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Robert M. Guralnick

Publications and source records attributed to Robert M. Guralnick.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Rank properties of commutators in finite groups

For a subset $S$ of a finite group $G$, let $I_G(S)$ denote the set of commutators $[g,x]=g^{-1}g^x$, where $g\in G$ and $x\in S$. Suppose that a finite group $G$ has a Carter subgroup $C$, that is, a nilpotent subgroup containing its normalizer. Suppose that any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(C)$ is $r$-generated. We prove that if $G$ is soluble, then the derived subgroup $G'$ has $r$-bounded rank. We produce examples showing that the solubility condition cannot be dropped. For any finite group, we prove that the rank of $G'$ is $(r,l)$-bounded, where $l$ is the maximum rank of composition factors of $G$ isomorphic to $PSL_2(q)$ for $q\equiv 7\,(\operatorname{mod}8)$. We also prove in the general case that $G'$ has $r$-bounded rank under the additional condition that for any $x\in I_G(C)$, any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(x)$ is $r$-generated. The proofs rely on the classification of finite simple groups, using which we prove that if a finite simple group $G$ has an element $x$ of prime order $p$ such that any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(x)$ is $r$-generated, then $G$ has $r$-bounded (Prüfer) rank or is isomorphic to $PSL_2(q)$ with $q \equiv 3\,(\operatorname{mod}4)$ when $p=2$, or to $PSL_2(q)$ with $q \equiv -1\,(\operatorname{mod} p)$ when $p\ne 2$.

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

Factorizations of Almost Simple Groups with Applications

The classification of factorizations $G=HK$ of finite almost simple groups, proposed by Wielandt in 1979 and pursued through several partial classifications, has remained open in one major case. We settle that case: for every finite almost simple classical group $G$, we determine all factorizations $G=HK$ in which both $H$ and $K$ have a unique nonsolvable composition factor, completing the classification of factorizations of finite almost simple groups. Among other consequences of this classification, we prove that the smallest dimension of a biperfect bicrossproduct Hopf algebra is $41287680$.

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

Forcible groups and Frattini covers

We say that a finite group $G$ *forces* a finite group $H$ if every finite cover of $G$ contains a subgroup isomorphic to $H$, and we say $H$ is *forcible* if some finite group $G$ forces $H$. Complementing a classical result of Thompson--Mann, and answering a recent question of the third author, we show that a finite group is forcible if and only if it is abelian and its Sylow subgroups are elementary-by-cyclic. We also prove relative forcibility results for abelian $p$-groups in the settings of powerful $p$-groups and $p$-groups of bounded nilpotency class.

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

Rank type conditions on commutators in finite groups

For a subgroup $S$ of a group $G$, let $I_G(S)$ denote the set of commutators $[g,s]=g^{-1}g^s$, where $g\in G$ and $s\in S$, so that $[G,S]$ is the subgroup generated by $I_G(S)$. We prove that if $G$ is a $p$-soluble finite group with a Sylow $p$-subgroup $P$ such that any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(P)$ is $r$-generated, then $[G,P]$ has $r$-bounded rank. We produce examples showing that such a result does not hold without the assumption of $p$-solubility. Instead, we prove that if a finite group $G$ has a Sylow $p$-subgroup $P$ such that (a) any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(P)$ is $r$-generated, and (b) for any $x\in I_G(P)$, any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(x)$ is $r$-generated, then $[G,P]$ has $r$-bounded rank. We also prove that if $G$ is a finite group such that for every prime $p$ dividing $|G|$ for any Sylow $p$-subgroup $P$, any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(P)$ can be generated by $r$ elements, then the derived subgroup $G'$ has $r$-bounded rank. As an important tool in the proofs, we prove the following result, which is also of independent interest: if a finite group $G$ admits a group of coprime automorphisms $A$ such that any subgroup generated by a subset of $I_G(A)$ is $r$-generated, then the rank of $[G,A]$ is $r$-bounded.

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

Local--global generation property of commutators in finite $π$-soluble groups

For a group $A$ acting by automorphisms on a group $G$, let $I_G(A)$ denote the set of commutators $[g,a]=g^{-1}g^a$, where $g\in G$ and $a\in A$, so that $[G,A]$ is the subgroup generated by $I_G(A)$. We prove that if $A$ is a $π$-group of automorphisms of a $π$-soluble finite group $G$ such that any subset of $I_G(A)$ generates a subgroup that can be generated by $r$ elements, then the rank of $[G,A]$ is bounded in terms of $r$. Examples show that such a result does not hold without the assumption of $π$-solubility. Earlier we obtained this type of results for groups of coprime automorphisms and for Sylow $p$-subgroups of $p$-soluble groups.

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

On a conjecture of Peter Neumann on fixed points in permutation groups

We prove a conjecture of Peter Neumann from 1966, predicting that every finite non-regular primitive permutation group of degree $n$ contains an element fixing at least one point and at most $n^{1/2}$ points. In fact, we prove a stronger version, where $n^{1/2}$ is replaced by $n^{1/3}$, and this is best possible. The case where $G$ is affine was proved by Guralnick and Malle; in this paper we address the case where $G$ is non-affine.

math.GR↗
arXiv2026

The variety of nilpotent pairs $(A,B)$ with $[A,B] = λI$

Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p >0$. We consider the variety of nilpotent pairs $(A,B)$ with $[A,B]=λI$, namely the set of pairs $ X = \{ (A,B) \in M_n(k) \times M_n(k) \mid A,B \text{ nilpotent}, [A,B]=λI, λ\in k \}$. We prove that if $n=pr$, then $X$ is irreducible of dimension $n^2$.

math.AG↗
arXiv2025

Finite groups, commuting probability, and coprime automorphisms

Given two subgroups $H,K$ of a finite group $G$, the probability that a pair of random elements from $H$ and $K$ commutes is denoted by $Pr(H,K)$. Suppose that a finite group $G$ admits a group of coprime automorphisms $A$ and let $ε>0$. We show that, if for any distinct primes $p,q\inπ(G)$ there is an $A$-invariant Sylow $p$-subgroup $P$ and an $A$-invariant Sylow $q$-subgroup $Q$ of $G$ for which $Pr([P,A],[Q,A])\geε$, then $F_2([G,A])$ has $ε$-bounded index in $[G,A]$ (Theorem 1.2). Here $F_2(K)$ stands for the second term of the upper Fitting seris of a group $K$. We also show that, if $G=[G,A]$ and for any prime $p$ dividing the order of $G$ there is an $A$-invariant Sylow $p$-subgroup $P$ such that $\Pr([P,A], [P,A]^x)\geqε$ for all $x\in G$, then $G$ is bounded-by-abelian-by-bounded (Theorem 1.4).

math.GR↗
arXiv2025

Invariant derivations and trace bounds

About 20 years ago, J-P.~Serre announced a bound on the trace of elements of compact Lie groups under the adjoint representation together with related results, provided indications of his proofs, and invited a better proof. This note provides a new, general method for proving such bounds; uses that method to derive Serre's bounds; gives a second proof of Serre's announced results that (we learned) closely follows his original argument; and provides lower bounds for traces of other representations of compact Lie groups and for Brauer characters of finite groups.

math.RT↗
arXiv2025

Commuting probability for conjugate subgroups of a finite group

Given two subgroups H,K of a finite group G, the probability that a pair of random elements from H and K commutes is denoted by \pr(H,K). We address the following question. Let P be a p-subgroup of a finite group G and assume that \pr(P,P^x)\geq\e>0 for every x\in G. Is the order of P modulo O_p(G) bounded in terms of e only? With respect to this question, we establish several positive results but show that in general the answer is negative. In particular, we prove that if the composition factors of G which are isomorphic to simple groups of Lie type in characteristic p, have Lie rank at most n, then the order of P modulo O_p(G) is bounded in terms of n and e only. If P is a Sylow p-subgroup of G, then the order of P modulo O_p(G) is bounded in terms e only. Some other results of similar flavour are established. We also show that if \pr(P_1,P_2)>0 for every two Sylow p-subgroups P_1,P_2 of a profinite group G, then O_{p,p'}(G) is open in G.

math.GR↗
arXiv2025

On the number and sizes of double cosets of Sylow subgroups of the symmetric group

Let $P_n$ be a Sylow $p$-subgroup of the symmetric group $S_n$. We investigate the number and sizes of the $P_n\setminus S_n\ /\ P_n$ double cosets, showing that most double cosets have maximal size when $p$ is odd, or equivalently, that $P_n\cap P_n^x=1$ for most $x\in S_n$ when $n$ is large. We also find that all possible sizes of such double cosets occur, modulo a list of small exceptions.

math.GR↗
arXiv2024

Fixed point ratios, Sylow numbers and coverings of $p$-elements in finite groups

Fixed point ratios for primitive permutation groups have been extensively studied. Relying on a recent work of Burness and Guralnick, we obtain further results in the area. For a prime $p$ and a finite group $G$, we use fixed point ratios to study the number of Sylow $p$-subgroups of $G$ and the minimal size of a covering by proper subgroups of the set of $p$-elements of $G$.

math.GR↗
arXiv2024

Commuting Involutions in Finite Simple Groups

We prove that if $G$ is a finite simple group and $x, y \in G$ are involutions, then $|x^G \cap C_G(y)| \rightarrow \infty$ as $|G| \rightarrow \infty$. This extends results of Guralnick-Robinson and Skresanov. We also prove a related result about $C_{G}(t)/O(C_G(t))$ that does not require the classification of finite simple groups.

math.GR↗
arXiv2024

An extension of Gow's theorem

We extend Gow's theorem on products of semisimple regular conjugacy classes to finite groups whose generalized Fitting subgroup is Z(G)S where S is a quasisimple group of Lie type in characteristic p and Z(G) has order prime to p.

math.GR↗
arXiv2024

Probabilistic Generation of Finite Almost Simple Groups

We prove that if G is a sufficiently large finite almost simple group of Lie type, then given a fixed nontrivial element x in G and a coset of G modulo its socle, the probability that x and a random element of the coset generate a subgroup containing the socle is uniformly bounded away from 0 (and goes to 1 if the field size goes to infinity). This is new even if G is simple. Together with results of Lucchini and Burness--Guralnick--Harper, this proves a conjecture of Lucchini and has an application to profinite groups. A key step in the proof is the determination of the limits for the proportion of elements in a classical group which fix no subspace of any bounded dimension.

math.GR↗
arXiv2024

On the maximal overgroups of Sylow subgroups of finite groups

In this paper, we determine the finite groups with a Sylow $r$-subgroup contained in a unique maximal subgroup. The proof involves a reduction to almost simple groups, and our main theorem extends earlier work of Aschbacher in the special case $r=2$. Several applications are presented. This includes some new results on weakly subnormal subgroups of finite groups, which can be used to study variations of the Baer-Suzuki theorem.

math.GR↗