On the \(\pi \)-potency of descending HNN-extensions of groups (Q6631328)

Let \(G\) be a group. An element \(x \in G\) is potent (or \(\pi\) potent for a set \(\pi\) of primes, respectively) if either the order of \(x\) is infinite and for each positive integer (\(\pi\)-integer) \(n\) there exists a homomorphism of \(G\) onto a finite group sending \(x\) to an element of order \(n\) or the order of \(x\) is finite and for each positive integer (\(\pi\)-integer) \(n\) dividing the order of \(x\) there exists a homomorphism of \(G\) onto a finite group sending \(x\) to an element of order \(n\). A group \(G\) is potent if all elements of \(G\) are potent and \(G\) is called \(\pi\)-potent if every non-trivial element is \(\pi\)-potent. Let \(\varphi\) be an isomorphism of \(G\) onto a subgroup \(K\) of \(G\), and let \(G^{\ast}\) be a descending HNN-extension of \(G\) corresponding to \(\varphi\). The potency of \(G\) is not inherited by \(G^{\ast}\) even in the simplest case, when \(G\) is an infinite cyclic group.\N\NIn the paper under review, the author proves that if \(G\) is a finitely generated torsion-free nilpotent group (a polycyclic group), then the index \(m=[G : K]\) of \(K\) in \(G\) is finite and \(G^{\ast}\) is \(\pi\)-potent (virtually \(\pi\)-potent), where \(\pi=\{p \mid p > m\}\) is the set of all primes greater than \(m\). He also proves some generalizations of this assertion. Some of the results on the potency of descending HNN-extensions are analogs of some known theorems on the residual finiteness of the HNN-extensions.