Dominions in varieties of nilpotent groups (Q4947077)

Let \(\mathcal C\) be a full subcategory of the category of all algebras of a fixed type, which is closed under passing to subalgebras. Let \(A\in {\mathcal C}\), and let \(B\) be a subalgebra of \(A\). \textit{J.~R.~Isbell} [in Proc. Conf. Categor. Algebra, La Jolla 1965, 232-246 (1966; Zbl 0194.01601)] defined the dominion \(\text{dom}_A^{\mathcal C}(B)\) of \(B\) in \(A\) (in the category \(\mathcal C\)) as follows: \[ \text{dom}_A^{\mathcal C}(B)=\{a\in A\mid(\forall C\in{\mathcal C})\;(\forall f,g\colon A\to C)\;(f|_B=g|_B \Longrightarrow f(a)=g(a))\}. \] If \(\text{dom}_A^{\mathcal C}(B)=B\) then the dominion of \(B\) in \(A\) is called trivial, and it is called nontrivial otherwise. The concept of dominion is investigated in several varieties of nilpotent groups. Let \({\mathcal G}roup\) be the category of all groups, \({\mathcal N}il\) be the category of all nilpotent groups, \({\mathcal N}_c\) be the variety of nilpotent groups of class at most \(c\) with \(c\geq 2\), \({\mathcal A}^2\) be the variety of all metabelian groups, \({\mathcal E}_2\) be the variety of all \(2\)-Engel groups. Some basic properties of dominions are noted. In particular, dominions are related to group amalgams. Therefore (in view of known results) for any group \(A\) and for every subgroup \(B\) of \(A\) the dominion of \(B\) in \(A\) is trivial in \({\mathcal G}roup\). If \(\mathcal C\) be a full subcategory of \({\mathcal G}roup\) which is closed under quotients, then dominions of normal subgroups of groups from \(\mathcal C\) are trivial. Hence dominions of subgroups of Abelian groups are trivial (in any variety of groups). A complete description of dominions in the variety \({\mathcal N}_2\) is obtained. There are instances of nontrivial dominions of subgroups of \({\mathcal N}_2\)-groups in \({\mathcal E}_2\), \({\mathcal A}^2\cap{\mathcal N}_c\) (for \(c>2\)), \({\mathcal A}^2\cap{\mathcal N}il\), and \({\mathcal N}il\). Some related results in other varieties of groups are obtained. In particular, every nonabelian torsion free locally nilpotent variety has instances of nontrivial dominions; some subvariety of \({\mathcal N}_2\) also has instances of nontrivial dominions. In conclusion the author formulates two open questions: Are dominions trivial in the subvariety of \({\mathcal N}_2\) defined in \({\mathcal N}_2\): (1) by the identities \(x^{p^a}=[x_1,x_2]^p=e\) with \(p\) a prime, \(a>1\)? (2) by the identity \([x_1,x_2]^n=e\) with \(n>1\) square free?