Groups of finite Morley rank of even type with a weakly embedded subgroup (Q5939563)

The Cherlin-Zilber conjecture states that a simple group of finite Morley rank is an algebraic group over an algebraically closed field. For an inductive approach to this conjecture, one considers the class of \(K^*\)-groups, whose proper definable simple sections are algebraic groups over an algebraically closed field. The author proves an important characterisation of \(\text{PSL}_2(K)\), fundamental for the recognition of small groups. He thus generalizes work of \textit{T. Altinel} [J. Algebra 180, No. 3, 778-807 (1996; Zbl 0855.20029)] and \textit{T. Altinel}, \textit{A. Borovik} and \textit{G. Cherlin} [J. Algebra 211, No. 2, 409-456 (1999; Zbl 0921.20037)], who in addition require that the group in question be tame, i.e. does not interpret a bad field. A subgroup \(M\) of a group \(G\) is weakly embedded if it has infinite Sylow \(2\)-subgroups, and \(M\cap M^g\) has finite Sylow \(2\)-subgroups for all \(g\in G\setminus M\). The paper is devoted to a proof of Theorem 1.1: A simple \(K^*\)-group \(G\) with infinite Sylow \(2\)-subgroups of bounded exponent and a weakly embedded subgroup \(M\) is \(\text{PSL}_2(K)\), for some algebraically closed field \(K\) of characteristic \(2\). The proof follows the outline for the tame case. Under the additionnal assumption that \(C_G(H)\leq M\) for all definable infinite connected \(H\leq G\) centralising the involutions of \(M^0\), the assertion is reduced to the characterisation of Zassenhaus groups by \textit{M. DeBonis} and \textit{A. Nesin} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 50, No. 3, 430-439 (1994; Zbl 0821.03018)]. The main contribution of the paper is a proof of this assumption without the tameness hypothesis by a delicate and lengthy rank calculation, following the strategy of DeBonis and Nesin, but making use of results of \textit{O. Frécon} [J. Algebra 229, No. 1, 118-152 (2000; Zbl 0984.20022)] and \textit{F. O. Wagner} [Arch. Math. Logic 33, No. 1, 23-34 (1994; Zbl 0813.03022)] on Carter subgroups.