Base sizes for finite linear groups with solvable stabilisers (Q6935860)

This article is the first in a trilogy aiming to prove a conjecture of Vdovin in [\textit{V. D. Mazurov} (ed.) and \textit{E. I. Khukhro} (ed.), The Kourovka notebook. Unsolved problems in group theory. 18th edition. Novosibirsk: Institute of Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Div. (2014; Zbl 1372.20001), Problem 17.41(b)] stating that the base size \(b_S(G)\) of a finite transitive permutation group \(G\) with solvable point stabiliser \(S\) and trivial solvable radical satisfies \(b_S(G) \leq 5\). The conjecture was previously established by \textit{T. C. Burness} [Algebra Number Theory 15, No. 7, 1755--1807 (2021; Zbl 1486.20002)] in the case of primitive \(G\) and subsequently reduced by \textit{E. P. Vdovin} [J. Algebra Appl. 11, No. 1, Article ID 1250015, 14 p. (2012; Zbl 1251.20003)] to the case of almost simple groups.\N\NThis paper handles the case where \(G\) is an almost simple group with socle isomorphic to \(\mathrm{PSL}_n(q)\). It proves that \(\operatorname{Reg}_S(G,5) \geq 5\) for every maximal solvable subgroup \(S\) of \(\Aut(\mathrm{PSL}_n(q))\), thus showing that \(b_S(G) \leq 5\). The result is sharp: equality holds when \(G = \mathrm{Sym}(8)\) and \(S = \mathrm{Sym}(4) \wr \mathrm{Sym}(2)\). Moreover, infinitely many such examples exist.\N\NThe parameter \(\operatorname{Reg}_S(G,k)\) denotes the number of regular \(G\)-orbits on the \(k\)-fold Cartesian power of the coset space \(G/S\); hence, \(b_S(G)\) is the least \(k\) such that \(\operatorname{Reg}_S(G,k) > 0\). This reduction refers to the principle that a bound of the form \(\operatorname{Reg}_T(A,k) \geq 5\) for all solvable subgroups \(T\) of each almost simple factor \(A\) in the composition series of \(G\) implies \(b_S(G) \leq k\) for every maximal solvable subgroup \(S \leq G\), as shown in [Vdovin, loc. cit.].\N\NThe proof combines probabilistic methods (via fixed point ratio estimates), constructive group-theoretic arguments (involving semisimple and reducible solvable subgroups) and explicit computations using \textsc{GAP} and \textsc{MAGMA} for small parameters.