On the character degree graph of solvable groups. II. Discon- nected graphs (Q4807459)

[For part I see Period. Math. Hung. 36, No. 1, 61-65 (1998; Zbl 0930.20007).] The character degree graph \(\Gamma(G)\) of a finite group is defined as follows. The vertices are the relevant primes (i.e. primes which divide \(\chi(1)\) for some \(\chi\in\text{Irr}_\mathbb{C}(G)\)) and two different vertices \(p\neq q\) are joined if there is a \(\chi\in\text{Irr}_\mathbb{C}(G)\) with \(pq\mid\chi(1)\). If \(G\) is solvable then \(\Gamma(G)\) has at most two (connected) components as shown by \textit{O. Manz, R. Staszewski} and \textit{W. Willems} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 103, No. 1, 31-37 (1988; Zbl 0645.20005)]. The author proves that a solvable group with a disconnected character degree graph has a very restricted group structure. As a consequence it is shown that (in the disconnected case of \(\Gamma(G)\)) there always exist \(\chi,\psi\in\text{Irr}_\mathbb{C}(G)\) such that every relevant prime divides \(\chi(1)\psi(1)\). Note that this proves Huppert's \(\varrho\)-\(\sigma\) conjecture provided \(\Gamma(G)\) has two components and \(G\) is solvable. Quite remarkable is furthermore the following fact which is based on Zsigmondy's theorem and proved in the final of this interesting paper. If \(n\leq N\) are the sizes of the two components then \(N\geq 2^n-1\).