Classification of finite groups according to the number of conjugacy classes

We consider the problem of the classification of finite groups according to the number of conjugacy classes through the classification of all the finite groups with many minimal normal subgroups.     

On the number of conjugacy classes of finite nilpotent groups

We establish the first super-logarithmic lower bound for the number of conjugacy classes of a finite nilpotent group. In particular, we obtain that for any constant c there are only finitely many finite p-groups of order pm with at most c⋅m conjugacy classes. This answers a question of L. Pyber.     

Lower bounds for the number of conjugacy classes in finite solvable groups

We prove first that if G is a finite solvable group of derived length d ≥ 2, then k(G) > |G|^1/(2^d−1), where k(G) is the number of conjugacy classes in G. Next, a growth assumption on the sequence [G⁽ⁱ⁾: G⁽ⁱ⁺¹⁾] ₁ ^d−1 , where G⁽ⁱ⁾ is theith derived group, leads to a |G|^1/(2d−1) lower bound for k(G), from which we derive a |G|^c/log ₂log₂|G| lower bound, independent of d(G). Finally, “almost logarithmic” lower bounds are found for solvable groups with a nilpotent maximal subgroup, and for all Frobenius groups, solvable or not.     

On the number of conjugacy classes in a finite group II

In this work we obtain new properties connected with the number of conjugacy classes of elements of a finite group, through the analysis of the numberr _G(gN) of conjugacy classes of elements ofG that intersect the cosetgN, whereN is a normal subgroup ofG andg any element ofG. The results obtained about this number are not only used in the general problem of classifying finite groups according to the number of conjugacy classes, but they also allow us to improve and generalize known results relating to conjugacy classes due to P. Hall, M. Cartwright, A. Mann, G. Sherman, A. Vera-López and L. Ortíz de Elguea. Examples are given which illustrate our improvements. This work has been supported by the University of the Basque Country.     

Some finite groups with large conjugacy classes

We derive some properties of a family of finite groups, which was investigated by Camina, Macdonald, and others. For instance, we give information about the Schur multipliers of the class twop-groups in this family. A large part of this paper was written while the author was visiting the Department of Mathematics of the University of Trento. The author is indebted to this department, and in particular to C.M. Scoppola, for their kind hospitality. The author is also grateful to D. Chillag for his constructively destructive criticism of the first version of this paper.     

A note on conjugacy classes of finite groups

Let G be a finite group and let x ^G denote the conjugacy class of an element x of G. We classify all finite groups G in the following three cases: (i) Each non-trivial conjugacy class of G together with the identity element 1 is a subgroup of G, (ii) union of any two distinct non-trivial conjugacy classes of G together with 1 is a subgroup of G, and (iii) union of any three distinct non-trivial conjugacy classes of G together with 1 is a subgroup of G.     

On the number of conjugacy classes of a finite solvable group II

We prove that a finite solvable group G has at least (49p+1)/60 conjugacy classes whenever p is a prime such that p² divides the order of G. We also construct an infinite family of finite solvable groups, where this bound is attained.     

Remarks on the length of conjugacy classes of finite groups

Let G be a finite group. The question of how certain arithmetical conditions on the lengths of the conjugacy classes of G influence the group structure has been studied by several authors. In this paper we study restrictions on the structure of a finite group in which the lengths of conjugacy classes are not divisible by p ² for some prime p. We generalise and provide simplified proofs for some earlier results.     

Simple groups with a small number of conjugacy classes

All finite non-Abelian simple groups whose number of conjugacy classes does not exceed 10 are computed (with application of a computer).Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im. V. A. Steklova AN SSSR, Vol. 75, pp. 5–15, 1978.     

Applications of a graph related to conjugacy classes in finite groups

This article was written by the authors with a during the forth author's visit to Milano and, independently.     

Notes on the length of conjugacy classes of finite groups

The purpose of this paper is to investigate influences of lengths of conjugacy classes of finite groups on the structure of finite groups. We get a necessary and sufficient condition for a finite group G to be equal to O_p(G)×O_p^′(G). We also generalize some results (Comm. Algebra 27 (9) (1999) 4347).     

On a graph associated to invariant conjugacy classes of finite groups

LetA andG be finite groups of coprime orders such thatA acts by automorphisms onG. We define theA-invariant conjugacy class graph ofG to be the graph having as vertices the noncentralA-invariant conjugacy classes ofG, and two vertices are connected by an edge if their cardinalities are not coprime. We prove that when the graph is disconnected thenG is solvable.     

Monomiality of finite groups with some conditions on conjugacy classes

We present some arithmetical-type conditions on the set of conjugacy classes of a finite group that are sufficient for the monomiality of the group, i.e., for the property that all its irreducible complex characters are induced by linear characters of subgroups. Translated from Fundamentalnaya i Prikladnaya Matematika, Vol. 13, No. 5, pp. 201–212, 2007.     

Products of conjugacy classes in finite and algebraic simple groups

We prove the Arad–Herzog conjecture for various families of finite simple groups — if A$A$ and B$B$ are nontrivial conjugacy classes, then AB$AB$ is not a conjugacy class. We also prove that if G$G$ is a finite simple group of Lie type and A$A$ and B$B$ are nontrivial conjugacy classes, either both semisimple or both unipotent, then AB$AB$ is not a conjugacy class. We also prove a strong version of the Arad–Herzog conjecture for simple algebraic groups and in particular show that almost always the product of two conjugacy classes in a simple algebraic group consists of infinitely many conjugacy classes. As a consequence we obtain a complete classification of pairs of centralizers in a simple algebraic group which have dense product. A special case of this has been used by Prasad to prove a uniqueness result for Tits systems in quasi-reductive groups. Our final result is a generalization of the Baer–Suzuki theorem for p$p$-elements with p≥5$p\ge 5$.     

Rational irreducible characters and rational conjugacy classes in finite groups

We prove that a finite group has two rational-valued irreducible characters if and only if it has two rational conjugacy classes, and determine the structure of any such group. Along the way we also prove a conjecture of Gow stating that any finite group of even order has a non-trivial rational-valued irreducible character of odd degree.