Nonsoluble and non-\(p\)-soluble length of finite groups. (Q498990)

Let \(G\) be a finite group, \(p\) a prime. The minimum of the numbers of non \(p\)-soluble factors in normal series with factors either \(p\)-soluble or direct product of non-abelian simple groups is called the non \(p\)-soluble length of \(G\) and denoted by \(\lambda_p(G)\), for \(p=2\), \(\lambda(G)=\lambda_2(G)\) is called the non-soluble length. Bounds for these lengths have been considered for verbal subgroups [in \textit{E. Detomi} et al., Ann. Mat. Pura Appl. (4) 193, No. 5, 1431-1441 (2014; Zbl 1306.20034); \textit{P. Shumyatsky}, Isr. J. Math. 189, 207-224 (2012; Zbl 1283.20021); J. Aust. Math. Soc. 93, No. 3, 325-332 (2012; Zbl 1278.20032)]. Denote by \(L_2(G)\) (\(L_p(G)\), \(p>2\)) the maximum of the \(2\)-lengths (\(p\)-lengths) of soluble (\(p\)-soluble) subgroups of \(G\). The main results of the paper are the following. We have \(\lambda(G)\leq 2L_2+1\) and \(\lambda_p(G)\leq L_p\). Let \(\mathfrak A_e\) be the variety of all finite groups of exponent dividing \(e\), and \(\mathfrak B_d\) the variety of all finite soluble groups of derived length at most \(d\). Then, if the Sylow \(p\)-subgroup of \(G\) belongs to the variety \(\prod\mathfrak B_{b_i}\mathfrak A_{p^{a_i}}\) for \(a_i,b_i>0\), then \(\lambda_p(G)\) is bounded in terms of \(\sum(a_i+b_i)\). This is a partial answer to the problem posed by the authors: is there a bound for \(\lambda_p\) for finite groups whose Sylow \(p\)-subgroups belong to a fixed proper variety of groups? Kernel subgroups, likely of independent interest, play crucial role in the course of the involved proofs. The socle of the quotient of \(G\) by its \(p\)-soluble radical is a direct product of non-abelian simple groups \(S_i\) of order divisible by \(p\). The kernel \(K_p(G)\) of the conjugation permutation action by \(G\) on the \(S_i\) is called the \(p\)-kernel subgroup of \(G\); for \(p=2\), \(K(G)=K_2(G)\) is called the kernel subgroup of \(G\). Moreover, a minor gap in the proof of Proposition 3.3 of the second paper cited above is corrected.