Nonsolvable signalizer functors revisited (Q916779)

This paper is concerned with a revision of the so-called nonsolvable signalizer functor theorem, a tool in the classification of finite simple groups. Recall: Let G be a finite group, p a prime and A an elementary Abelian p-subgroup. Suppose for each \(1\neq a\in A\) a \(p'\)-subgroup \(\theta_ a\leq C_ G(a)\) is defined with \(\theta_ a\cap C_ G(b)\subseteq \theta_ b\) for \(1\neq b\in A\). Then \(\theta\) is an A- signalizer functor. Set \(X=\theta (G;A)=<\theta_ a|\) \(1\neq a\in A>\). The purpose is to show that under suitable conditions that either \(\theta\) is complete (i.e. X is a \(p'\)-group and \(C_ X(a)=\theta_ a\); \(1\neq a\in A)\) or XA lies in a local subgroup of G. If \(\theta\) is solvable (i.e. \(\theta_ a\) solvable for all a), it was shown that if \(m_ p(A)\geq 3\), then \(\theta\) is complete and X is a solvable \(p'\)-group [\textit{G. Glauberman}, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 33, 1-27 (1976; Zbl 0342.20008)]. For odd primes p one has also to deal with the case that \(\theta\) is nonsolvable. The authors of the paper under review proved first results in this case [in ibid. 35, 1-33 (1977; Zbl 0382.20017)]. Then \textit{P. McBride} [in J. Algebra 78, 181-214, 215- 238 (1982; Zbl 0491.20011 and Zbl 0491.20012)] proved a completely general nonsolvable signalizer functor theorem. The purpose of the authors is to avoid the difficult result of McBride and give an improved version of their first result sufficient for an application in their continuing revision of the classification of finite simple groups. Thus the results are presented in a somewhat technical form and we refer the reader for the statements to the paper itself. Besides standard results and fundamental theorems major assumptions in the proofs are the existence and uniqueness of sporadic simple groups along with structural properties.