Soluble products of nilpotent groups (Q5902930)

This is a contribution to the following problem: if the soluble group \(G=AB\) is the product of two subgroups A and B of finite rank in some sense, does then G have finite rank in this same sense? - The main results may be summarized in the following Theorem: Let \(G=AB\) be soluble and A or B nilpotent. If A and B have finite torsionfree rank (finite abelian section rank, finite Prüfer rank), then G has finite torsionfree rank (finite abelian section rank, finite Prüfer rank). Further, bounds can be given for the torsionfree rank (and the \(p^{\infty}\)-rank) of G in terms of those of A and B. - The proof of this theorem depends on the following Triple Factorization Theorem: Let \(G=AB=AK=BK\) where A and B are nilpotent and K is normal in G. If A and B have finite torsionfree rank and K is torsionfree (A and B have finite abelian section rank), then G is nilpotent with finite torsionfree rank (hypercentral with finite abelian section rank). - The proof uses heavily a result of D. I. Zaitsev on finitely generated modules over locally polycyclic group rings of finite torsionfree rank, and also some cohomological lemmas. (The above theorem has been obtained independently by the reviewer under the weaker hypothesis that the hypercenter factor group A/H(A) is polycyclic or periodic [see for instance Arch. Math. 45, 398-406 (1985; Zbl 0552.20013)].