2-Recognizability by prime graph of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PSL</Emphasis>(2, <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript>)

Let G be a finite group and let Γ(G) be the prime graph of G. Assume p prime. We determine the finite groups G such that Γ(G) = Γ(PSL(2, p ²)) and prove that if p ≠ 2, 3, 7 is a prime then k(Γ(PSL(2, p ²))) = 2. We infer that if G is a finite group satisfying |G| = |PSL(2, p ²)| and Γ(G) = Γ(PSL(2, p ²)) then G ? PSL(2, p ²). This enables us to give new proofs for some theorems; e.g., a conjecture of W. Shi and J. Bi. Some applications are also considered of this result to the problem of recognition of finite groups by element orders.     

Quasirecognition by prime graph of the simple group <Superscript>2</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>)

Let G be a finite group. The main result of this paper is as follows: If G is a finite group, such that Γ(G) = Γ(²G₂(q)), where q = 3²ⁿ⁺¹ for some n ≥ 1, then G has a (unique) nonabelian composition factor isomorphic to ² G ₂(q). We infer that if G is a finite group satisfying |G| = |² G ₂(q)| and Γ(G) = Γ (² G ₂(q)) then G ? = ² G ₂(q). This enables us to give new proofs for some theorems; e.g., a conjecture of W. Shi and J. Bi. Some applications of this result are also considered to the problem of recognition by element orders of finite groups.     

On a problem of P. Hall for Engel words

Let θ be a word in n variables and let G be a group; the marginal and verbal subgroups of G determined by θ are denoted by θ(G) and θ ^*(G), respectively. The following problems are generally attributed to P. Hall:

1. (I)
   If π is a set of primes and |G : θ ^*(G)| is a finite π-group, is θ(G) also a finite π-group?
    
2. (II)
   If θ(G) is finite and G satisfies maximal condition on its subgroups, is |G : θ ^*(G)| finite?
    
3. (III)
   If the set \({\{\theta(g_1,\ldots,g_n) \;|\; g_1,\ldots,g_n\in G\}}\) is finite, does it follow that θ(G) is finite?
    

We investigate the case in which θ is the n-Engel word e _n  = [x, _n y] for \({n\in\{2,3,4\}}\) .

     

Minimum implicit degree condition restricted to claws for hamiltonian cycles

Let id(v) denote the implicit degree of a vertex v in a graph G. We define G to be implicit 1-heavy (implicit 2-heavy) if at least one (two) of the end vertices of each induced claw has (have) implicit degree at least n/2. In this paper, we prove that: (a) Let G be a 2-connected graph of order n ≥ 3. If G is implicit 2-heavy and |N(u) ∩ N(v)| ≥ 2 for every pair of vertices u and v with d(u, v) = 2 and max{id(u), id(v)} < n/2, then G is hamiltonian. (b) Let G be a 3-connected graph of order n ≥ 3. If G is implicit 1-heavy and |N(u) ∩ N(v)| ≥ 2 for each pair of vertices u and v with d(u, v) = 2 and max{id(u), id(v)} < n/2, then G is hamiltonian.     

On recognizability of some finite simple orthogonal groups by spectrum

It is proved that, if G is a finite group that has the same set of element orders as the simple group D _p (q), where p is prime, p ≥ 5 and q ∈ {2, 3, 5}, then the commutator group of G/F(G) is isomorphic to D _p (q), the subgroup F(G) is equal to 1 for q = 5 and to O _q (G) for q ∈ {2, 3}, F(G) ≤ G′, and |G/G′| ≤ 2.     

On the coincidence of Grünberg-Kegel graphs of a finite simple group and its proper subgroup

Let G be a finite group. The spectrum of G is the set ω(G) of orders of all its elements. The subset of prime elements of ω(G) is denoted by π(G). The spectrum ω(G) of a group G defines its prime graph (or Grünberg-Kegel graph) Γ(G) with vertex set π(G), in which any two different vertices r and s are adjacent if and only if the number rs belongs to the set ω(G). We describe all the cases when the prime graphs of a finite simple group and of its proper subgroup coincide.     

Finite simple groups that are not spectrum critical

Let G be a finite group. The spectrum of G is the set ω(G) of orders of all its elements. The subset of prime elements of ω(G) is called the prime spectrum and is denoted by π(G). A group G is called spectrum critical (prime spectrum critical) if, for any subgroups K and L of G such that K is a normal subgroup of L, the equality ω(L/K) = ω(G) (π(L/K) = π(G), respectively) implies that L = G and K = 1. In the present paper, we describe all finite simple groups that are not spectrum critical. In addition, we show that a prime spectrum minimal group G is prime spectrum critical if and only if its Fitting subgroup F(G) is a Hall subgroup of G.     

Classification of finite groups satisfying a minimal condition

If H is a subgroup of a finite group G then we denote the normal closure of H in G by H ^G . We call G a PE-group if every minimal subgroup X of G satisfies N ^G (X) ∩ X ^G = X. The authors classify the finite non-PE-groups whose maximal subgroups of even order are PE-groups.     

Generation of a finite group with Hall maximal subgroups by a pair of conjugate elements

For a finite group G, the set of all prime divisors of |G| is denoted by π(G). P. Shumyatsky introduced the following conjecture, which was included in the “Kourovka Notebook” as Question 17.125: a finite group G always contains a pair of conjugate elements a and b such that π(G) = π(〈a, b〉). Denote by \(\mathfrak{Y}\) the class of all finite groups G such that π(H) ≠ π(G) for every maximal subgroup H in G. Shumyatsky’s conjecture is equivalent to the following conjecture: every group from \(\mathfrak{Y}\) is generated by two conjugate elements. Let \(\mathfrak{V}\) be the class of all finite groups in which every maximal subgroup is a Hall subgroup. It is clear that \(\mathfrak{V} \subseteq \mathfrak{Y}\). We prove that every group from \(\mathfrak{V}\) is generated by two conjugate elements. Thus, Shumyatsky’s conjecture is partially supported. In addition, we study some properties of a smallest order counterexample to Shumyatsky’s conjecture.