Rank three innately transitive permutation groups and related 2-transitive groups (Q6060073)

The paper is a continuation of a number of papers written or coauthored by the third author, notably [\textit{J. Bamberg} and \textit{C. E. Praeger}, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 89, No. 1, 71--103 (2004; Zbl 1069.20003)]. A finite group \(G\) is said to be \textit{innately transitive} on a set \(\Omega\) if it has a transitive minimal normal subgroup, called a \textit{plinth}, and is \textit{properly innately transitive} if it is innately transitive, yet not quasiprimitive. Let \(\alpha \in \Omega\), \(M\) a minimal transitive normal subgroup of \(G\), \(C = C_G(M)\), \(\Sigma\) the set of \(C\)-orbits in \(\Omega\), \(\sigma \in \Sigma\); then [Lemma \(2.3\)] \(G\) is \(2\)-transitive on \(\Sigma\), as is \(G_{\sigma}\) on \(\sigma\), while \(M_{\alpha} \triangleleft G_{\sigma}\). These observations give rise to the crucial notion of a \textit{special} pair \((X,R)\) [Definition \(2.4\)], consisting of a \(2\)-transitive group \(X\) on a set \(\Sigma\) and a normal subgroup \(R\) of \(X_{\sigma}\) carrying the features required to play the role of \(M_{\alpha}\). Special pairs are classified in Theorem \(A\), while Theorem \(B\) constructs innately transitive permutation groups from special pairs.Theorem \(C\) provides a classification of the properly innately transitive permutation groups of rank \(3\). The paper also contains a wealth of interesting examples.