Pre-primitive permutation groups (Q6054789)

Let \(G\) be a transitive permutation group on a finite set \(\Omega\). This is said to be \textit{pre-primitive} if every \(G\)-invariant partition of \(\Omega\) is the orbit partition of a subgroup of \(G\). Such a subgroup may be taken to be normal in \(G\). The group \(G\) is called \textit{primitive} if \(G\) preserves no non-trivial partition of \(\Omega\) and is \textit{quasiprimitive} if every non-trivial normal subgroup of \(G\) is transitive on \(\Omega\). Every primitive group is quasiprimitive. There are permutation groups which are quasiprimitive but not pre-primitive. There are also permutation groups which are pre-primitive but not quasiprimitive. A permutation group is primitive if and only if it is quasiprimitive and pre-primitive. Pre-primitivity is introduced to investigate the gap between primitivity and quasiprimitivity. The motivation comes from work of Galois. Pre-primitive permutation groups of specific types are studied. We select some of the results. The regular action of a finite group \(G\) is pre-primitive if and only if \(G\) is a Dedekind group. For any finite group \(G\), the holomorph of \(G\) is pre-primitive. Let \(G\) and \(H\) be transitive groups acting on finite sets \(\Gamma\) and \(\Delta\) respectively. Consider the component-wise action of \(G \times H\) on \(\Gamma \times \Delta\). If both \(G\) and \(H\) are primitive, then \(G \times H\) is pre-primitive. If both \(G\) and \(H\) are pre-primitive and the sizes of \(\Gamma\) and \(\Delta\) are coprime, then \(G \times H\) is pre-primitive. Now consider the product action of \(G \times H\). If this group is pre-primitive, then both \(G\) and \(H\) are pre-primitive. If \(G\) and \(H\) are pre-primitive, then a condition is given under which \(G \times H\) is pre-primitive. The wreath product \(G \wr H\) in its imprimitive action on \(\Gamma \times \Delta\) is pre-primitive if and only if both \(G\) and \(H\) are pre-primitive. If the group \(G \times H\) in its product action is pre-primitive, then both \(G\) and \(H\) are pre-primitive. A sufficient condition is given for \(G \wr H\) to be pre-primitive in its product action. If \(G \wr H\) in its product action is pre-primitive, then \(G\) is pre-primitive. Diagonal groups arose in the O'Nan-Scott theorem describing primitive permutation groups, however they form a larger class of transitive groups. The definition is too lengthy to include here. Sufficient conditions are given under which a diagonal group is pre-primitive. Given a prime number \(p\), every transitive permutation group of degree \(p\) or \(p^2\) is pre-primitive. If \(n\) is an integer such that every group of order \(n\) is abelian, then every transitive group of degree \(n\) is pre-primitive. It is an open problem to describe all integers \(n\) such that every transitive permutation group of degree \(n\) is pre-primitive.