The Burnside Problem asks whether a finitely generated group of exponent n is finite.
We present a solution for 2-generator groups of prime power exponent. Results of P. Hall and G. Higman extends the finiteness conclusion to groups having composite exponents. Our main result, called the Generalized Burnside Theorem, is a solvability theorem that applies to a family of groups called GB (Generalized Burnside) groups that contain infinite as well as finite groups. The final section discusses the extension to k-generator groups although details are left for another time.
We develop yet another technique to present the free Burnside group $B(m,n)$ of odd exponent $n$ with $m\ge2$ generators as a group satisfying a certain iterated small cancellation condition. Using the approach, we provide a reasonably accessible proof that $B(m,n)$ is infinite with a moderate bound $n > 2000$ on the odd exponent $n$.
We present a solution to the Burnside Problem for 2 generator groups of prime-power exponent that does not rely on induced maps as in [2]. As before, we construct a surjective map of a rank 2 free group to a solvable group G and finish by showing that the Burnside group is an image of G. Theorem B in the paper with H. A. Heilbronn and H. Y. Mochizuki [9] is indispensable in the proof.
All groups have 2 generators. For every prime power q, the Generalized Burnside Theorem (Theorem GB) produces an infinite number of solvable groups, Some, such as groups of a prime power exponent, have only elements of finite order and are therefore finite groups. Others have elements of infinite order and are thus infinite groups. All these groups, even when infinite, are closely related to groups of exponent q. They have at least one generator of order q, and their commutator subgroup has exponent q.
We prove that every noncyclic subgroup of a free $m$-generator Burnside group $B(m,n)$ of odd exponent $n \gg 1$ contains a subgroup $H$ isomorphic to a free Burnside group $B(\infty,n)$ of exponent $n$ and countably infinite rank such that for every normal subgroup $K$ of $H$ the normal closure $<K >^{B(m,n)}$ of $K$ in $B(m,n)$ meets $H$ in $K$. This implies that every noncyclic subgroup of $B(m,n)$ is SQ-universal in the class of groups of exponent $n$.
For all sufficiently large odd integers $n$, the following version of Higman's embedding theorem is proved in the variety ${\cal B}_n$ of all groups satisfying the identity $x^n=1$. A finitely generated group $G$ from ${\cal B}_n$ has a presentation $G=\langle A\mid R\rangle$ with a finite set of generators $A$ and a recursively enumerable set $R$ of defining relations if and only if it is a subgroup of a group $H$ finitely presented in the variety ${\cal B}_n$. It follows that there is a 'universal' $2$-generated finitely presented in ${\cal B}_n$ group containing isomorphic copies of all fin…
In these notes we detail the geometrical approach of small cancellation theory used by T. Delzant and M. Gromov to provide a new proof of the infiniteness of free Burnside groups and periodic quotients of torsion-free hyperbolic groups.
All groups are 2-generator. For any prime-power q, Theorem 1 constructs a solvable matrix group over a quotient of a Laurent polynomial ring. This group is closely related to a group of exponent q as shown in Theorems 2 & 3 . Theorem 4 in section 5 shows that a group of prime-power exponent contains the relations of a solvable group. It follows that the Burnside groups of exponent q are solvable, and it is easy to deduce that the solvability class of these groups tends to infinity with q. Crucial to this work, especially for precise bounds on the solvability class, is an earlier paper with Hei…
We have proved that the group of all inner automorphisms of the free Burnside group $B(m,n)$ is the unique normal subgroup in $Aut(B(m,n))$ among all its subgroups, which are isomorphic to free Burnside group $B(s,n)$ of some rank $s$ for all odd $n\ge1003$ and $m>1$. It follows that the group of automorphisms $Aut(B(m,n))$ of the free Burnside group $B(m,n)$ is complete for odd $n\ge1003$, that is it has a trivial center and any automorphism of $Aut(B(m,n))$ is inner. Thus, for groups $B(m,n)$ is solved the automorphism tower problem and is showed that it is as short as the automorphism tower…
In this paper we investigate the word problem of the free Burnside semigroup satisfying x^2=x^3 and having two generators. Elements of this semigroup are classes of equivalent words. A natural way to solve the word problem is to select a unique "canonical" representative for each equivalence class. We prove that overlap-free words and so-called almost overlap-free words (this notion is some generalization of the notion of overlap-free words) can serve as canonical representatives for corresponding equivalence classes. We show that such a word in a given class, if any, can be efficiently found.…
Two letters from William Burnside have recently been found in the Nachlass of Robert Fricke that contain instances of Burnside's Problem prior to its first publication. We present these letters as a whole to the public for the first time. We draw a picture of these two mathematicians and describe their activities leading to their correspondence. We thus gain an insight into their respective motivations, reactions, and attitudes, which may sharpen the current understanding of professional and social interactions of the mathematical community at the turn of the 20th century.
We show that free Burnside groups of sufficiently large odd exponent are non--amenable in a certain strong sense, more precisely, their left regular representations are isolated from the trivial representation uniformly on finite generating sets. This result is applied to the solution of a strong version of the von Neumann -- Day problem concerning amenability of groups without non--abelian free subgroups. As another consequence, we obtain that the above--mentioned groups are of uniform exponential growth.
Let $B^\times$ be the biset functor over $\mathbb{F}_2$ sending a finite group~$G$ to the group $B^\times(G)$ of units of its Burnside ring $B(G)$, and let $\widehat{B^\times}$ be its dual functor. The main theorem of this paper gives a characterization of the cokernel of the natural injection from $B^\times$ in the dual Burnside functor $\widehat{\mathbb{F}_2B}$, or equivalently, an explicit set of generators $\mathcal{G}_S$ of the kernel $L$ of the natural surjection $\mathbb{F}_2B\to \widehat{B^\times}$. This yields a two terms projective resolution of $\widehat{B^\times}$, leading to some …
We describe the essential algebra, $\widehat{kB_T}(G)$, of the Burnside biset functor shifted by a group $T$, at a group $G$, in two cases. First, when $G$ and $T$ are both finite abelian groups and $k$ is a field of characteristic $0$. In this case, $\widehat{kB_T}(G)$ is isomorphic to a quotient of the shifted star algebra, which is defined in terms of the subgroups of $G\times G\times T$. The second case is when $G$ and $T$ are any finite groups satisfying $(|G|, |T|)=1$ and $k$ is a commutative unitary ring. In this case, $\widehat{kB_T}(G)$ is isomorphic to a semidirect product of $Out(G)…
We construct an embedding of a free Burnside group $B(m,n)$ of odd $n > 2^{48}$ and rank $m >1$ in a finitely presented group with some special properties. The main application of this embedding is an easy construction of finitely presented non-amenable groups without noncyclic free subgroups (which provides a finitely presented counterexample to the von Neumann problem on amenable groups). As another application, we construct weakly finitely presented groups of odd exponent $n \gg 1$ which are not locally finite.
We use the kernel category to give a finiteness condition for semigroups. As a consequence we provide yet another proof that finitely generated periodic semigroups of matrices are finite.
J. Dixmier asked in 1950 whether every non-amenable group admits uniformly bounded representations that cannot be unitarised. We provide such representations upon passing to extensions by abelian groups. This gives a new characterisation of amenability. Furthermore, we deduce that certain Burnside groups are non-unitarisable, answering a question raised by G. Pisier.
Using topological notions of translation-like actions introduced by Schneider, we give a positive answer to a geometric version of Burnside problem for locally compact group. The main theorem states that a locally compact group is non-compact if and only if it admits a translation-like action by the group of integers $\mathbf Z$. We then characterize the existence of cocompact translation-like actions of $\mathbf Z$ or non-abelian free groups on a large class of locally compact groups, improving on Schneider's results and generalising Seward's.
In this paper we study geometric versions of Burnside's Problem and the von Neumann Conjecture. This is done by considering the notion of a translation-like action. Translation-like actions were introduced by Kevin Whyte as a geometric analogue of subgroup containment. Whyte proved a geometric version of the von Neumann Conjecture by showing that a finitely generated group is non-amenable if and only if it admits a translation-like action by any (equivalently every) non-abelian free group. We strengthen Whyte's result by proving that this translation-like action can be chosen to be transitive …
It is proved for Abelian groups that the Reidemeister coincidence number of two endomorphisms $ϕ$ and $ψ$ is equal to the number of coincidence points of $\whϕ$ and $\whψ$ on the unitary dual, if the Reidemeister number is finite. An affirmative answer to the bitwisted Dehn conjugacy problem for almost polycyclic groups is obtained. Finally we explain why the Reidemeister numbers are always infinite for injective endomorphisms of Baumslag-Solitar groups.
In this paper, we prove that if two finite groups G and H have isomorphic Burnside rings, then G and H are the same order type groups, and give an example to show that the Burnside rings of the same order type groups are not necessarily isomorphic. This result is related to the Thompson Problem which was raised in 1987.
In this paper, we give elementary proofs of the Restricted Burnside Problem and the Hughes Conjecture for finite $p$-groups with Hall's regular power structure property. Moreover, in this setting we determine an explicit bound on the order of a finite $d$-generator $p$-group of fixed exponent. Further applications of $p$-groups with regular power structure are presented. For example, we give a short new proof of an important property of powerful $p$-groups; namely, that the minimal number of generators of a subgroup of such a group $G$ is at most the number needed to generate $G$.
In a pair of recent papers (one to appear and one forthcoming), the author develops a general version of small cancellation theory applicable in higher dimensions, and then applies this theory to the Burnside groups of sufficiently large exponent. The present article gives a brief introduction to the methods and techniques involved in the proofs. Many of the ideas originate with the recent work of A. Yu. Olshanskii and S. V. Ivanov. Some familiarity with their work on the Burnside problem is assumed.
Let $S$ be a closed surface and $\text{Diff}_{\text{Vol}}(S)$ be the group of volume preserving diffeomorphisms of $S$. A finitely generated group $G$ is periodic of bounded exponent if there exists $k \in \mathbb{N}$ such that every element of $G$ has order at most $k$. We show that every periodic group of bounded exponent $G \subset \text{Diff}_{\text{Vol}}(S)$ is a finite group.
In Classical Knot Theory and in the new Theory of Quantum Invariants substantial effort was directed toward the search for unknotting moves on links. We solve, in this note, several classical problems concerning unknotting moves. Our approach uses a new concept, Burnside groups of links, which establishes unexpected relationship between Knot Theory and Group Theory. Our method has the potential to be used in computational biology in the analysis of DNA via tangle embedding theory, as developed by D.W.Sumners.
A group $Γ$ is said to be periodic if for any $g$ in $Γ$ there is a positive integer $n$ with $g^n=id$. We first prove that a finitely generated periodic group acting on the 2-sphere $\SS^2$ by $C^1$-diffeomorphisms with a finite orbit, is finite and conjugate to a subgroup of $\mathrm{O}(3,\R)$ and we use it for proving that a finitely generated periodic group of spherical diffeomorphisms with even bounded orders is finite. Finally, we show that a finitely generated periodic group of homeomorphisms of any orientable compact surface other than the 2-sphere or the 2-torus (which is the purpose …
A group $G$ is said to be periodic if for any $g\in G$ there exists a positive integer $n$ with $g^n=id$. We prove that a finitely generated periodic group of homeomorphisms on the 2-torus that preserves a measure $μ$ is finite. Moreover if the group consists in homeomorphisms isotopic to the identity, then it is abelian and acts freely on $\mathbb{T}^2$. In the Appendix, we show that every finitely generated 2-group of toral homeomorphisms is finite.
We study the free metabelian group $M(2,n)$ of prime power exponent $n$ on two generators by means of invariants $M(2,n)'\to \mathbb{Z}_n$ that we construct from colorings of the squares in the integer grid $\mathbb{R} \times \mathbb{Z} \cup \mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{R}$. In particular we improve bounds found by M.F. Newman for the order of $M(2,2^k)$. We study identities in $M(2,n)$, which give information about identities in the Burnside group $B(2,n)$ and the restricted Burnside group $R(2,n)$.
A group K is said to be a B-group if every permutation group containing K as a regular subgroup is either imprimitive or 2-transitive. In the second edition of his influential textbook on finite groups, Burnside published a proof that cyclic groups of composite prime-power degree are B-groups. Ten years later in 1921 he published a proof that every abelian group of composite degree is a B-group. Both proofs are character-theoretic and both have serious flaws. Indeed, the second result is false. In this note we explain these flaws and prove that every cyclic group of composite order is a B-grou…
It is well known that many famous Burnside-type problems have positive solutions for PI-groups and PI-algebras. In the present article we also consider various Burnside-type problems for PI-groups and PI-representations of groups.
The theory of Engel groups plays an important role in group theory since these groups are closely related to the Burnside problems. In this survey we consider several classical and novel algorithmic problems for Engel groups and propose several open problems. We study these problems with a view towards applications to cryptography.
It is proved that any countable abelian group $D$ can be embedded as a centre into a $m$-generated group $A$ such that the quotient group $A/D$ is isomorphic to the free Burnside group $B(m,n)$ of rank $m>1$ and of odd period $n\ge665$. The proof is based on some modification of the method which was used by S.I.Adian in his monograph in 1975 for a positive solution of Kontorovich's famous problem from Kourovka Notebook on the existence of a finitely generated non-commutative analogue of the additive group of rational numbers. More precisely, he proved that the desired analogues in which the in…
For a finite group we introduce a particular central extension, the unitary cover, having minimal exponent among those satisfying the projective lifting property. We obtain new bounds for the exponent of the Schur multiplier relating to subnormal series, and we discover new families for which the bound is the exponent of the group. Finally, we show that unitary covers are controlled by the Zel'manov solution of the restricted Burnside problem for 2-generator groups.
This is the second in a series of papers investigating the space of Brauer relations of a finite group, the kernel of the natural map from its Burnside ring to the rational representation ring. The first paper classified all primitive Brauer relations, that is those that do not come from proper subquotients. In the case of quasi-elementary groups the description is intricate, and it does not specify groups that have primitive relations in terms of generators and relations. In this paper we do this for quasi-elementary groups of order p^aq.
We prove that the quasivariety of groups generated by finite and locally indicable groups does not contain the class of periodic groups. This result is related to (and inspired by) the solvability of equations over groups. The proof uses the Feit-Thompson theorem on the solvability of finite groups of odd order, Kostrikin-Zelmanov results on the restricted Burnside problem and applies techninal details of a recent construction of weakly finitely presented periodic groups.
In this paper we describe the profinite completion of the free solvable group on m generators of solvability length r>1. Then, we show that for m=r=2, the free metabelian group on two generators does not have the Congruence Subgroup Property.
We study the notion of twisted conjugacy separability (essentially introduced in our previous paper for a proof of twisted version of Burnside-Frobenius theorem) and some related properties. We give examples of groups with and without this property and study its behavior under some extensions. An affirmative answer to the twisted Dehn conjugacy problem for polycyclic-by-finite group is obtained. Some problems for the further study are indicated.
The congruence subgroup problem for a finitely generated group $Γ$ asks whether the map $\hat{Aut\left(Γ\right)}\to Aut(\hatΓ)$ is injective, or more generally, what is its kernel $C\left(Γ\right)$? Here $\hat{X}$ denotes the profinite completion of $X$. It is well known that for finitely generated free abelian groups $C\left(\mathbb{Z}^{n}\right)=\left\{ 1\right\}$ for every $n\geq3$, but $C\left(\mathbb{Z}^{2}\right)=\hat{F}_ω$, where $\hat{F}_ω$ is the free profinite group on countably many generators. Considering $Φ_{n}$, the free metabelian group on $n$ generators, it was also proven that…
We prove a broad generalization of a theorem of W. Burnside on real characters using permutation characters. Under a necessary hypothesis, We can give some control on multiplicities (a result that needs the Classification of Finite Simple Groups). Along the way, we also give a new characterization of the 2-closed finite groups using odd-order real elements of the group. All this can be seen as a contribution to Brauer's Problem 11. We also obtain similar results for 2-Brauer characters. We also classify finite primitive permutation groups in which every real element has a fixed point.
In this paper, we obtain Groebner-Shirshov (non-commutative Gröbner) bases for the braid groups in the Birman-Ko-Lee generators enriched by new ``Garside word" $δ$. It gives a new algorithm for getting the Birman-Ko-Lee Normal Form in the braid groups, and thus a new algorithm for solving the word problem in these groups.
Let $G$ be a finitely generated group of isometries of $\HH^m$, hyperbolic $m$-space, for some positive integer $m$. %or equivalently elements of $PSL(2,\CC)$. The discreteness problem is to determine whether or not $G$ is discrete. Even in the case of a two generator non-elementary subgroup of $\HH^2$ (equivalently $PSL(2,\mathbb{R})$) the problem requires an algorithm \cite{GM,JGtwo}. If $G$ is discrete, one can ask when adjoining an $n$th root of a generator results in a discrete group. In this paper we address the issue for pairs of hyperbolic generators in $PSL(2, \RR)$ with disjoint axes…
For a positively presented group G, we provide a criterion for two tuples of positive group generators of G to be Hurwitz equivalent or Hurwitz-conjugation equivalent. We also present an algorithmic approach to solve the Hurwitz equivalence and the Hurwitz search problems by using the word reversing method.
We use Klyachko's methods to prove that the natural map G to G-hat, where G is a torsion-free group and G-hat is obtained by adding a new generator t and a new relator w, is surjective only if w is conjugate to gt or gt^{-1} for some g in G. This solves a special case of the surjectivity problem for group extensions, raised by Cohen [Whitehead torsion, group extensions, and Zeeman's conjecture in high dimensions, Topology, 16 (1977) 79--88].
We describe generators and defining relations for the commutator subgroup of topological full groups of minimal subshifts. We show that the word problem in a topological full group is solvable if and only if the language of the underlying subshift is recursive.
Letting $G=F/R$ be a finitely-presented group, Hopf's formula expresses the second integral homology of $G$ in terms of $F$ and $R$. Expanding on previous work, we explain how to find generators of $H_2(G;\mathbb{F}_p)$. The context of the problem, which is related to a conjecture of Quillen, is presented, as well as example calculations.
We give a presentation by generators and relations of the group $U_4(\mathbb{Z}[1/\sqrt{2},i])$ of unitary $4\times 4$ matrices with entries in the ring $\mathbb{Z}[1/\sqrt{2},i]$. This is motivated by the problem of exact synthesis for the Clifford+T gate set in quantum computation.
