Automorphisms of principal blocks stabilizing Sylow subgroups

Let p be a prime, G a finite group which has a normal p-subgroup containing its own centralizer in G, and R a commutative local ring with residue class field of characteristic p. In this paper, it is shown that if is an augmented automorphism of RG which fixes a Sylow p-subgroup P of G, there is such that for all and is an inner automorphism of RG. Received: 26 July 2000     

Construction of free subgroups in the group of units of modular group algebras

Let KGbe the group algebra of a p¹ -group Gover a field Kof characteristic p > 0, and let U(KG)be its group of units. If KGcontains a nontrivial bicyclic unit and if Kis not algebraic over its prime field, then we prove that the free product Z_p? Z_p? Z_pcan be embedded in U(KG).     

Fixity and free group actions on products of spheres

A representation G U(n) of degree n has fixity equal to the smallest integer f such that the induced action of G on U(n) /U(n-f-1) is free. Using bundle theory we show that if G admits a representation of fixity one, then it acts freely and smoothly on We use this to prove that a finite p-group (for p > 3) acts freely and smoothly on a product of two spheres if and only if it does not contain ( /p)³ as a subgroup. We use propagation methods from surgery theory to show that a representation of fixity f < n - 1 gives rise to a free action of G on a product of f + 1 spheres provided the order of G is relatively prime to (n - 1)!. We give an infinite collection of new examples of finite p-groups of rank r which act freely on a product of r spheres, hence verifying a strong form of a well-known conjecture for these groups. In addition we show that groups of fixity two act freely on a finite complex with the homotopy type of a product of three spheres. A number of examples are explicitly described.     

On the group of polynomial functions in a group

Let G be a group and let n be a positive integer. A polynomial function in G is a function from G ⁿ to G of the form , where f(x ₁, . . . , x _n ) is an element of the free product of G and the free group of rank n freely generated by x ₁, . . . , x _n . There is a natural definition for the product of two polynomial functions; equipped with this operation, the set of polynomial functions is a group. We prove that this group is polycyclic if and only if G is finitely generated, soluble, and nilpotent-by-finite. In particular, if the group of polynomial functions is polycyclic, then necessarily it is nilpotent-by-finite. Furthermore, we prove that G itself is polycyclic if and only if the subgroup of polynomial functions which send (1, . . . , 1) to 1 is finitely generated and soluble.      

Elementary abelian p-subgroups of algebraic groups

Let be an algebraically closed field and let G be a finite-dimensional algebraic group over which is nearly simple, i.e. the connected component of the identity G ⁰ is perfect, C _G(G ⁰)=Z(G ⁰) and G ⁰/Z(G ⁰) is simple. We classify maximal elementary abelian p-subgroups of G which consist of semisimple elements, i.e. for all primes p char .Call a group quasisimple if it is perfect and is simple modulo the center. Call a subset of an algebraic group toral if it is in a torus; otherwise nontoral. For several quasisimple algebraic groups and p=2, we define complexity, and give local criteria for whether an elementary abelian 2-subgroup of G is toral.For all primes, we analyze the nontoral examples, include a classification of all the maximal elementary abelian p-groups, many of the nonmaximal ones, discuss their normalizers and fusion (i.e. how conjugacy classes of the ambient algebraic group meet the subgroup). For some cases, we give a very detailed discussion, e.g. p=3 and G of type E ₆, E ₇ and E ₈. We explain how the presence of spin up and spin down elements influences the structure of projectively elementary abelian 2-groups in Spin(2n, ). Examples of an elementary abelian group which is nontoral in one algebraic group but toral in a larger one are noted.Two subsets of a maximal torus are conjugate in G iff they are conjugate in the normalizer of the torus; this observation, with our discussion of the nontoral cases, gives a detailed guide to the possibilities for the embedding of an elementary abelian p-group in G. To give an application of our methods, we study extraspecial p-groups in E ₈( ).Dedicated to Jacques Tits for his sixtieth birthday     

A 5-local identification of the monster

Let G be a locally -proper group, S Syl₅(G), and Z = Z(S). We demonstrate that if is 5-constrained and Z is not weakly closed in O₅(N_G (Z)) then G is isomorphic to the monster sporadic simple group.Received: 2 October 2003     

A note on weighted Banach spaces of holomorphic functions

For every open subset G of and for every continuous, strictly positive weight v on G, the Banach space of all the holomorphic functions f on G such that vanishes at infinity on G, endowed with the natural weighted sup-norm, is isomorphic to a closed subspace of the Banach space c₀; hence it is reflexive if and only if it is finite dimensional.Received: 30 September 2002     

Type A Hecke algebras and related algebras

Let be the Hecke algebra of the symmetric group over a field K of characteristic and a primitive -th root of one in K. We show that an -module is projective if and only if its restrictions to any -parabolic subalgebra of is projective. Moreover, we give a new construction of blocks of -parabolic subalgebras, in terms of skew group algebras over local commutative algebras. Received: 30 June 2003     

On (p a , p b , p a , p a-b )-Relative Difference Sets

This paper provides new exponent and rank conditions for the existence of abelian relative (p ^a,p ^b,p ^a,p ^a–b)-difference sets. It is also shown that no splitting relative (2^2c,2^d,2^2c,2^2c–d)-difference set exists if d > c and the forbidden subgroup is abelian. Furthermore, abelian relative (16, 4, 16, 4)-difference sets are studied in detail; in particular, it is shown that a relative (16, 4, 16, 4)-difference set in an abelian group G Z₈ × Z₄ × Z₂ exists if and only if exp(G) 4 or G = Z₈ × (Z₂)³ with N Z₂ × Z₂.     

The probability of generating a permutation group

It is well known that a permutation group of degree can be generated by elements. In this paper we study the asymptotic behavior of the probability of generating a permutation group of degree n with elements. In particular we prove that if n is large enough and elements generate a permutation group G of degree n modulo G G ², then almost certainly these elements generate G itself. Received: 2 January 2002     

On Sylow Subgroups of Abelian Affine Difference Sets

An n-subsetD of a group G of order is called an affine difference set of G relativeto a normal subgroup N of G of order if the list of differences containseach element of G-N exactly once and no elementof N. It is a well-known conjecture that if Dis an affine difference set in an abelian group G,then for every prime p, the Sylow p-subgroupof G is cyclic. In Arasu and Pott [1], it was shownthat the above conjecture is true when . In thispaper we give some conditions under which the Sylow p-subgroupof G is cyclic.     

Division algebras with a projective basis

Letk be any field andG a finite group. Given a cohomology class α∈H ²(G,k ^*), whereG acts trivially onk ^*, one constructs the twisted group algebrak ^αG. Unlike the group algebrakG, the twisted group algebra may be a division algebra (e.g. symbol algebras, whereG⋞Z _n×Z_n). This paper has two main results: First we prove that ifD=k ^α G is a division algebra central overk (equivalentyD has a projectivek-basis) thenG is nilpotent andG’ the commutator subgroup ofG, is cyclic. Next we show that unless char(k)=0 and , the division algebraD=k ^α G is a product of cyclic algebras. Furthermore, ifD _p is ap-primary factor ofD, thenD _p is a product of cyclic algebras where all but possibly one are symbol algebras. If char(k)=0 and , the same result holds forD _p, p odd. Ifp=2 we show thatD ₂ is a product of quaternion algebras with (possibly) a crossed product algebra (L/k,β), Gal(L/k)⋞Z ₂×Z₂n.     

On central automorphisms that fix the centre elementwise

Let G be a group and let Aut _c (G) be the group of central automorphisms of G. Let be the set of all central automorphisms of G fixing Z(G) elementwise. In this paper we prove that if G is a finite p-group, then = Inn(G) if and only if G is abelian or G is nilpotent of class 2 and Z(G) is cyclic. This work was supported in part by the Center of Excellence for Mathematics, University of Isfahan, Iran. Received: 30 October 2006     

Finite splitting fields of normal subgroups

Let G be a finite group, a normal subgroup, p a prime, a finite splitting field of characteristic p for G and We prove that is a splitting field for N, using the action of the Galois group of the field extension on the irreducible representations of N. As is a splitting field for the symmetric group S_n we get as a corollary that is a splitting field for the alternating group A_n. Received: 31 July 2003     

Isomorphisms ofp-adic group rings

SupposeP is the ring ofp-adic integers,G is a finite group of orderp ⁿ , andPG is the group ring ofG overP. IfV _p (G) denotes the elements ofPG with coefficient sum one which are of order a power ofp, it is shown that the elements of any subgroupH ofV _p (G) are linearly independent overP, and if in additionH is of orderp ⁿ , thenPGPH. As a consequence, the lattice of normal subgroups ofG and the abelianization of the normal subgroups ofG are determined byPG.