Almost fixed-point-free automorphisms of order 2. (Q658940)

Suppose that a group \(G\) has an automorphism \(\varphi\) of order \(2\) such that the fixed point subgroup \(C_G(\varphi)\) is finite. It is proved that if \(G\) has a finite series such that each factor of the series is either periodic or infinite cyclic, then \(G\) is (nilpotent of class \(\leq 2)\)-by-finite. If \(G\) is a finite extension of a soluble group with finite Abelian ranks, then \(G\) is Abelian-by-finite. Some additional information on the structure of \(G\) is also obtained, and an example is produced that shows that the group \(G\) need not be Abelian-by-finite in the former result. Note that, unlike results on locally finite groups with almost fixed-point-free automorphisms, here there can be no bound in terms of \(|C_G(\varphi)\) and \(|\varphi|\) for the index of an Abelian or nilpotent subgroup, even for polycyclic groups. The proofs combine, in a nontrivial fashion, previously known results for the periodic and torsion-free cases. Reviewer's remark: The result for the periodic case is cited from the Hartley-Meixner paper [\textit{B. Hartley} and \textit{Th. Meixner}, J. Algebra 64, 285-291 (1980; Zbl 0429.20039)], but in the reviewer's opinion a deep theorem of \textit{V. P. Shunkov} [Algebra Logic 11, 260-272 (1972); translation from Algebra Logika 11, 470-493 (1972; Zbl 0275.20074)] providing reduction to locally finite soluble groups should also be mentioned.