Functors between shape categories

Permutation groups of prime power degree are investigated here through the study of the corresponding group algebra of the set of all functions from the underlying set on which the permutation group acts to a finite field of characteristic p. For the case when the permutation group is of degree p² acting on a set consisting of the direct product of two elementary abelian p-groups, the structure of a minimal permutation module is obtained under certain conditions. The proofs do not depend on the recent classification results of finite simple groups.     

Vertices of simple modules and normal subgroups ofp-solvable groups

Let π be a set of prime numbers andG a finite π-separable group. Let θ be an irreducible π′-partial character of a normal subgroupN ofG and denote by I_π′ (G‖θ), the set of all irreducible π′-partial characters Φ ofG such that θ is a constituent of Φ_N. In this paper, we obtain some information about the vertices of the elements in I_π′ (G‖θ). As a consequence, we establish an analogue of Fong's theorem on defect groups of covering blocks, for the vertices of the simple modules (in characteristicsp) of a finitep-solvable group lying over a fixed simple module of a normal subgroup.     

Vines and partial transformations

We introduce the partial vine monoid PVn. This monoid is related to the partial transformation semigroup PTn in the same way as the braid group Bn is related to the symmetric group Sn, and contains both the vine monoid [T.G. Lavers, The theory of vines, Comm. Algebra 25 (4) (1997) 1257-1284] and the inverse braid monoid [D. Easdown, T.G. Lavers, The inverse braid monoid, Adv. Math. 186 (2) (2004) 438-455]. We give a presentation for PVn in terms of generators and relations, as well as a faithful representation in a monoid of endomorphisms of a free group. We also derive a new presentation for PTn.     

The influence of minimal subgroups of focal subgroups on the structure of finite groups

A subgroup H of a finite group G is said to be complemented in G if there exists a subgroup K of G such that G=HK and H∩K=1. In this paper, it is proved that a finite group G is p-nilpotent provided p is the smallest prime number dividing the order of G and every minimal subgroup of the p-focal subgroup of G is complemented in N_G(P), where P is a Sylow p-subgroup of G. As some applications, some interesting results related with complemented minimal subgroups of focal subgroups are obtained.     

The influence of $\pi$-quasinormality of some subgroups of a finite group

A subgroup H of G is said to be $\pi$-quasinormal in G if it permute with every Sylow subgroup of G. In this paper, we extend the study on the structure of a finite group under the assumption that some subgroups of G are $\pi$-quasinormal in G. The main result we proved in this paper is the following:Theorem 3.4. Let ${\cal F}$ be a saturated formation containing the supersolvable groups. Suppose that G is a group with a normal subgroup H such that $G/H \in {\cal F}$, and all maximal subgroups of any Sylow subgroup of $F^{*}(H)$ are $\pi$-quasinormal in G, then $G \in {\cal F}$. Received: 10 May 2002     

Characterization of Abelian groups with a minimal generating set

Abstract

We characterize Abelian groups with a minimal generating set: Let τ A denote the maximal torsion subgroup of A. An infinitely generated Abelian group A of cardinality κ has a minimal generating set iff at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:

1. dim(A/pA) = dim(A/qA) = κ for at least two different primes p, q.

2. dim(t A/pt A) = κ for some prime number p.

3. Σ{dim(A/(pA + B)) ∣ dim(A/(pA + B)) < κ} = κ for every finitely generated subgroup B of A.

Moreover, if the group A is uncountable, property (3) can be simplified to (3') Σ{dim(A/pA) ∣ dim(A/pA) < κ} = κ, and if the cardinality of the group A has uncountable cofinality, then A has a minimal generating set iff any of properties (1) and (2) is satisfied.     

Two theorems on the vertices of Specht modules

Two theorems about the vertices of indecomposable Specht modules for the symmetric group, defined over a field of prime characteristic p, are proved: 1. The indecomposable Specht module $S^\lambda$ has non-trivial cyclic vertex if and only if $\lambda$ has p-weight 1. 2. If p does not divide n and $S^{(n-r, 1^r)}$ is indecomposable then its vertex is a p-Sylow subgroup of $S_{n-r-1} \times S_r$.Received: 15 August 2002     

Blocks of minimal dimension

Any block with defect group P of a finite group G with Sylow-p-subgroup S has dimension at least |S|²/|P|; we show that a block which attains this bound is nilpotent, answering a question of G. R. Robinson. Received: 20 November 2006     

Brauer characters with cyclotomic field of values

It has been shown in an earlier paper [G. Navarro, Pham Huu Tiep, Rational Brauer characters, Math. Ann. 335 (2006) 675-686] that, for any odd prime p, every finite group of even order has a non-trivial rational-valued irreducible p-Brauer character. For p=2 this statement is no longer true. In this paper we determine the possible non-abelian composition factors of finite groups without non-trivial rational-valued irreducible 2-Brauer characters. We also prove that, if p≠q are primes, then any finite group of order divisible by q has a non-trivial irreducible p-Brauer character with values in the cyclotomic field Q(exp(2πi/q)).     

An asymptotically exact algorithm for the high-multiplicity bin packing problem

The bin packing problem consists of finding the minimum number of bins, of given capacity D, required to pack a set of objects, each having a certain weight. We consider the high-multiplicity version of the problem, in which there are only C different weight values. We show that when C=2 the problem can be solved in time O( log D). For the general case, we give an algorithm which provides a solution requiring at most C−2 bins more than the optimal solution, i.e., an algorithm that is asymptotically exact. For fixed C, the complexity of the algorithm is O(poly( log D)), where poly(·) is a polynomial function not depending on C.     

On <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>-normal maximal and minimal subgroups of Sylow <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-subgroups of finite groups

A subgroup H of a finite group G is called c-normal in G if there exists a normal subgroup N of G such that G = HN and $H \cap N \leq H_{G} = {\rm core}_{G}(H)$. In this paper, we investigate the class of groups of which every maximal subgroup of its Sylow p-subgroup is c-normal and the class of groups of which some minimal subgroups of its Sylow p-subgroup is c-normal for some prime number p. Some interesting results are obtained and consequently, many known results related to p-nilpotent groups and p-supersolvable groups are generalized.     

On a subalgebra of the centre of a group ring II

Let p be a prime, G a finite group with p | |G| and F a field of characteristic p. By we denote the F-subspace of the centre of the group ring FG spanned by the p-regular conjugacy class sums. J. Murray proved that is an algebra, if G is a symmetric or alternating group. This can be used for the computation of the block idempotents of FG. We proved that is an algebra if the Sylow-p-subgroups of G are abelian. Recently, Y. Fan and B. Külshammer generalized this result to blocks with abelian defect groups. Here, we show that is an algebra if the Sylow-2-subgroups of G are dihedral. Therefore and are algebras for all primes p and all prime powers q. Furthermore we prove that is an algebra for the simple Suzuki-groups Sz(q), where q is a certain power of 2 and p is an arbitrary prime dividing |Sz(q)|. Received: 18 May 2007     

Block separation in solvable groups

If π is a set of primes, a finite group G is block π-separated if for every two distinct irreducible complex characters α, β ∈ Irr(G) there exists a prime p ∈ π such that α and β lie in different Brauer p-blocks. A group G is block separated if it is separated by the set of prime divisors of |G|. Given a set π with n different primes, we construct an example of a solvable π-group G which is block separated but it is not separated by every proper subset of π. Received: 22 December 2004     

On vertices of exterior powers of the natural simple module for the symmetric group in odd characteristic

We determine the vertices of certain exterior powers of the natural simple -module in odd characteristic p and, in particular, of the simple -module for the case n = pw and w ≢ 1 (mod p). Received: 22 February 2007     

A note on the p-local rank

In this paper, we give an inductive definition of p-local rank of a p-block in a finite group G with p||G| and show a necessary and sufficient condition for a p-block B such that plr(B) = 2.Received: 10 March 2004     

FLATNESS AND THE RING OF QUASI-ENDOMORPHISMS

Abstract

This paper investigates torsion-free abelian groups A which are Q E-flat, i.e. for which Q A is flat as an Q E(A)-module. It is shown that a torsion-free A has this property iff Tor¹ (M, A) is torsion for all right E(A)-modules M. Furthermore, a torsion-free group of rank 4 is constructed which is Q E-flat but not quasi-isomorphic to an E-flat group. This gives a negative response to a question of R. Pierce. The paper concludes with a discussion of the structure of torsion-free groups of finite rank which are Q E-flat.     

Almost fixed-point-free automorphisms of soluble groups

Suppose G is either a soluble (torsion-free)-by-finite group of finite rank or a soluble linear group over a finite extension field of the rational numbers. We consider the implications for G if G has an automorphism of finite order m with only finitely many fixed points. For example, if m is prime then G is a finite extension of a nilpotent group and if m=4 then G is a finite extension of a centre-by-metabelian group. This extends the special cases where G is polycyclic, proved recently by Endimioni (2010); see [3].     

Parabolic subgroups of positive modality

In this paper we prove a criterion for a parabolic subgroup P of a reductive algebraic group G to be of positive modality, i.e. to act with an infinite number of orbits on the unipotent radical. This condition is simply a lower bound on the length of the descending central series of the radical. We also show that in this situation we can always find a proper P-invariant linear subspace in the Lie algebra of the radical of P which admits an infinite number of P-orbits, unless P is maximal.This research was supported by ARC Grant # A69030627 (chief investigator: Prof. G. Lehrer).     

A new condition for solvable groups

A subgroup H of G is called complemented in G if there exists a subgroup K of G such that $G=HK$ and $H\cap K=1$. The aim of this paper is to prove the following: A finite group G is solvable if and only if its Sylow 3-, 5- and 7-subgroups are complemented in G.