On the commuting probability for subgroups of a finite group

Let $K$ be a subgroup of a finite group $G$ . The probability that an element of $G$ commutes with an element of $K$ is denoted by $Pr(K,G)$ . Assume that $Pr(K,G)\geq \epsilon$ for some fixed $\epsilon >0$ . We show that there is a normal subgroup $T\leq G$ and a subgroup $B\leq K$ such that the indices $[G:T]$ and $[K:B]$ and the order of the commutator subgroup $[T,B]$ are $\epsilon$ -bounded. This extends the well-known theorem, due to P. M. Neumann, that covers the case where $K=G$ . We deduce a number of corollaries of this result. A typical application is that if $K$ is the generalized Fitting subgroup $F^{*}(G)$ then $G$ has a class-2-nilpotent normal subgroup $R$ such that both the index $[G:R]$ and the order of the commutator subgroup $[R,R]$ are $\epsilon$ -bounded. In the same spirit we consider the cases where $K$ is a term of the lower central series of $G$ , or a Sylow subgroup, etc.

RIGHT ENGEL-TYPE SUBGROUPS AND LENGTH PARAMETERS OF FINITE GROUPS

Let $g$ be an element of a finite group $G$ and let $R_{n}(g)$ be the subgroup generated by all the right Engel values $[g,_{n}x]$ over $x\in G$. In the case when $G$ is soluble we prove that if, for some $n$, the Fitting height of $R_{n}(g)$ is equal to $k$, then $g$ belongs to the $(k+1)$th Fitting subgroup $F_{k+1}(G)$. For nonsoluble $G$, it is proved that if, for some $n$, the generalized Fitting height of $R_{n}(g)$ is equal to $k$, then $g$ belongs to the generalized Fitting subgroup $F_{f(k,m)}^{\ast }(G)$ with $f(k,m)$ depending only on $k$ and $m$, where $|g|$ is the product of $m$ primes counting multiplicities. It is also proved that if, for some $n$, the nonsoluble length of $R_{n}(g)$ is equal to $k$, then $g$ belongs to a normal subgroup whose nonsoluble length is bounded in terms of $k$ and $m$. Earlier, similar generalizations of Baer’s theorem (which states that an Engel element of a finite group belongs to the Fitting subgroup) were obtained by the first two authors in terms of left Engel-type subgroups.

Groups with bounded centralizer chains and the Borovik–Khukhro conjecture

Let G be a locally finite group and let {F(G)} be the Hirsch–Plotkin radical of G. Let S denote the full inverse image of the generalized Fitting subgroup of {G/F(G)} in G. Assume that there is a number k such that the length of every nested chain of centralizers in G does not exceed k. The Borovik–Khukhro conjecture states, in particular, that under this assumption, the quotient {G/S} contains an abelian subgroup of finite index bounded in terms of k. We disprove this statement and prove a weak analogue of it.

SCHREIER CONDITIONS ON CHIEF FACTORS AND RESIDUALS OF SOLVABLE-LIKE GROUP FORMATIONS

Let α be a formation of finite groups which is closed under subgroups and group extensions and which contains the formation of solvable groups. Let G be any finite group. We state and prove equivalences between conditions on chief factors of G and structural characterizations of the α-residual and theα-radical of G. We also discuss the connection of our results to the generalized Fitting subgroup of G.

Generalized Fitting subgroup of a group of finite Morley rank

We define a characteristic and definable subgroup F*(G) of any group G of finite Morley rank that behaves very much like the generalized Fitting subgroup of a finite group. We also prove that semisimple subnormal subgroups of G are all definable and that there are finitely many of them.