Finite groups with many p-regular conjugacy classes

DOI10.1016/J.JALGEBRA.2023.11.010MaRDI QIDQ6187325zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Christopher A. Schroeder

Publication date 15 January 2024

Published in Journal of Algebra (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.12905

zbMATH Keywords

\(p\)-solvable groupconjugacy classesfinite grouprepresentation theory

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Modular representations and characters (20C20) Finite solvable groups, theory of formations, Schunck classes, Fitting classes, (pi)-length, ranks (20D10) Arithmetic and combinatorial problems involving abstract finite groups (20D60) Conjugacy classes for groups (20E45)

Abstract: Let $G$ be a finite group and let $p$ be a prime. In this paper, we study the structure of finite groups with a large number of $p$-regular conjugacy classes or, equivalently, a large number of irreducible $p$-modular representations. We prove sharp lower bounds for this number in terms of $p$ and the $p^{\prime }$-part of the order of $G$ which ensure that $G$ is $p$-solvable. A bound for the $p$-length is obtained which is sharp for odd primes. We also prove a new best possible criterion for the existence of a normal Sylow $p$-subgroup in terms of these quantities.

Review text

Let \(G\) be a finite group. The probability that two randomly chosen elements of \(G\) commute is given by \(d(G)=|\{(x,y) \in G^{2} \mid [x,y]=1\}|\cdot |G|^{-2}\) and an elementary argument shows that \(d(G)=k(G)\cdot|G|^{-1}\), where \(k(G)\) is the number of conjugacy classes of \(G\). \textit{G. W. Gustafson} [Am. Math. Mon. 80, 1031--1034 (1973; Zbl 0276.60013)] proved that if \(d(G)>5/8\), then \(G\) is abelian. For every set \(\pi\) of primes, let \(k_{\pi}(G)\) be the number of conjugacy classes of \(\pi\)-elements of \(G\). The local invariant \(d_{\pi}(G)=k_{\pi}(G) \cdot |G|_{\pi}^{-1}\) captures information about the \(\pi\)-structure of the group. Indeed, \textit{A. Maróti} and \textit{H. N. Nguyen} proved in [Arch. Math. 102, No. 2, 101--108 (2014; Zbl 1295.20016)] that if \(d_{\pi}(G) > 5/8\), then \(G\) contains an abelian Hall \(\pi\)-subgroup. If \(\pi=p'\), then \(k_{p'}(G)\) is the number of conjugacy classes of elements whose order is not divisible by \(p\), the so-called \(p\)-regular elements. It is also the number of inequivalent irreducible \(p\)-modular representations of \(G\). Viewed in this light, the invariant \(d_{p'}(G)\) holds special interest because it reflects the \(p\)-modular representation theory of \(G\). In the paper under review, the author studies the structure of finite groups with a large number of \(p\)-regular conjugacy classes or, equivalently, a large number of irreducible \(p\)-modular representations. In particular he proves that, if \(d_{p'}(G)>1/(p-1)\), then \(G\) is \(p\)-solvable. Moreover, \(G\) has \(p\)-length at most \(2\) and the number of nonabelian simple \(p\)-factors in a composition series for \(G\) is strictly less than \(\ln(p-1)/ \ln(12)\). In particular, if \(p\leq 13\), then \(G\) is solvable. Two other interesting results are: if \(d_{2'}(G)>4/5\), then \(G\) is solvable with \(2\)-length at most \(4\) (see Theorem 1.2) and if \(d_{p'}(G)> 2/(p-1)\), then \(G\) has a normal Sylow \(p\)-subgroup (see Theorem 1.3). Finally the author proves Theorem 1.4: If \(G\) is \(p\)-solvable of \(p\)-length \(k\), then \(d_{p'}(G) \leq \big (2/(p+1) \big )^{k-1}\).

Recommendations

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• FINITE GROUPS WITH TWO p-REGULAR CONJUGACY CLASS LENGTHS II
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Cited in

(1)

• On the invariants of finite groups arising in a topological quantum field theory

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