On group invariants determined by modular group algebras: even versus odd characteristic (Q6146894)

The paper under review is concerned with properties of a finite \(p\)-group \(G\) that can be recovered from the group algebra of \(G\) over a field of characteristic \(p\). The authors consider a finite \(p\)-group \(G\), with cyclic commutator group where \(p\) is an odd prime and show that one can recover the exponent and the abelianization of the centralizer of the derived subgroup \(G'\) of \(G\). When such a \(G\) is \(2\)-generated, one can also recover the isomorphism type of the centralizer of \(G'\). The authors note that these statements no longer hold when \(p = 2\). In fact, the first author et al. [J. Reine Angew. Math. 783, 269--274 (2022; Zbl 1514.20019)] showed that the modular isomorphism problem admits a negative solution when \(p = 2\), by exhibiting pairs of non-isomorphic finite \(2\)-groups that are \(2\)-generated, have cyclic commutator subgroup and such that their group algebras over any field of characteristic two are isomorphic. The modular isomorphism problem remains open for odd primes.