Words and pronilpotent subgroups in profinite groups

Strong conciseness of coprime and anti-coprime commutators

A coprime commutator in a profinite group $G$ is an element of the form $[x,y]$, where $x$ and $y$ have coprime order and an anti-coprime commutator is a commutator $[x,y]$ such that the orders of $x$ and $y$ are divisible by the same primes. In the present paper we establish that a profinite group $G$ is finite-by-pronilpotent if the cardinality of the set of coprime commutators in $G$ is less than $2^{\aleph_0}$. Moreover, a profinite group $G$ has finite commutator subgroup $G'$ if the cardinality of the set of anti-coprime commutators in $G$ is less than $2^{\aleph_0}$.

The true prosoluble completion of a group: examples and open problems

The true prosoluble completion $P\Cal S (Γ)$ of a group $Γ$ is the inverse limit of the projective system of soluble quotients of $Γ$. Our purpose is to describe examples and to point out some natural open problems. We discuss a question of Grothendieck for profinite completions and its analogue for true prosoluble and true pronilpotent completions. 1. Introduction. 2. Completion with respect to a directed set of normal subgroups. 3. Universal property. 4. Examples of directed sets of normal subgroups. 5. True prosoluble completions. 6. Examples. 7. On the true prosoluble and the true pronilpo…

Frobenius subgroups of free profinite products

We solve an open problem of Herfort and Ribes: Profinite Frobenius groups of certain type do occur as closed subgroups of free profinite products of two profinite groups. This also solves a question of Pop about prosolvable subgroups of free profinite products.

Closed subgroups of free profinite monoids are projective profinite groups

We prove that the class of closed subgroups of free profinite monoids is precisely the class of projective profinite groups. In particular, the profinite groups associated to minimal symbolic dynamical systems by Almeida are projective. Our result answers a question raised by Lubotzky during the lecture of Almeida at the Fields Workshop on Profinite Groups and Applications, Carleton University, August 2005. We also prove that any finite subsemigroup of a free profinite monoid consists of idempotents.

Semi-free subgroups of a profinite surface group

We show that every closed normal subgroup of infinite index in a profinite surface group $Γ$ is contained in a semi-free profinite normal subgroup of $Γ$. This answers a question of Bary-Soroker, Stevenson, and Zalesskii.

On free profinite subgroups of free profinite monoids

We answer a question of Margolis from 1997 by establishing that the maximal subgroup of the minimal ideal of a finitely generated free profinite monoid is a free profinite group. More generally if $\mathbf H$ is variety of finite groups closed under extension and containing $\mathbb Z/p\mathbb Z$ for infinitely may primes $p$, the corresponding result holds for free pro-$\bar{\mathbf H}$ monoids.

Profinite groups with an automorphism of prime order whose fixed points have finite Engel sinks

A right Engel sink of an element $g$ of a group $G$ is a set ${\mathscr R}(g)$ such that for every $x\in G$ all sufficiently long commutators $[...[[g,x],x],\dots ,x]$ belong to ${\mathscr R}(g)$. (Thus, $g$ is a right Engel element precisely when we can choose ${\mathscr R}(g)=\{ 1\}$.) We prove that if a profinite group $G$ admits a coprime automorphism $φ$ of prime order such that every fixed point of $φ$ has a finite right Engel sink, then $G$ has an open locally nilpotent subgroup. A left Engel sink of an element $g$ of a group $G$ is a set ${\mathscr E}(g)$ such that for every $x\in G$ a…

Commutators and commutator subgroups in profinite groups

Let $G$ be a profinite group. We prove that the commutator subgroup $G'$ is finite-by-procyclic if and only if the set of all commutators of $G$ is contained in a union of countably many procyclic subgroups.

The generalised Fitting subgroup of a profinite group

The generalised Fitting subgroup of a finite group is the group generated by all subnormal subgroups that are either nilpotent or quasisimple. The importance of this subgroup in finite group theory stems from the fact that it always contains its own centraliser, so that any finite group is an abelian extension of a group of automorphisms of its generalised Fitting subgroup. We define a class of profinite groups which generalises this phenomenon, and explore some consequences for the structure of profinite groups.

Free subgroups of finitely generated free profinite groups

We give new and improved results on the freeness of subgroups of free profinite groups: A subgroup containing the normal closure of a finite word in the elements of a basis is free; Every infinite index subgroup of a finitely generated nonabelian free profinite group is contained in an infinitely generated free profinite subgroup. These results are combined with the twisted wreath product approach of Haran, an observation on the action of compact groups, and a rank counting argument to prove a conjecture of Bary-Soroker, Fehm, and Wiese, thus providing a quite general sufficient condition for …

On profinite groups with commutators covered by nilpotent subgroups

Let G be a profinite group. The following results are proved. The commutator subgroup G' is finite if and only if G is covered by countably many abelian subgroups. The group G is finite-by-nilpotent if and only if G is covered by countably many nilpotent subgroups. The main result is that the commutator subgroup G' is finite-by-nilpotent if and only if the set of commutators in G is covered by countably many nilpotent subgroups.

HNN扩张的有限关联子群的概型

Profinite genus of HNN-extensions with finite associated subgroups

本文研究了关联子群为有限群的HNN扩张的概型，给出了其同构类数量的公式并探讨了概型确定性的条件。

论有限群（profinite group）的闭子群格

On the lattice of closed subgroups of a profinite group

本文研究有限群的闭子群格与开子群格，证明前循环群是唯一具有分配子群格的有限群，并刻画了满足戴德金模律的有限群，还讨论了子群格同构下的结构信息传递及相关可分解性与数量问题。

Subgroups of profinite surface groups

We study the subgroup structure of the étale fundamental group $Π$ of a projective curve over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0. We obtain an analog of the diamond theorem for $Π$. As a consequence we show that most normal subgroups of infinite index are semi-free. In particular every proper open subgroup of a normal subgroup of infinite index is semi-free.

A formula for the normal subgroup growth of Baumslag-Solitar groups

We give an exact formula for the number of normal subgroups of each finite index in the Baumslag-Solitar group BS(p,q) when p and q are coprime. Unlike the formula for all finite index subgroups, this one distinguishes different Baumslag-Solitar groups and is not multiplicative. This allows us to give an example of a finitely generated profinite group which is not virtually pronilpotent but whose zeta function has an Euler product.

Remarks on profinite groups having few open subgroups

Examples are given of profinite groups that are not strongly complete, and have other `bad' properties, yet have only finitely many open subgroups of each finite index. It is shown that a profinite group with the latter property must be finite if it has finite exponent. The problem of characterizing strongly complete groups in terms of their power subgroups is discussed.

The profinite completion of a group localised at a subgroup

Let $G$ be a group and let $K$ be a commensurated subgroup of $G$. Then there is a totally disconnected, locally compact (t.d.l.c.) group $\hat{G}_K$ that contains the profinite completion of $K$ as an open compact subgroup and also contains $G$ (modulo the finite residual of $K$) as a dense subgroup. Moreover, given an arbitrary group $G$, then every t.d.l.c. group containing an image of $G$ as a dense subgroup can be realised as a quotient of $\hat{G}_K$ for some commensurated subgroup $K$.

Profinite群的概率性质

Probabilistic properties of profinite groups

本文研究了profinite群在有限可解群或幂零群类下的$\mathfrak C$-positive性质，建立了等价条件并证明此类群为virtually prosoluble/nilpotent，同时给出了相关图的推论。

On verbal subgroups in finite and profinite groups

Let $w$ be a multilinear commutator word. In the present paper we describe recent results that show that if $G$ is a profinite group in which all $w$-values are contained in a union of finitely (or in some cases countably) many subgroups with a prescribed property, then the verbal subgroup $w(G)$ has the same property as well. In particular, we show this in the case where the subgroups are periodic or of finite rank.

Profinite Groups Associated to Sofic Shifts are Free

We show that the maximal subgroup of the free profinite semigroup associated by Almeida to an irreducible sofic shift is a free profinite group, generalizing an earlier result of the second author for the case of the full shift (whose corresponding maximal subgroup is the maximal subgroup of the minimal ideal). A corresponding result is proved for certain relatively free profinite semigroups. We also establish some other analogies between the kernel of the free profinite semigroup and the $\J$-class associated to an irreducible sofic shift.

投射有限群Sylow子群的交换概率

Commuting probability for the Sylow subgroups of a profinite group

该研究探讨投射有限群的子群交换概率，证明若投射有限群的Sylow 2-子群与Sylow 3、5-子群的交换概率为正则群是虚投射可解的，还给出投射可解群为虚投射幂零的概率判据。

Derived Subgroups of Fixed Points in Profinite Groups

The main result of this paper is the following theorem. Let q be a prime, A an elementary abelian group of order q^3. Suppose that A acts as a coprime group of automorphisms on a profinite group G in such a manner that C_G(a)' is periodic for each nontrivial element a in A. Then G' is locally finite.

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.

On profinite groups with commutators covered by countably many cosets

Let w be a group-word. Suppose that the set of all w-values in a profinite group G is contained in a union of countably many cosets of subgroups. We are concerned with the question to what extent the structure of the verbal subgroup w(G) depends on the properties of the subgroups. We prove the following theorem. Let C be a class of groups closed under taking subgroups, quotients, and such that in any group the product of finitely many normal C-subgroups is again a C-subgroup. If w is a multilinear commutator and G is a profinite group such that the set of all w-values is contained in a union o…

投射有限子群的可达性与融合因子的识别

Profinite Subgroup Accessibility and Recognition of Amalgamated Factors

本文证明投射有限群的可达子群可实现为连续导子的核，并据此将投射有限完备化的融合积分裂回推出到抽象群，推广了关于自由因子的已有结果。

On countable coverings of word values in profinite groups

We prove the following results. Let w be a multilinear commutator word. If G is a profinite group in which all w-values are contained in a union of countably many periodic subgroups, then the verbal subgroup w(G) is locally finite. If G is a profinite group in which all w-values are contained in a union of countably many subgroups of finite rank, then the verbal subgroup w(G) has finite rank as well. As a by-product of the techniques developed in the paper we also prove that if G is a virtually soluble profinite group in which all w-values have finite order, then w(G) is locally finite and has…

On finiteness of some verbal subgroups in profinite groups

Given a group word $w$ and a group $G$, the set of $w$-values in $G$ is denoted by $G_w$ and the verbal subgroup $w(G)$ is the one generated by $G_w$. In the present paper we consider profinite groups admitting a word $w$ such that the cardinality of $G_w$ is less than $2^{\aleph_0}$ and $w(G)$ is generated by finitely many $w$-values. For several families of words $w$ we show that under these assumptions $w(G)$ must be finite. Our results are related to the concept of conciseness of group words.

On endomorphisms of profinite groups

We obtain some general restrictions on the continuous endomorphisms of a profinite group G under the assumption that G has only finitely many open subgroups of each index (an assumption which automatically holds, for instance, if G is finitely generated). In particular, given such a group G and a continuous endomorphism phi we obtain a semidirect decomposition of G into a 'contracting' normal subgroup and a complement on which phi induces an automorphism; both the normal subgroup and the complement are closed. If G is isomorphic to a proper open subgroup of itself, we show that G has an infini…

Direct factors of profinite completions and decidability

We consider finitely presented,residually finite groups $G$ and finitely generated normal subgroups $A$ such that the inclusion $A\hookrightarrow G$ induces an isomorphism from the profinite completion of $A$ to a direct factor of the profinite completion of $G$. We explain why $A$ need not be a direct factor of a subgroup of finite index in $G$; indeed $G$ need not have a subgroup of finite index that splits as a non-trivial direct product. We prove that there is no algorithm that can determine whether $A$ is a direct factor of a subgroup of finite index in $G$.

On the residual and profinite closures of commensurated subgroups

The residual closure of a subgroup $H$ of a group $G$ is the intersection of all virtually normal subgroups of $G$ containing $H$. We show that if $G$ is generated by finitely many cosets of $H$ and if $H$ is commensurated, then the residual closure of $H$ in $G$ is virtually normal. This implies that separable commensurated subgroups of finitely generated groups are virtually normal. A stream of applications to separable subgroups, polycyclic groups, residually finite groups, groups acting on trees, lattices in products of trees and just-infinite groups then flows from this main result.

由子群和元组诱导的度量

Subgroup measures and profinite rigidity in free groups

本文研究了由自由群子群和元组诱导的度量，证明了子群的 profinite 刚性与元组的刚性等价，并推广了相关结果。

On boundedly generated subgroups of profinite groups

In this paper we investigate the following general problem. Let $G$ be a group and let $i(G)$ be a property of $G$. Is there an integer $d$ such that $G$ contains a $d$-generated subgroup $H$ with $i(H)=i(G)$? Here we consider the case where $G$ is a profinite group and $H$ is a closed subgroup, extending earlier work of Lucchini and others on finite groups. For example, we prove that $d=3$ if $i(G)$ is the prime graph of $G$, which is best possible, and we show that $d=2$ if $i(G)$ is the exponent of a finitely generated prosupersolvable group $G$.

On profinite groups in which commutators are covered by finitely many subgroups

For a family of group words $w$ we show that if $G$ is a profinite group in which all $w$-values are contained in a union of finitely many subgroups with a prescribed property, then $w(G)$ has the same property as well. In particular, we show this in the case where the subgroups are periodic or of finite rank. If $G$ contains finitely many subgroups $G_1,G_2,...,G_s$ of finite exponent $e$ whose union contains all $γ_k$-values in $G$, it is shown that $γ_k(G)$ has finite $(e,k,s)$-bounded exponent. If $G$ contains finitely many subgroups $G_1,G_2,...,G_s$ of finite rank $r$ whose union contain…

Protoroi的profinite子群格

The Lattice of Profinite Subgroups of Protori

本文研究紧致连通阿贝尔群（protoroi）的profinite子群格，利用分解定理证明其构成同源类格，并构造万有分解，使对偶protorius的核自然涌现，从而支持有限秩无挠群作为子群的研究。

闭子群可补的有限投射群

Profinite groups with complemented closed subgroups

本文研究闭子群均有闭可置换补群的有限投射群，给出等价条件、确定其半直积结构，并证明其为抽象 $C$-群的充要条件。

On the structure of just infinite profinite groups

A profinite group $G$ is just infinite if every closed normal subgroup of $G$ is of finite index. We prove that an infinite profinite group is just infinite if and only if, for every open subgroup $H$ of $G$, there are only finitely many open normal subgroups of $G$ not contained in $H$. This extends a result recently established by Barnea, Gavioli, Jaikin-Zapirain, Monti and Scoppola, who proved the same characterisation in the case of pro-$p$ groups. We also use this result to establish a number of features of the general structure of profinite groups with regard to the just infinite propert…

Profinite groups with restricted centralizers of $π$-elements

A group $G$ is said to have restricted centralizers if for each $g$ in $G$ the centralizer $C_G(g)$ either is finite or has finite index in $G$. Shalev showed that a profinite group with restricted centralizers is virtually abelian. Given a set of primes $π$, we take interest in profinite groups with restricted centralizers of $π$-elements. It is shown that such a profinite group has an open subgroup of the form $P\times Q$, where $P$ is an abelian pro-$π$ subgroup and $Q$ is a pro-$π'$ subgroup. This significantly strengthens a result from our earlier paper.

Normal Subgroups of Profinite Groups of Non-negative Deficiency

We initiate the study of profinite groups of non-negative deficiency. The principal focus of the paper is to show that the existence of a finitely generated normal subgroup of infinite index in a profinite group $G$ of non-negative deficiency gives rather strong consequences for the structure of $G$. To make this precise we introduce the notion of $p$-deficiency ($p$ a prime) for a profinite group $G$. This concept is more useful in the study of profinite groups then the notion of deficiency. We prove that if the $p$-deficiency of $G$ is positive and $N$ is a finitely generated normal subgroup…

Coverings of commutators in profinite groups

Let $w$ be a group-word. Suppose that the set of all $w$-values in a profinite group $G$ is contained in a union of countably many subgroups. It is natural to ask in what way the structure of the verbal subgroup $w(G)$ depends on the properties of the covering subgroups. The present article is a survey of recent results related to that question. In particular we survey results on finite and countable coverings of word-values (mostly commutators) by procyclic, abelian, nilpotent, and soluble subgroups, as well as subgroups with finiteness conditions. The last section of the paper is devoted to …

On hereditarily just infinite profinite groups with complete Hausdorff dimension spectrum

We prove that the inverse limit of certain iterated wreath products in product action have complete Hausdorff dimension spectrum with respect to their unique maximal filtration of open normal subgroups. Moreover we can produce explicitly subgroups with a specified Hausdorff dimension.

关于自由群的完备化的可视化

On visualisation of completions of free groups

本文提出将有限生成自由群的pronilpotent完备化可视化为自由Lie群中的特定子群。

A Wreath Product Approach to Classical Subgroup Theorems

We provide elementary proofs of the Nielsen-Schreier Theorem and the Kurosh Subgroup Theorem via wreath products. Our proofs are diagrammatic in nature and work simultaneously in the abstract and profinite categories. A new proof that open subgroups of quasifree profinite groups are quasifree is also given.

相对双曲的实际上特殊群的profinite完备化

The profinite completion of relatively hyperbolic virtually special groups

本文利用profinite完备化刻画toral相对双曲的实际上特殊群，并证明其完备化子群的Tits二择一与有限生成pro-p子群结构，结果应用于双曲算术流形及同余核。

Finiteness of profinite groups with a rational probabilistic zeta function

We prove that every profinite group in a certain class with a rational probabilistic zeta function has only finitely many maximal subgroups.

Homogeneous number of free generators

We address two questions of Simon Thomas. First, we show that for any n>2 one can find a four generated free subgroup of SLn(Z) which is profinitely dense. More generally, we show that an arithmetic group Γwhich admits the congruence subgroup property, has a profinitely dense free subgroup with an explicit bound of its rank. Next, we show that the set of profinitely dense, locally free subgroups of such an arithmetic group Γis uncountable.

Classifying Spaces of Subgroups of Profinite Groups

The set of all closed subgroups of a profinite carries a natural profinite topology. This space of subgroups can be classified up to homeomorphism in many cases, and tight bounds placed on its complexity as expressed by its scattered height.

Counting the Closed Subgroups of Profinite Groups

The sets of closed and closed-normal subgroups of a profinite group carry a natural profinite topology. Through a combination of algebraic and topological methods the size of these subgroup spaces is calculated, and the spaces partially classified up to homeomorphism.

Abstract commensurators of profinite groups

In this paper we initiate a systematic study of the abstract commensurators of profinite groups. The abstract commensurator of a profinite group $G$ is a group $Comm(G)$ which depends only on the commensurability class of $G$. We study various properties of $Comm(G)$; in particular, we find two natural ways to turn it into a topological group. We also use $Comm(G)$ to study topological groups which contain $G$ as an open subgroup (all such groups are totally disconnected and locally compact). For instance, we construct a topologically simple group which contains the pro-2 completion of the Gri…

弱分支群的非闭子群

Non-closed subgroups of weakly branch groups

针对作用于足够正则根树的弱分支群G，构造两类非闭子群连续族：一类含非ERF子群，另一类在额外假设下含ERF子群，均在G的完备或同余拓扑中不闭。

On (hereditarily) just infinite profinite groups that are not virtually pro-p

A profinite group G is just infinite if every non-trivial closed normal subgroup of G is of finite index, and hereditarily just infinite if every open subgroup is just infinite. Hereditarily just infinite profinite groups need not be virtually pro-p, as shown in a recent paper of Wilson. The same paper gives a criterion on an inverse system of finite groups that is sufficient to ensure the limit is either virtually abelian or hereditarily just infinite. We give criteria of a similar nature that characterise the just infinite and hereditarily just infinite properties under the assumption that G…

On profinite groups with positive rank gradient

We prove that a profinite group $G$ with positive rank gradient does not satisfy a group law. In the case when $G$ is a pro-$p$ group we show that $G$ contains a nonabelian dense free subgroup.

profinite 群的自同构与 Sylow 子群的交换概率

Coprime automorphisms of profinite groups and the commuting probability of Sylow subgroups

研究 profinite 群中 Sylow 子群交换概率为正的条件，证明在互素自同构作用下，若特定 Sylow 子群交换概率为正，则群是 virtually pro-p-可解的，并给出非 p-可解长度的界。

The number of profinite groups with a specified Sylow subgrou

Let $S$ be a finitely generated pro-$p$ group. Let $\Emb(S)$ be the class of profinite groups $G$ that have $S$ as a Sylow subgroup, and such that $S$ intersects non-trivially with every non-trivial normal subgroup of $G$. In this paper, we investigate the question of whether or not $\Emb(S)$ has finitely many isomorphism classes. For instance, we give an example where $\Emb(S)$ contains an infinite ascending chain of soluble groups, and on the other hand show that $\Emb(S)$ contains only finitely many isomorphism classes in the case that $S$ is just infinite.

An axiomatizable profinite group with infinitely many open subgroups of index 2

We show that a profinite group with the same first-order theory as the direct product over all odd primes $p$ of the dihedral group of order $2p$, is necessarily isomorphic to this direct product.