Finite groups of genus zero (Q749655)

Let G be a finite primitive permutation group on a set \(\Omega\). If \(x\in G\), define ind x\(=| \Omega | -orb x\), where orb x is the number of orbits of \(<x>\) on \(\Omega\). Suppose that G contains elements \(x_ 1,...,x_ r\) such that \(<x_ 1,...,x_ r>=G\), \(x_ 1...x_ r=1\) and \(\sum ind x_ i=2(n-1)\), where \(x_ i\neq 1\) for \(i=1,...,r\). Then G is called a primitive group of genus 0. Such groups arise as monodromy groups of compact connected Riemann surfaces. It seems reasonable to conjecture that they have a finite set of non-isomorphic composition factors which are neither cyclic nor alternating. The paper under review is a contribution toward a proof of this conjecture using the classification theorem for finite simple groups together with the theorem of \textit{M. Aschbacher} and \textit{L. Scott} [[AS], J. Algebra 92, No.1, 44- 80 (1985; Zbl 0549.20011)]. Suppose G is a primitive group of genus 0 and H is a stabilizer of a point. Let Q be a minimal normal subgroup of G. Then by [AS] \(G=HQ\) and precisely one of the five possibilities (A), (B), (C1), (C2), (C3) holds for G,H,Q. \textit{M. Aschbacher} and \textit{S. Shih} [not yet published] have proved the conjecture in the cases (C2) and (B). The object of the paper under review is to study completely the case (A) where Q is an elementary Abelian group (Theorem A) and to prove in case (C1) the nonexistence of primitive groups of genus 0 (Theorem C1). Also some restrictions for composition factors of G in case (C3) are proved. In particular, it's proved Corollary F. If p is a prime \(>341\), then \(L_ 2(p)\) is not a composition factor of any group of genus 0.