Normal coverings of finite symmetric and alternating groups

In this paper we investigate the minimum number of maximal subgroups Hi, i=1,…,k of the symmetric group Sn (or the alternating group An) such that each element in the group Sn (respectively An) lies in some conjugate of one of the Hi. We prove that this number lies between a?(n) and bn for certain constants a,b, where ?(n) is the Euler phi-function, and we show that the number depends on the arithmetical complexity of n. Moreover in the case where n is divisible by at most two primes, we obtain an upper bound of 2+?(n)/2, and we determine the exact value for Sn when n is odd and for An when n is even.     

The symmetric genus of alternating and symmetric groups

The symmetric genus of a finite group G has been defined by Thomas W. Tucker as the smallest genus of all surfaces on which G acts faithfully as a group of automorphisms (some of which may reverse the orientation of the surface). This note announces the symmetric genus of all finite alternating and symmetric groups.     

On alternating and symmetric groups as Galois groups

Fix an integern≧3. We show that the alternating groupA _n appears as Galois group over any Hilbertian field of characteristic different from 2. In characteristic 2, we prove the same whenn is odd. We show that any quadratic extension of Hilbertian fields of characteristic different from 2 can be embedded in anS _n-extension (i.e. a Galois extension with the symmetric groupS _n as Galois group). Forn≠6, it will follow thatA _n has the so-called GAR-property over any field of characteristic different from 2. Finally, we show that any polynomialf=X ⁿ+…+a₁X+a₀ with coefficients in a Hilbertian fieldK whose characteristic doesn’t dividen(n-1) can be changed into anS _n-polynomialf ^* (i.e the Galois group off ^* overK Gal(f ^*, K), isS _n) by a suitable replacement of the last two coefficienta ₀ anda ₁. These results are all shown using the Newton polygon. The author acknowledges the financial support provided through the European Community’s Human Potential Programme under contract HPRN-CT-2000-00114, GTEM.     

QUASI-PERMUTATION REPRESENTATIONS OF ALTERNATING AND SYMMETRIC GROUPS

The quantities c(G), q(G) and p(G) for finite groups were defined by H. Behravesh. In this article, these quantities for the alternating group An and the symmetric group Sn are calculated. It is shown that c(G) = q(G)=p(G) = n, when G = An or Sn.     

Invariants of the symmetric and alternating groups

A theorem is proved on the growth of the codimension and the defect of the algebras of the invariants of symmetric and alternating groups with the growth of the dimension of the representations without trivial components, containing irreducible, non-one-dimensional, nonstandard subrepresentations. Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 160, pp. 201–210, 1987.     

A new characterization of alternating and symmetric groups

In this paper we prove that the alternating groupsA _n , forn=p, p+1, p+2 and symmetric groupsS _n , forn=p, p+1, wherep>=3 is a prime number, can be uniquely determined by their order components. As one of the important consequence of this characterization we show that the simple groupsA _n , wheren=p, p+1, p+2 andp>=3 is prime, satisfy in Thompson's conjecture and Shi's conjecture.     

Normal subgroups of nonstandard symmetric and alternating groups

Let be a nonstandard model of Peano Arithmetic with domain M and let be nonstandard. We study the symmetric and alternating groups S _n and A _n of permutations of the set internal to , and classify all their normal subgroups, identifying many externally defined such normal subgroups in the process. We provide evidence that A _n and S _n are not split extensions by these normal subgroups, by showing that any such complement if it exists, cannot be a limit of definable sets. We conclude by identifying an -valued metric on and (where B _S , B _A are the maximal normal subgroups of S _n and A _n identified earlier) making these groups into topological groups, and by showing that if is -saturated then and are complete with respect to this metric.      

Finitary linear representations of infinite symmetric and alternating groups

Translated fromAlgebra i Logika, Vol. 32, No. 6, pp. 591–606, November–December, 1993.     

Explicit determination of generalized symmetric and alternating Galois groups

This paper shows a probabilistic algorithm to decide whether the Galois group of a given irreducible polynomial with rational coefficients is the generalized symmetric group C_p?S_m or the generalized alternating group C_p?A_m. In the affirmative case, we give generators of the group with their action on the set of roots of the polynomial.     

Tilted symmetric orders are symmetric orders

We prove in this note that a ring which is derived equivalent to a symmetric order is again a symmetric order. Group rings of finite groups over an integral domain of characteristic 0 are symmetric orders.