On the structure of groups of virtually trivial automorphisms

If G is an arbitrary group, then the group Aut_vt(G) consists, by definition, of all virtually trivial automorphisms of G, i.e. of all automorphisms that have the fixed-point subgroup of finite index in G. We investigate the structure of Aut_vt(G) and show that it possesses a certain “well-behaved” normal series which demonstrates its closeness to finitary linear groups. This is then used to prove that each simple section of Aut_vt(G) is a finitary linear group.     

Product of nilpotent subgroups

We will say that a subgroup X of G satisfies property C in G if C_G(X?X^g)\leqq X?X^g{\rm C}_{G}(X\cap X^{{g}})\leqq X\cap X^{{g}} for all g ? G{g}\in G. We obtain that if X is a nilpotent subgroup satisfying property C in G, then XF(G) is nilpotent. As consequence it follows that if N\triangleleft GN\triangleleft G is nilpotent and X is a nilpotent subgroup of G then C_G(N?X)\leqq XC_G(N\cap X)\leqq X implies that NX is nilpotent.¶We investigate the relationship between the maximal nilpotent subgroups satisfying property C and the nilpotent injectors in a finite group.     

On maximal abelian subgroups in finite 2-groups

We determine here up to isomorphism the structure of any finite nonabelian 2-group G in which every two distinct maximal abelian subgroups have cyclic intersection. We obtain five infinite classes of such 2-groups (Theorem 1.1). This solves for p = 2 the problem Nr. 521 stated by Berkovich (in preparation). The more general problem Nr. 258 stated by Berkovich (in preparation) about the structure of finite nonabelian p-groups G such that A ∩ B = Z(G) for every two distinct maximal abelian subgroups A and B is treated in Theorems 3.1 and 3.2. In Corollary 3.3 we get a new result for an arbitrary finite 2-group. As an application of Theorems 3.1 and 3.2, we solve for p = 2 a problem of Heineken-Mann (Problem Nr. 169 stated in Berkovich, in preparation), classifying finite 2-groups G such that A/Z(G) is cyclic for each maximal abelian subgroup A (Theorem 4.1).      

Soluble minimal non-(finite-by-Baer)-groups

Let \mathfrakX{\mathfrak{X}} be a class of groups. A group G is called a minimal non- \mathfrakX{\mathfrak{X}}-group if it is not an \mathfrakX{\mathfrak{X}}-group but all of whose proper subgroups are \mathfrakX{\mathfrak{X}}-groups. In [16], Xu proved that if G is a soluble minimal non-Baer-group, then G/G ^′′ is a minimal non-nilpotent-group which possesses a maximal subgroup. In the present note, we prove that if G is a soluble minimal non-(finite-by-Baer)-group, then for all integer n ≥ 2, G/γ _n (G′) is a minimal non-(finite-by-abelian)-group.     

Spherical orbit closures in simple projective spaces and their normalizations

Let G be a simply connected semisimple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic 0 and let V be a rational simple G-module. If G/H ⊂ P(V) is a spherical orbit and if X = [`(G/H)] X = \overline {G/H} is its closure, then we describe the orbits of X and those of its normalization [(X)\tilde] \tilde{X} . If, moreover, the wonderful completion of G/H is strict, then we give necessary and sufficient combinatorial conditions so that the normalization morphism [(X)\tilde] ? X \tilde{X} \to X is a homeomorphism. Such conditions are trivially fulfilled if G is simply laced or if H is a symmetric subgroup.     

On division rings generated by polycyclic groups

LetD=F(G) be a division ring generated as a division ring by its central subfieldF and the polycyclic-by-finite subgroupG of its multiplicative group, letn be a positive integer and letX be a finitely generated subgroup of GL(n, D). It is implicit in recent works of A. I. Lichtman thatX is residually finite. In fact, much more is true. If charD=p≠0, then there is a normal subgroup ofX of finite index that is residually a finitep-group. If charD=0, then there exists a cofinite set π=π(X) of rational primes such that for eachp in π there is a normal subgroup ofX of finite index that is residually a finitep-group.     

Patterson-Sullivan Theory in Higher Rank Symmetric Spaces

Let X = G/K be a Riemannian symmetric space of noncompact type and a discrete “generic” subgroup of G with critical exponent . Denote by the set of regular elements of the geometric boundary of X. We show that the support of all -invariant conformal densities of dimension on (e.g. Patterson-Sullivan densities) lie in a same and single regular G-orbit on . This provides information on the large-scale growth of -orbits in X. If in addition we assume to be of divergence type, then there is a unique density of the previous type. Furthermore, we explicitly determine and this G-orbit for lattices, and show that they are of divergence type. Submitted: November 1997, revised: January 1999.     

Finite <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-groups with a class of complemented normal subgroups

Assume G is a finite group and H a subgroup of G. If there exists a subgroup K of G such that G = HK and H ∩ K = 1, then K is said to be a complement to H in G. A finite p-group G is called an NC-group if all its proper normal subgroups not contained in Φ(G) have complements. In this paper, some properties of NC-groups are investigated and some classes of NC-groups are classified.     

The topology of moduli spaces of group representations: The case of compact surface

Let G be a connected complex semisimple affine algebraic group, and let K be a maximal compact subgroup of G. Let X be a noncompact oriented surface. The main theorem of Florentino and Lawton (2009) [3] says that the moduli space of flat K-connections on X is a strong deformation retraction of the moduli space of flat G-connections on X. We prove that this statement fails whenever X is compact of genus at least two.     

Neighborhoods and Covering Vertices by Cycles

G =(V,E) is a 2-connected graph, and X is a set of vertices of G such that for every pair x,x' in X, , and the minimum degree of the induced graph <X> is at least 3, then X is covered by one cycle. This result will be in fact generalised by considering tuples instead of pairs of vertices. Let be the minimum degree in the induced graph <X>. For any , . If , and , then X is covered by at most (p-1) cycles of G. If furthermore , (p-1) cycles are sufficient. So we deduce the following: Let p and t () be two integers. Let G be a 2-connected graph of order n, of minimum degree at least t. If , and , then V is covered by at most cycles, where k is the connectivity of G. If furthermore , (p-1) cycles are sufficient. In particular, if and , then G is hamiltonian. Received April 3, 1998