Héthelyi} and \textit{L.~Lévai} [to appear in J. Algebra], to the effect that in a powerful \(p\)-group \(\Omega_1(G)\) has exponent \(p\) if and only if \(|G^p|=|G:\Omega_1(G)|\). A powerful \(p\)-group of exponent \(p^e\) has nilpotence class at most \(e\). Now subgroups of powerful \(p\)-groups need not be powerful. However, the author is able to show that such a subgroup has class at most \(e+1\), if its exponent is \(p^e\).