Fixed points of coprime operator groups. (Q661376)

Suppose that an elementary Abelian group \(A\) of order \(q^r\) acts by automorphisms on a finite \(q'\)-group \(G\). It is proved that if, for some \(d\leq\log_2(r-1)\), the \(d\)-th derived subgroup of \(C_G(a)\) has exponent dividing \(m\) for all \(a\in A\setminus\{1\}\), then \(G^{(d)}\) has \((m,q,r)\)-bounded exponent. It is also proved that if \(\gamma_{r-1}(C_G(a))\) has exponent dividing \(m\) for all \(a\in A\setminus\{1\}\), then \(\gamma_{r-1}(G)\) has \((m,q,r)\)-bounded exponent. These results generalize similar results of \textit{E. I. Khukhro} and \textit{P. Shumyatsky} [J. Algebra 212, No. 1, 363-374 (1999; Zbl 0923.20014)] for the case \(r=2\), and of \textit{R. Guralnick} and \textit{P. Shumyatsky} [Isr. J. Math. 126, 345-362 (2001; Zbl 1050.20013)] for the case \(r=3\). There is a connection with Restricted-Burnside-type problems, and the proofs make use of \textit{E. I. Zelmanov}'s general theorem [Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 212, 567-585 (1995; Zbl 0860.20031)] on Lie algebras satisfying a polynomial identity and generated by elements whose products are ad-nilpotent. Another ingredient is a theorem by \textit{Yu. A. Bahturin} and \textit{M. V. Zaicev} [J. Algebra 205, No. 1, 1-12 (1998; Zbl 0920.16011)] on Lie algebras admitting a finite group of automorphisms with fixed-point subalgebra satisfying a polynomial identity. These Lie ring methods are applied to Lazard's Lie algebra in the case of \(G\) being a finite \(p\)-group, which provides reduction to the case of \(G\) being a powerful \(p\)-group. Reduction to \(p\)-groups relies on the classification. While some elements of this scheme of proof were already present in the previous papers for \(r=2,3\), in the present paper a new concept of \(A\)-special subgroups is introduced in order to overcome certain significant difficulties of the general case.