Periodic-by-nilpotent linear groups. (Q624851)

Let \(G\) be a group such that: (*) for every infinite subset \(X\subseteq G\) there exist distinct elements \(x,y\in X\) such that \(\langle x,x^y\rangle \) is periodic-by-nilpotent. Then \textit{T. Rouabhi} and \textit{N. Trabelsi} [Rend. Semin. Mat. Univ. Padova 117, 175-179 (2007; Zbl 1162.20024)] show that, if \(G\) is a finitely generated soluble-by-finite group, then \(G\) itself is periodic-by-nilpotent. The present author proves an analogous theorem when \(G\) is a linear group. More precisely, suppose that \(G\) is a linear group of degree \(n\) over a field of characteristic \(p\geq 0\) and that (*) holds. Then \(G\) has a periodic normal subgroup \(T\) such that: (i) if \(p>0\) then \(G/T\) is torsionfree Abelian; whilst (ii) if \(p=0\) then \(G/T\) is torsionfree nilpotent of class \(\leq\max(1,n-1)\) and isomorphic to a linear group of degree \(n\) over a field of characteristic \(0\). In a similar vein it is shown that, if \(G\) is a linear group of degree \(n\) and characteristic \(p\geq 0\), and some term \(\gamma^{m+1}G\) in the lower central series is periodic (and \(O_p(G)=1\) if \(p>0\)) or some \(G/\zeta_m(G)\) in the upper central series is periodic, then \(G/\zeta_m(G)\) and \(\gamma^{m+1}G\) are both locally finite.