Potency in soluble groups (Q6544458)

The spectrum \(\sigma(G)\) of a group \(G\) is the set of all primes \(p\) such that \(G\) has a Prüfer \(p\)-section and as usual \(\sigma(G)'\), denotes the set of all primes not in \(\sigma(G)\). If \(G\) is soluble, it is easy to see that for each \(p\in \sigma(G)\) there is a factor in the derived series of \(G\) with a Prüfer \(p\)-image. Thus this definition of spectrum extends to all groups the standard notion of the spectrum of a soluble minimax group (see [\textit{J. C.} Lennox and \textit{D. J. S Robinson}, The theory of infinite soluble groups. Oxford: Clarendon Press (2004: Zbl 1059.20001), pp. 86--87]).\N\NA group \(G\) is \(\pi\)-potent for some set \(\pi\) of primes, if for all \(x \in G\) and all positive \(\pi\)-numbers \(n\), with \(n\) dividing the order \(|x\)| of \(x\) if \(|x|\) should be finite, there is a homomorphism \(\varphi\) of \(G\) into a finite group with \(|x^{\varphi}|=n\). If \(\pi\) is the set of all primes, then \(G\) is said to be is potent. Let \(\tau(G)\) be the unique maximal, locally finite, normal subgroup of \(G\).\N\NThe main result of the paper under review is Theorem 1: Let \(G\) be a soluble group with \(\tau(G)\) finite. Then there exists a normal \(\sigma(K)'\)-potent subgroup \(K\) of finite index in \(G\).\N\NAs a consequence of Theorem 1, the author also proves the Corollary 1: Any group with \(G/\tau(G)\) soluble-by-finite is (locally finite)-by-\((\sigma(G/\tau(G))'\)-potent)-by-finite.\N\NThis extends to soluble groups in general and gives a more direct proof of the recent results proved in [\textit{D. N. Azarov}, Sib. Math. J. 63, No. 6, 1023--1033 (2022; Zbl 1509.20037)] on polycyclic groups and soluble minimax groups.