Periodic groups acting freely on abelian groups. (Q471017)

Let \(G\) be a periodic group and let \(\pi\) be a set of primes, then \(G\) is called a \(\pi\)-group if all prime divisors of the order of each element of \(G\) lie in \(\pi\). The subgroup generated by elements of prime order of \(G\) is denoted by \(\Omega(G)\). An action of \(G\) on a nontrivial abelian group \(V\) is called \textit{free} if, for any \(v\in V\) and any \(g\in G\) such that \(v^g=v\), either \(v=1\) or \(g=1\). In [Forum Math. 21, No. 2, 217-220 (2009; Zbl 1177.20041)], \textit{E. Jabara} and \textit{P. Mayr} have proved that a \(\{2,3\}\)-group \(G\) of finite exponent \(2^m\cdot 3^2\) acting freely on an abelian group \(V\) is locally finite. Later \textit{D. V. Lytkina} [Algebra Logic 49, No. 3, 256-261 (2010); translation from Algebra Logika 49, No. 3, 379-387 (2010; Zbl 1216.20026)] showed that the previous result is also true without the assumption that the exponent of a Sylow \(2\)-subgroup of \(G\) is finite. In the paper under review the authors provide an excellent characterization of a \(\{2,3\}\)-group \(G\) acting freely on an abelian group: \(G\) can be locally finite and soluble of derived length at most \(4\) or non locally finite with \(\Omega(G)\) cyclic of order \(6\) (Theorem 1). In Theorem 2 some informations are given around non locally finite \(\{2,p\}\)-groups (\(p\) a prime) acting freely on an abelian group.