Generation of second maximal subgroups and the existence of special primes

DOI10.1017/FMS.2017.21zbMATH Open1428.20017arXiv1611.06196OpenAlexW2549585135MaRDI QIDQ4593231FDOQ4593231

Authors: Timothy C. Burness, Martin W. Liebeck, Aner Shalev 

Publication date: 22 November 2017

Published in: Forum of Mathematics, Sigma (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Let $G$ be a finite almost simple group. It is well known that $G$ can be generated by 3 elements, and in previous work we showed that 6 generators suffice for all maximal subgroups of $G$. In this paper we consider subgroups at the next level of the subgroup lattice - the so-called second maximal subgroups. We prove that with the possible exception of some families of rank 1 groups of Lie type, the number of generators of every second maximal subgroup of $G$ is bounded by an absolute constant. We also show that such a bound holds without any exceptions if and only if there are only finitely many primes $r$ for which there is a prime power $q$ such that $(q^r-1)/(q-1)$ is prime. The latter statement is a formidable open problem in Number Theory. Applications to random generation and polynomial growth are also given.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1611.06196

Recommendations

• Generation and random generation: from simple groups to maximal subgroups.
• Simple groups, maximal subgroups, and probabilistic aspects of profinite groups
• GENERATING MAXIMAL SUBGROUPS OF FINITE ALMOST SIMPLE GROUPS
• Bounds on the number of maximal subgroups of finite groups
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 7359829

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Simple groups: alternating groups and groups of Lie type (20D06) Arithmetic and combinatorial problems involving abstract finite groups (20D60) Generators, relations, and presentations of groups (20F05) Series and lattices of subgroups (20D30) Maximal subgroups (20E28) Probabilistic methods in group theory (20P05)

Cites Work

• The Magma algebra system. I: The user language
• The maximal subgroups of the low-dimensional finite classical groups.
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Positively finitely generated groups
• On Ree's Series of Simple Groups
• On a class of doubly transitive groups
• Some applications of the first cohomology group
• Maximal subgroups of direct products
• On the maximal subgroups of the finite classical groups
• A classification of the maximal subgroups of the finite alternating and symmetric groups
• Base sizes for sporadic simple groups.
• Generators for finite groups with a unique minimal normal subgroup
• The expected number of random elements to generate a finite group.
• The probability of generating a finite simple group
• The probability of generating a finite classical group
• On the structure of parabolic subgroups
• Simple groups, maximal subgroups, and probabilistic aspects of profinite groups
• Subgroups of Maximal Rank in Finite Exceptional Groups of Lie Type
• Generators for Simple Groups
• Generation of almost simple groups
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• The maximal subgroups of the finite 8-dimensional orthogonal groups \(P\Omega ^ +_ 8(q)\) and of their automorphism groups
• The Local Maximal Subgroups of Exceptional Groups of Lie Type, Finite and Algebraic
• On intervals in subgroup lattices of finite groups.
• On conjugacy classes of maximal subgroups of finite simple groups, and a related zeta function.
• Maximal subgroups of exceptional groups of Lie type, finite and algebraic
• Random generation of finite and profinite groups and group enumeration.
• An interval in the subgroup lattice of a finite group which is isomorphic to \(M_ 7\)
• Generation and random generation: from simple groups to maximal subgroups.
• On Feit's examples of intervals in subgroup lattices

Cited In (3)

• The invariably generating graph of the alternating and symmetric groups
• The depth of a finite simple group
• Boundedly generated subgroups of finite groups.

Uses Software

• Magma
• ATLAS Group Representations

This page was built for publication: Generation of second maximal subgroups and the existence of special primes

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q4593231)