arXiv subjects

Gustavo A. Fernández-Alcober

Publications and source records attributed to Gustavo A. Fernández-Alcober.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Profinite groups with complemented closed subgroups

A group $G$ is said to be a $C$-group if every subgroup $H$ has a permutable complement, i.e. if there exists a subgroup $K$ of $G$ such that $G=HK$ and $H \cap K=1$. In this paper, we study the profinite counterpart of this concept. We say that a profinite group $G$ is profinite-$C$ if every closed subgroup admits a closed permutable complement. We first give some equivalent variants of this condition and then we determine the structure of profinite-$C$ groups: they are the semidirect products $G=B\ltimes A$ of two closed subgroups $A=\text{Cr}_{i\in I} \, \langle a_i \rangle$ and $B=\text{Cr}_{j\in J} \, \langle b_j \rangle$ that are cartesian products of cyclic groups of prime order, and with every $\langle a_i \rangle$ normal in $G$. Finally, we show that a profinite-$C$ group is a $C$-group if and only if it is torsion and $|G:Z(G)\overline{G'}|<\infty$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

On the lower central series of a large family of non-periodic GGS-groups

For an odd prime $p$, we determine the lower central series of a large family of non-periodic GGS-groups, which has a density of roughly $(\frac{p-1}{p})^2$ within all GGS-groups. This means a significant extension of the knowledge regarding the lower central series of distinguished classes of branch groups, which to date was basically restricted to the Grigorchuk group. As part of our results, we obtain the indices between consecutive terms of the lower central series, and we show that these groups, as well as their profinite completions, have lower central width equal to $2$. In particular, this confirms a conjecture of Bartholdi, Eick, and Hartung about the generalised Fabrykowski-Gupta groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2023

Conciseness on normal subgroups and new concise words from lower central and derived words

Let $w=w(x_1,\ldots,x_r)$ be a lower central word or a derived word. We show that the word $w(u_1,\ldots,u_r)$ is concise whenever $u_1,\ldots,u_r$ are non-commutator words in disjoint sets of variables, thus proving a generalized version of a conjecture of Azevedo and Shumyatsky. This applies in particular to words of the form $w(x_1^{n_1},\ldots,x_r^{n_r})$, where the $n_i$ are non-zero integers. Our approach is via the study of values of $w$ on normal subgroups, and in this setting we obtain the following result: if $N_1,\ldots,N_r$ are normal subgroups of a group $G$ and the set of all values $w(g_1,\ldots,g_r)$ with $g_i\in N_i$ is finite then also the subgroup generated by these values, i.e. $w(N_1,\ldots,N_r)$, is finite.

math.GR↗

arXiv2022

GGS-groups over primary trees: Branch structures

We study branch structures in Grigorchuk-Gupta-Sidki groups (GGS-groups) over primary trees, that is, regular rooted trees of degree $p^n$ for a prime $p$. Apart from a small set of exceptions for $p=2$, we prove that all these groups are weakly regular branch over $G''$. Furthermore, in most cases they are actually regular branch over $γ_3(G)$. This is a significant extension of previously known results regarding periodic GGS-groups over primary trees and general GGS-groups in the case $n=1$. We also show that, as in the case $n=1$, a GGS-group generated by a constant vector is not branch.

math.GR↗

arXiv2021

$p$-Basilica groups

We consider a generalisation of the Basilica group to all odd primes: the $p$-Basilica groups acting on the $p$-adic tree. We show that the $p$-Basilica groups have the $p$-congruence subgroup property but not the congruence subgroup property nor the weak congruence subgroup property. This provides the first examples of weakly branch groups with such properties. In addition, the $p$-Basilica groups give the first examples of weakly branch, but not branch, groups which are super strongly fractal. We compute the orders of the congruence quotients of these groups, which enable us to determine the Hausdorff dimensions of the $p$-Basilica groups. Lastly, we show that the $p$-Basilica groups do not possess maximal subgroups of infinite index and that they have infinitely many non-normal maximal subgroups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2019

Engel elements in weakly branch groups

We study properties of Engel elements in weakly branch groups, lying in the group of automorphisms of a spherically homogeneous rooted tree. More precisely, we prove that the set of bounded left Engel elements is always trivial in weakly branch groups. In the case of branch groups, the existence of non-trivial left Engel elements implies that these are all $p$-elements and that the group is virtually a $p$-group (and so periodic) for some prime $p$. We also show that the set of right Engel elements of a weakly branch group is trivial under a relatively mild condition. Also, we apply these results to well-known families of weakly branch groups, like the multi-GGS groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2019

Bogomolov multipliers of $p$-groups of maximal class

Let $G$ be a $p$-group of maximal class and order $p^n$. We determine whether or not the Bogomolov multiplier $B_0(G)$ is trivial in terms of the lower central series of $G$ and $P_1 = C_G(γ_2(G) / γ_4(G))$. If in addition $G$ has positive degree of commutativity and $P_1$ is metabelian, we show how understanding $B_0(G)$ reduces to the simpler commutator structure of $P_1$. This result covers all $p$-groups of maximal class of large enough order and, furthermore, it allows us to give the first natural family of $p$-groups containing an abundance of groups with nontrivial Bogomolov multipliers. We also provide more general results on Bogomolov multipliers of $p$-groups of arbitrary coclass $r$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2018

On the asymptotic behaviour of the number of Beauville and non-Beauville $p$-groups

We find asymptotic lower bounds for the numbers of both Beauville and non-Beauville $2$-generator finite $p$-groups of a fixed order, which turn out to coincide with the best known asymptotic lower bound for the total number of $2$-generator finite $p$-groups of the same order. This shows that both Beauville and non-Beauville groups are abundant within the family of finite $p$-groups.

math.GR↗

arXiv2018

Commutators in finite $p$-groups with $2$-generator derived subgroup

Let $G$ be a finite $p$-group whose derived subgroup $G'$ can be generated by $2$ elements. If $G'$ is abelian, Guralnick proved that every element of $G'$ is a commutator. In this paper, we prove that the condition that $G'$ should be abelian is not needed. Even more, we prove that every element of $G'$ is a commutator of the form $[x,g]$ for a fixed $x\in G$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2018

Engel elements in some fractal groups

Let $p$ be a prime and let $G$ be a subgroup of a Sylow pro-$p$ subgroup of the group of automorphisms of the $p$-adic tree. We prove that if $G$ is fractal and $|G':\mathrm{st}_G(1)'|=\infty$, then the set $L(G)$ of left Engel elements of $G$ is trivial. This result applies to fractal nonabelian groups with torsion-free abelianization, for example the Basilica group, the Brunner-Sidki-Vieira group, and also to the GGS-group with constant defining vector. We further provide two examples showing that neither of the requirements $|G':\mathrm{st}_G(1)'|=\infty$ and being fractal can be dropped.

math.GR↗

arXiv2017

Beauville $p$-groups of wild type and groups of maximal class

Let $G$ be a Beauville finite $p$-group. If $G$ exhibits a `good behaviour' with respect to taking powers, then every lift of a Beauville structure of $G/Φ(G)$ is a Beauville structure of $G$. We say that $G$ is a Beauville $p$-group of wild type if this lifting property fails to hold. Our goal in this paper is twofold: firstly, we fully determine the Beauville groups within two large families of $p$-groups of maximal class, namely metabelian groups and groups with a maximal subgroup of class at most $2$; secondly, as a consequence of the previous result, we obtain infinitely many Beauville $p$-groups of wild type.

math.GR↗

arXiv2016

On the congruence subgroup property for GGS-groups

We show that all GGS-groups with non-constant defining vector satisfy the congruence subgroup property. This provides, for every odd prime $p$, many examples of finitely generated, residually finite, non-torsion groups whose profinite completion is a pro-$p$ group, and among them we find torsion-free groups. This answers a question of Barnea. On the other hand, we prove that the GGS-group with constant defining vector has an infinite congruence kernel and is not a branch group.

math.GR↗

arXiv2016

Hausdorff dimension in $R$-analytic profinite groups

We study the Hausdorff dimension of R-analytic subgroups in an R-analytic profinite group, where R is a pro-p ring whose asso- ciated graded ring is an integral domain. In particular, we prove that the set of such Hausdorff dimensions is a finite subset of the rational numbers.

math.GR↗

arXiv2016

Beauville structures in finite p-groups

We study the existence of (unmixed) Beauville structures in finite $p$-groups, where $p$ is a prime. First of all, we extend Catanese's characterisation of abelian Beauville groups to finite $p$-groups satisfying certain conditions which are much weaker than commutativity. This result applies to all known families of $p$-groups with a good behaviour with respect to powers: regular $p$-groups, powerful $p$-groups and more generally potent $p$-groups, and (generalised) $p$-central $p$-groups. In particular, our characterisation holds for all $p$-groups of order at most $p^p$, which allows us to determine the exact number of Beauville groups of order $p^5$, for $p\ge 5$, and of order $p^6$, for $p\ge 7$. On the other hand, we determine which quotients of the Nottingham group over $\mathbb{F}_p$ are Beauville groups, for an odd prime $p$. As a consequence, we give the first explicit infinite family of Beauville $3$-groups, and we show that there are Beauville $3$-groups of order $3^n$ for every $n\ge 5$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2015

A note on automorphisms of finite $p$-groups

Let $G$ be a finite non-cyclic $p$-group of order at least $p^3$. If $G$ has an abelian maximal subgroup, or if $G$ has an elementary abelian centre with $C_G(Z(Φ(G))) \ne Φ(G)$, then $|G|$ divides $|\text{Aut}(G)|$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2014

Procyclic coverings of commutators in profinite groups

We consider profinite groups in which all commutators are contained in a union of finitely many procyclic subgroups. It is shown that if G is a profinite group in which all commutators are covered by m procyclic subgroups, then G possesses a finite characteristic subgroup M contained in G' such that the order of M is m-bounded and G'/M is procyclic. If G is a pro-p group such that all commutators in G are covered by m procyclic subgroups, then G' is either finite of m-bounded order or procyclic.

math.GR↗

arXiv2011

A focal subgroup theorem for outer commutator words

Let $G$ be a finite group of order $p^am$, where $p$ is a prime and $m$ is not divisible by $p$, and let $P$ be a Sylow $p$-subgroup of $G$. If $w$ is an outer commutator word, we prove that $P\cap w(G)$ is generated by the intersection of $P$ with the set of $m$th powers of all values of $w$ in $G$

math.GR↗

arXiv2011

GGS-groups: order of congruence quotients and Hausdorff dimension

If G is a GGS-group defined over a p-adic tree, where p is an odd prime, we calculate the order of the congruence quotients $G_n=G/\Stab_G(n)$ for every n. If G is defined by the vector $e=(e_1,...,e_{p-1})\in\F_p^{p-1}$, the determination of the order of $G_n$ is split into three cases, according as e is non-symmetric, non-constant symmetric, or constant. The formulas that we obtain only depend on p, n, and the rank of the circulant matrix whose first row is e. As a consequence of these formulas, we also obtain the Hausdorff dimension of the closures of all GGS-groups over the p-adic tree.

math.GR↗