Skew linear groups with rank conditions. II (Q6982193)

The paper investigates the structure of subgroups of the general linear group \(\mathrm{GL}_n(D)\) over a division ring \(D\), focusing on the implications of various rank conditions. It serves as a sequel to the authors' previous work [ibid. 653, 200--219 (2024; Zbl 1550.20042))]. The primary rank concepts explored are the \textit{finite special rank} \(r(G)\) (meaning that every finitely generated subgroup of \(G\) can be generated by \(r\) elements and \(r\) is minimal) and the \textit{finite co-central rank} \(r_c(G)\) (meaning that for every finitely generated subgroup \(H\) of \(G\), the factor group \(H/Z(H)\) can be generated by \(r_c(G)\) elements and \(r_c(G)\) is minimal). It is noted that \(r_c(G) \le r(G)\). The authors first establish properties for free groups concerning these ranks. A key finding is that for any free group \(G\), \(r_c(G) = r(G)\). Furthermore, if a free group \(G\) has finite co-central rank, it must be an infinite cyclic group, which implies \(r_c(G) = r(G) = r_f(G) = 1\) (Lemma 2.4). This leads to a crucial tool used throughout the paper:\N\NTheorem 2.5. If a group \(G\) contains a non-cyclic free subgroup, then \(G\) has infinite co-central rank.\N\NThe paper then shifts to studying free subgroups within almost subnormal subgroups of \(D^*\) (the multiplicative group of \(D\)) and, more generally, \(\mathrm{GL}_n(D)\).\N\NTheorem 3.5. Let \(D\) be a division ring and \(G\) an almost subnormal subgroup of \(D^*\). If \(G\) contains a non-abelian locally (solvable-by-finite) subgroup, then \(G\) contains a non-cyclic free subgroup.\N\NCombining this with Theorem 2.5, consequences for the co-central rank are derived. For instance:\N\NTheorem 3.7. Let \(D\) be a division ring, \(n\) a positive integer and \(G\) an almost subnormal subgroup of \(\mathrm{GL}_n(D)\). If \(G\) has finite co-central rank, then \(G\) is abelian provided one of the following holds:\N\N(1) \(n = 1\) and \(D\) is weakly locally finite.\N\N(2) \(n \ge 2\) and \(D\) is infinite.\N\NFurther structural results include:\N\NTheorem 3.9. Let \(D\) be a division ring, \(n\) a positive integer and \(G\) an almost subnormal subgroup of \(\mathrm{GL}_n(D)\). If \(G\) is locally (solvable-by-finite), then \(G\) is central provided one of the following holds: (1) \(n = 1\). (2) \(n \ge 2\) and \(D\) is not a locally finite field.\N\NThis theorem extends known results by \textit{C. J. Stuth} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 15, 211--217 (1964; Zbl 0121.27703)], \textit{A. E. Zalesskij} [Mat. Sb., Nov. Ser. 67(109), 154--160 (1965; Zbl 0178.36702)] and others concerning subnormal locally solvable subgroups.\N\NThe final section focuses on skew linear groups over weakly locally finite division rings. One of the main results of the section is an analogue of Tits' alternative:\N\NTheorem 4.5. Let \(D\) be a weakly locally finite division ring, \(n\) a positive integer and \(G\) a finitely generated subgroup of \(\mathrm{GL}_n(D)\). Then either \(G\) is solvable-by-finite or \(G\) contains a non-cyclic free subgroup.\N\NThis directly implies:\N\NTheorem 4.6. Every skew linear group over a weakly locally finite division ring is either locally (solvable-by-finite) or has infinite co-central rank.\N\NThe structure of groups with finite co-central rank is further elucidated in Theorem 4.8, leading to a full characterization (Corollary 4.9) of finitely generated subgroups of \(\mathrm{GL}_n(D)\) with finite co-central rank (under the condition that \(D\) is non-commutative weakly locally finite if \(n \ge 2\)). Explicitely, this property is shown to be equivalent to: \N1) being solvable-by-finite subgroups, \N2 ) being polycyclic-by-finite; \N3) being Noetherian; \N4) having finite special rank.\N\NThe paper concludes by exploring the relationship between the co-central rank (and special rank) of a finitely generated skew linear group \(G\) over a weakly locally finite division ring and the corresponding ranks of its automorphism group \(\Aut(G)\) (Theorems 4.11 and 4.12).