On normal subgroups in the periodic products of S.I. Adian

A subgroup H of a given group G is called a hereditarily factorizable subgroup (HF subgroup) if each congruence on H can be extended to some congruence on the entire group G. An arbitrary group G ₁ is an HF subgroup of the direct product G ₁ × G ₂, as well as of the free product G ₁ * G ₂ of groups G ₁ and G ₂. In this paper a necessary and sufficient condition is obtained for a factor Gi of Adian’s n-periodic product Π _i∈I ⁿ G _i of an arbitrary family of groups {G _i } _i∈I to be an HF subgroup. We also prove that for each odd n ≥ 1003 any noncyclic subgroup of the free Burnside group B(m, n) contains an HF subgroup isomorphic to the group B(∞, n) of infinite rank. This strengthens the recent results of A.Yu. Ol’shanskii and M. Sapir, D. Sonkin, and S. Ivanov on HF subgroups of free Burnside groups. This result implies, in particular, that each (noncyclic) subgroup of the group B(m, n) is SQ-universal in the class of all groups of period n. Moreover, it turns out that any countable group of period n is embedded in some 2-generated group of period n, which strengthens the previously obtained result of V. Obraztsov. At the end of the paper we prove that the group B(m, n) is distinguished as a direct factor in any n-periodic group in which it is contained as a normal subgroup.     

Some results on the spectral radii of bicyclic graphs

A bicyclic graph is a connected graph in which the number of edges equals the number of vertices plus one. Let Δ(G) and ρ(G) denote the maximum degree and the spectral radius of a graph G, respectively. Let B(n) be the set of bicyclic graphs on n vertices, and B(n,Δ)={G∈B(n)∣Δ(G)=Δ}. When Δ≥(n+3)/2 we characterize the graph which alone maximizes the spectral radius among all the graphs in B(n,Δ). It is also proved that for two graphs G₁ and G₂ in B(n), if Δ(G₁)>Δ(G₂) and Δ(G₁)≥⌈7n/9⌉+9, then ρ(G₁)>ρ(G₂).     

On the definability of verbal subgroups

We show that if G is a group of finite Morley rank, then the verbal subgroup <w(G)> is of finite width, where w is a concise word. As a byproduct, we show that if G is any abelian-by-finite group, then G ⁿ =<x ⁿ (G)> is definable. Received: 15 March 1996 / Published online: 18 July 2001     

The normalizers of free subgroups in free burnside groups of odd period <Emphasis Type="Italic">n ≥</Emphasis> 1003

Let B(m, n) be a free periodic group of arbitrary rank m with period n. In this paper, we prove that for all odd numbers n ≥ 1003 the normalizer of any nontrivial subgroup N of the group B(m, n) coincides with N if the subgroup N is free in the variety of all n-periodic groups. From this, there follows a positive answer for all prime numbers n > 997 to the following problem set by S. I. Adian in the Kourovka Notebook: is it true that none of the proper normal subgroups of the group B(m, n) of prime period n > 665 is a free periodic group? The obtained result also strengthens a similar result of A. Yu. Ol’shanskii by reducing the boundary of exponent n from n > 10⁷⁸ to n ≥ 1003. For primes 665 < n ≤ 997, the mentioned question is still open.     

Groups with the same prime graph as the orthogonal group B n (3)

Let G be a finite group. The prime graph of G is denoted by Γ(G). It is proved in [1] that if G is a finite group such that Γ(G) = Γ(B _p (3)), where p > 3 is an odd prime, then G ? B _p (3) or C _p (3). In this paper we prove the main result that if G is a finite group such that Γ(G) = Γ(B _n (3)), where n ≥ 6, then G has a unique nonabelian composition factor isomorphic to B _n (3) or C _n (3). Also if Γ(G) = Γ(B ₄(3)), then G has a unique nonabelian composition factor isomorphic to B ₄(3), C ₄(3), or ² D ₄(3). It is proved in [2] that if p is an odd prime, then B _p (3) is recognizable by element orders. We give a corollary of our result, generalize the result of [2], and prove that B _2k+1(3) is recognizable by the set of element orders. Also the quasirecognition of B _2k (3) by the set of element orders is obtained.     

Characterization of almost maximally almost-periodic groups

Let G be an Abelian group. We prove that a group G admits a Hausdorff group topology τ such that the von Neumann radical n(G,τ) of (G,τ) is non-trivial and finite iff G has a non-trivial finite subgroup. If G is a topological group, then n(n(G))≠n(G) if and only if n(G) is not dually embedded. In particular, n(n(Z,τ))=n(Z,τ) for any Hausdorff group topology τ on Z.     

Splitting automorphisms of order p k of free Burnside groups are inner

It is proved that, if the order of a splitting automorphism of odd period n ≥ 1003 of a free Burnside group B(m, n) is equal to a power of some prime, then the automorphism is inner. Thus, an affirmative answer is given to the question concerning the coincidence of the splitting automorphisms of the group B(m, n) with the inner automorphisms for all automorphisms of order p ^k (p is a prime). This question was posed in 1990 in “Kourovka Notebook” (see the 11th edition, Question 11.36.b).     

Topology of random clique complexes

In a seminal paper, Erd?s and Rényi identified a sharp threshold for connectivity of the random graph G(n,p). In particular, they showed that if p?logn/n then G(n,p) is almost always connected, and if p?logn/n then G(n,p) is almost always disconnected, as n→∞.The clique complexX(H) of a graph H is the simplicial complex with all complete subgraphs of H as its faces. In contrast to the zeroth homology group of X(H), which measures the number of connected components of H, the higher dimensional homology groups of X(H) do not correspond to monotone graph properties. There are nevertheless higher dimensional analogues of the Erd?s-Rényi Theorem.We study here the higher homology groups of X(G(n,p)). For k>0 we show the following. If p=n^α, with α<−1/k or α>−1/(2k+1), then the kth homology group of X(G(n,p)) is almost always vanishing, and if −1/k<α<−1/(k+1), then it is almost always nonvanishing.We also give estimates for the expected rank of homology, and exhibit explicit nontrivial classes in the nonvanishing regime. These estimates suggest that almost all d-dimensional clique complexes have only one nonvanishing dimension of homology, and we cannot rule out the possibility that they are homotopy equivalent to wedges of a spheres.     

Recognition of simple groups B p (3) by the set of element orders

Let G be a finite group and let ω(G) be the set of its element orders. We prove that if ω(G) = ω(B _p (3)) where p is an odd prime, then G ? B ₃(3) or D ₄(3) for p = 3 and G ? B _p (3) for p > 3.     

On the abelianizations of congruence subgroups of Aut(<Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript>)

Let F _n be the free group of rank n, and let Aut⁺(F _n ) be its special automorphism group. For an epimorphism π : F _n → G of the free group F _n onto a finite group G we call the standard congruence subgroup of Aut⁺(F _n ) associated to G and π. In the case n = 2 we fully describe the abelianization of Γ⁺(G, π) for finite abelian groups G. Moreover, we show that if G is a finite non-perfect group, then Γ⁺(G, π) ≤ Aut⁺(F ₂) has infinite abelianization.     

On the Laplacian spectral radii of bicyclic graphs

A graph G of order n is called a bicyclic graph if G is connected and the number of edges of G is n+1. Let B(n) be the set of all bicyclic graphs on n vertices. In this paper, we obtain the first four largest Laplacian spectral radii among all the graphs in the class B(n) (n≥7) together with the corresponding graphs.     

Non-<Emphasis Type="Italic">φ</Emphasis>-admissible normal subgroups of free burnside groups

In the present paper for arbitrary automorphism φ of the free Bunside group B(m, n) and for any odd number n ≥ 1003 a sufficient condition for existence of non-φ-admissible normal subgroup of B(m, n) was found. In particular, if automorphism φ is normal, then for any basis {a ₁, a ₂, …, a _m } of the group B(m, n) there is an integer k such that for each i the elements a _i and φ(a i) ^k are conjugates.     

Path Partitions and Pn-free Sets

The detour order τ(G) of a graph G is the order of a longest path of G. A partition (A, B) of V is called an (a, b)-partition of G if τ(G[A]) ≤ a and τ(G[B]) ≤ b. The Path Partition Conjecture is the following:For any graph G, with detour order τ(G) = a + b, there exists an (a, b)-partition of G.We introduce and examine a conjecture which is possibly stronger: If M is a maximum P_n+1-free set of vertices of G, with n < τ(G), then τ(G − M) ≤ τ(G)− n.     

On the residual finiteness of descending HNN-extensions of groups

Let G be a group of finite generic rank, φ an injective endomorphism of the group G, and G(φ) the descending HNN-extension of G corresponding to the endomorphism φ. Let the index of the subgroup Gφ in G be finite and equal to n. It is proved that, if the group G is almost residually π-finite for some set π of primes coprime to n, then the group G(φ) is residually finite. This generalizes a series of known results, including the Wise-Hsu theorem on the residual finiteness of an arbitrary descending HNN-extension of any almost polycyclic group.     

Split BN-pairs of rank 2: the octagons

Let G be a group with an irreducible spherical BN-pair of rank 2 where B contains a normal nilpotent subgroup U with B=U(B∩N). Then G is essentially a group of Lie type. This completes the classification of split BN-pairs of rank 2, generalizing the corresponding result for finite groups due to Fong and Seitz.     

Primitivity in the free groups of the variety UmUn

For each m,n >= 0, let G_m,n denote the free group of rank r in the variety U_mU_n. The main results in this paper are: (i) a necessary and sufficient condition for a system of r elements {v₁,…, v_r} to form a basis of G_m,ni (ii) necessary and sufficient conditions for a system of l elements {v₁,…, v_l}, l <= r, to be included in a basis of G_m,0. In particular, (i), (ii) yield corresponding results for the free metabelian group of rank r.     

On a conjecture of E. Rapaport Strasser about knot-like groups and its pro-p version

A group G is knot-like if it is finitely presented of deficiency 1 and has abelianization G/G^′?Z. We prove the conjecture of E. Rapaport Strasser that if a knot-like group G has a finitely generated commutator subgroup G^′ then G^′ should be free in the special case when the commutator G^′ is residually finite. It is a corollary of a much more general result : if G is a discrete group of geometric dimension n with a finite K(G,1)-complex Y of dimension n, Y has Euler characteristics 0, N is a normal residually finite subgroup of G, N is of homological type FP_n-1 and G/N?Z then N is of homological type FP_n and hence G/N has finite virtual cohomological dimension vcd(G/N)=cd(G)-cd(N). In particular either N has finite index in G or cd(N)?cd(G)-1.Furthermore we show a pro-p version of the above result with the weaker assumption that G/N is a pro-p group of finite rank. Consequently a pro-p version of Rapaport's conjecture holds.     

Commuting elements and spaces of homomorphisms

This article records basic topological, as well as homological properties of the space of homomorphisms Hom(π,G) where π is a finitely generated discrete group, and G is a Lie group, possibly non-compact. If π is a free abelian group of rank equal to n, then Hom(π, G) is the space of ordered n–tuples of commuting elements in G. If G = SU(2), a complete calculation of the cohomology of these spaces is given for n = 2, 3. An explicit stable splitting of these spaces is also obtained, as a special case of a more general splitting. Alejandro Adem was partially supported by the NSF and NSERC. Frederick R. Cohen was partially supported by the NSF, grant number 0340575.     

On the rank spread of graphs

For a simple graph G?=?(𝒱, ?) with vertex-set 𝒱?=?{1,?…?,?n}, let 𝒮(G) be the set of all real symmetric n-by-n matrices whose graph is G. We present terminology linking established as well as new results related to the minimum rank problem, with spectral properties in graph theory. The minimum rank mr(G) of G is the smallest possible rank over all matrices in 𝒮(G). The rank spread r _v (G) of G at a vertex v, defined as mr(G)???mr(G???v), can take values ??∈?{0,?1,?2}. In general, distinct vertices in a graph may assume any of the three values. For ??=?0 or 1, there exist graphs with uniform r _v (G) (equal to the same integer at each vertex v). We show that only for ??=?0, will a single matrix A in 𝒮(G) determine when a graph has uniform rank spread. Moreover, a graph G, with vertices of rank spread zero or one only, is a λ-core graph for a λ-optimal matrix A in 𝒮(G). We also develop sufficient conditions for a vertex of rank spread zero or two and a necessary condition for a vertex of rank spread two.