Simple connectivity of \(p\)-group complexes (Q689843)

Let \(p\) be a prime and let \(G\) be a finite group. The commuting graph \(\Lambda_p(G)\) is the graph on the set of subgroups of \(G\) of order \(p\) whose edges are the pairs of commuting subgroups and the commuting complex is the clique complex \(K_p(G)=K(\Lambda_p(G))\), that is the simplicial complex whose simplices are the cliques of \(\Lambda_p(G)\). Also \(K_p(G)\) has the same homotopy type as the Brown complex and the Quillen complex for \(G\) at \(p\). This paper begins a systematic study of the following question: for which finite groups \(G\) and primes \(p\) is the commuting complex \(K_p(G)\) simply connected. Conjecture: Let the finite group \(G=AF^*(G)\) where \(A\) is an elementary abelian \(p\)-subgroup of rank at least 3 and \(F^*(G)\) is the direct product of the \(A\)-conjugates of a simple component \(L\) of \(G\) of order prime to \(p\). Then \(K_p(G)\) is simply connected. For a graph \(\Lambda\) and a vertex \(x\) of \(X\), let \(\Lambda(x)\) be the set of vertices of \(\Lambda\) adjacent to \(x\) and not \(x\). Theorem 1: Assume the conjecture and let \(G\) be a finite group, let \(p\) be a prime dividing \(|G|\) and set \(\Lambda=\Lambda_p(G)\) and set \(\overline{G}=G/{\mathcal O}_{p'}(G)\). Assume \(\Lambda(x)\) is connected for all \(x\in\Lambda\). Then exactly one of the following holds: (1) \(K_p(G)\) is simply connected. (2) \((\overline G)=\overline{G}_1\times\overline{G}_2\) where \(\overline{G}_i\) has a strongly \(p\)- embedded subgroup for \(i=1\) and 2. (3) \(\overline{G}=\overline{X}(\overline {G}_1\times\overline{G}_2)\) for some \(X\in\Lambda\), \(p=3,5\) and \(\overline{G}_1\cong L_2(8)\), \(\text{Sz}(32)\) resp., \(\overline{G}_2\) is a nonabelian simple group with a strongly \(p\)-embedded subgroup and \(X\) induces outer automorphisms on \(\overline{G}_i\) for \(i=1\) and 2. (4) \(\overline{G}\) is almost simple and \(K_p(\overline{G})\) and \(K_p(F^*(\overline{G}))\) are not simply connected. Theorem 2: Let \(G\) be a finite group and let the prime \(p\) divide \(|G|\). Assume that \({\mathcal O}_p(G)=1\), \(\Lambda=\Lambda_p(G)\) is connected and \(H_1(K_p(G))=0\). Then \(m_p(G)>2\) and \(\Lambda(x)\) is connected for each \(x\in\Lambda\). Theorem 3: Assume that \(G\) and \(L\) satisfy the hypotheses of the conjecture and that the conjecture holds in proper sections of \(G\). Then \(K_p(G)\) is simply connected if (1) \(L\) is of Lie type and Lie rank at least 2, (2) \(L\cong L_2(q)\) with \(q\) even, (3) \(L\) is an alternating group or (4) \(L\) is a Mathieu group. Assume the conjecture. Then Theorems 1 and 2 assert that, modulo a short list of exceptions, for any finite group \(G\), \(K_p(G)\) is simply connected if and only if \(m_p(G)>2\) and \(\Lambda(x)\) is connected for each \(x\in\Lambda_p(G)\). Moreover, if \(m_p(G)>2\), then \(\Lambda (x)\) is connected for all \(x\in\Lambda_p(G)\) unless \((G,p)\) is an exception listed in sections 7 and 8. Theorem 3 reduces a verification of the conjecture to the case where \(L\) is of Lie type and Lie rank 1 or \(L\) is a sporadic group not a Mathieu group. The proofs of these results use the theory developed by the author and Y. Segev for studying the simple connectivity of simplicial complexes in earlier work.