Questions tagged [gr.group-theory]
Questions about the branch of algebra that deals with groups.
2,154 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
16
votes
0
answers
1k
views
How many sporadic simple groups are there, really?
I attended a talk by John Conway recently where he explained to us that the usual number, 26, was wrong, that there are in fact 27 sporadic simple groups. His reason was that the Tits group, which is ...
- 6,290
15
votes
0
answers
347
views
Poset defined on pairs of subgroups
Let $G$ be a group. Consider the set $P(G)$ of all pairs $(H,N)$ of subgroups of $G$ such that $N$ is a normal subgroup of $H$. Consider the relation $\leq_G$ on $P(G)$ defined as follows: $(H,N)\...
- 1,462
15
votes
0
answers
510
views
On uniform Kazhdan's property (T)
For a finitely generated group $\Gamma$ and its finite generating subset $S$, the Kazhdan constant $\kappa(\Gamma,S)$ is defined to be
$$\kappa(\Gamma,S)=\inf_{\pi,v} \max_{g\in S} \| v - \pi_g v \|,$...
- 10.1k
15
votes
0
answers
477
views
Diffeomorphisms of $\mathbf R^n$
Let $G={\rm Diff}_0^c(\mathbf R^n)$, $n\geq 1$, be the group of compactly supported diffeomorphisms isotopic to the identity through compactly supported isotopies.
Question: Is there an example to ...
- 1,782
15
votes
0
answers
189
views
Quantitative form of Wielandt's theorem
The following theorem was proved in [Helmut Wielandt. Eine Verallgemeinerung der invarianten Untergruppen. Mathematische Zeitschrift 45 (1939): 209-244.] a long time ago:
Theorem: (Wielandt) There ...
- 25.5k
15
votes
0
answers
716
views
Is this "Homology" useful to study?
In the usual singular homology of a topological space $X$, one consider the free abelian group generated by all continuous maps from the standard simplex $\Delta^{n}$ to $X$.
Now we can ...
- 356
15
votes
0
answers
573
views
Relation Between Truncated Braid Groups and Regular Tilings of the Complex and Hyperbolic Plane
This is perhaps a vague question, but hopefully there exists literature on the subject. The question is motivated by an answer I gave to this question on math.SE.
There exists a rather remarkable ...
- 715
15
votes
0
answers
745
views
Galois theory: Generalization of Abel's Theorem?
Let $L$ stand for the field obtained by adjoining to
${\Bbb Q}$ all roots of all polynomials of the
form $x^n+ax+b$, $a,b\in {\Bbb Q}$.
What polynomials $p$ don't split over $L$? In particular, ...
- 17.6k
15
votes
0
answers
753
views
Are all these groups CAT(0) groups?
Given a geodesic metric space $X$ together with a choice of midpoints
$m:X\times X\rightarrow X$ (i.e. $d(m(x,y),x)=d(m(x,y),y)=d(x,y)/2$).
Assume furthermore, that the following nonpositive curvature ...
- 11.1k
14
votes
0
answers
527
views
Is the monster group maximal in SO(196883)?
$\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}$The smallest degree of a nontrivial complex representation of the monster group $ M $ is $ 196883 $. This irrep has Schur indicator $ 1 $, so the image must lie in the ...
- 4,081
14
votes
0
answers
341
views
Is this class of groups already in the literature or specified by standard conditions?
In recent work
Lifting $N_\infty$ operads from conjugacy data on homotopical combinatorics / $N_\infty$ operads in equivariant homotopy theory, collaborators
Scott Balchin, Ethan MacBrough, and I ...
- 141
14
votes
0
answers
432
views
Surprisingly only real points on intersection of certains quadrics
Let $G$ be a finite group and let $X_g$ be variables indexed by $G$. Consider the complex algebraic set defined by
\begin{align}
X_e &= 0\\
X_g &= X_{g^{-1}}\;\;\text{ for all }g\in G,\\
X_g &...
- 22.5k
14
votes
0
answers
262
views
Which irreducible representations of the symmetric group are eigenspaces of class sums?
In the setting of complex representations of finite groups, a class sum $1_C=\sum_{g\in C} g$ acts on an irreducible representation $V$ as $\lambda(C,V)\operatorname{Id}$, where $\lambda(C,V)=|C|\...
- 2,306
14
votes
0
answers
225
views
Open questions about automorphism tower theorem
Joel Hamkins has left four open questions about automorphism tower theorem in his wonderful paper Every group has a terminating transfinite automorphism tower.
In fact, the four questions are "...
- 365
14
votes
0
answers
716
views
Algebra for the Baby
I am reading the following article.
Ryba, Alexander J.E., A natural invariant algebra for the Baby Monster group., J. Group Theory 10, No. 1, 55-69 (2007). ZBL1228.20012..
Author works with 4370-...
user21230
14
votes
0
answers
347
views
What is the mathematical name for the anomaly for an action of a group on a lattice conformal field theory?
Suppose $V$ is a (bosonic) chiral conformal field theory which is "holomorphic" in the sense that its category of vertex modules is trivial. (The definition of "chiral conformal field theory" might be ...
- 54.6k
14
votes
0
answers
178
views
Finite quotients of amalgamated products with virtually nilpotent factors
Consider the amalgamated product $A\ast_C B$ of groups such that $A\neq C\neq B$ and both factors $A$, $B$ are finitely generated virtually nilpotent.
Does $A\ast_C B$ always have a subgroup of some ...
- 29.1k
14
votes
0
answers
414
views
Does the category of G-spectra know G?
I was recently in the situation of having access to the category of $G$-modules (for some group $G$ which I had forgotten), as just a category, i.e. no monoidal structure, together with the forgetful ...
- 8,723
14
votes
0
answers
518
views
Is $\mathbb{Z}^{\omega}$ ever the union of a chain of proper subgroups each isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}^{\omega}$?
Recall that the covering number $cov(B)$ is the least cardinal $\kappa$ such that $\kappa$ meagre sets cover the real line. Andreas Blass and John Irwin http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/~ablass/bb.pdf ...
- 2,111
14
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Is there an infinite field of characteristic 2 whose multiplicative group is torsion free and (direct-sum) indecomposable?
Let $F$ be a infinite field of characteristic 2 whose multiplicative group $F^*$ is torsion free. I would like to conclude that $F^*$ is decomposable or find an example where $F^*$ is indecomposable.
...
- 575
14
votes
0
answers
401
views
Are there additive subgroups of reals of dimension 1 with no subgroups of dimension strictly between 0 and 1?
I will use $dimA$ to denote the Hausdorff dimension of a set $A \subseteq \mathbb{R}$. Being a null set means having Lebesgue measure zero.
In the 1966 paper "Additive gruppen mit vorgegebener ...
- 241
14
votes
0
answers
914
views
The symmetric group and the field with one element
I've heard a few times that the symmetric group is an algebraic group over a field with one element, and that the alternating group is quite specifically $SO_n(\mathbb{F}_1)$. This does make a lot of ...
- 20.2k
14
votes
0
answers
552
views
Who conjectured that a transitive projective plane is Desarguesian?
The only known finite projective plane with a transitive automorphism group is the Desarguesian plane $PG(2,q)$ and it seems likely that there are no others, although this is not (quite) proved.
...
- 12.7k
14
votes
0
answers
620
views
Some questions on unitarisability of discrete groups
In this post I would like to ask several of questions related to Dixmier problem. I will try to make the post as self-contained as possible.
A discrete group $G$ is unitarisable if for every Hilbert ...
- 4,705
13
votes
0
answers
223
views
Are there free and discrete subgroups of $\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{R}) \times \mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{R})$ that are not Schottky on any factor?
$\DeclareMathOperator\SL{SL}$Does there exist a free and discrete subgroup $\Gamma < \SL_2(\mathbb{R}) \times \SL_2(\mathbb{R})$ such that neither $\pi_1(\Gamma)$ nor $\pi_2(\Gamma)$ is free and ...
- 1,574
13
votes
0
answers
281
views
Nonabelian versions of "Eudoxus reals" construction
The Eudoxus reals is a "non-conventional" construction of reals, that bypasses any construction of the rationals, instead progressing directly from $\mathbb{Z}$ to $\mathbb{R}$ (or in some versions, ...
- 1,203
13
votes
0
answers
182
views
What do we call a functor of orbits and isomorphisms?
If $G$ is a finite group, then inside the category of $G$-sets and $G$-maps there is the subcategory whose objects are the orbits (transitive $G$-sets) and whose morphisms are the isomorphisms. I have ...
- 55.9k
13
votes
0
answers
373
views
Euler characteristic of *hyperbolic* orbifolds
This is a follow-up to this question. Which rational numbers arise as Euler characteristics of orbifold quotients of $\mathbb{H}^n?$ The answer is not even clear for $n=2.$ It is clear that the Euler ...
- 96.4k
13
votes
0
answers
586
views
Finite groups inside an infinite group with the same homology
Suppose we have a triple of groups $G,H,K$ satisfying the following conditions:
$G$ and $H$ are finite groups and $K$ is an infinite group.
there exist two monomorphisms $G \rightarrow K \leftarrow H$...
- 1,974
13
votes
0
answers
421
views
A meager subgroup of the real line, which cannot be covered by countably many closed subsets of measure zero?
Is there a ZFC-example of a subgroup $H$ of the real line $\mathbb R$ such $H$ is meager, has zero Lebesgue measure, but cannot be covered by countably many closed subsets of measure zero in $\mathbb ...
- 41.8k
13
votes
0
answers
387
views
On sentences true in all finite groups (revisited)
Let $w$ be a group word with variables $\bar x, \bar y$, where
$\bar x=(x_1,\dots ,x_m)$ and
$\bar y=(y_1,\dots ,y_n).$
I am interested in the following questions.
(1) Is the sentence $(\forall\bar ...
- 893
13
votes
0
answers
474
views
Does anybody know if the Fourier algebra of SL(3,Z) has an approximate identity?
(Note to those who like to tidy LaTeX, or ${\rm \LaTeX}$: I kindly request that you don't put any LaTeX in the title of this question, nor change the bolds below to blackboard bold.)$\newcommand{\FA}{{...
- 25.8k
13
votes
0
answers
289
views
Bounding the lengths of the conjugators in the word problem for finite group presentations
Let $G = \langle X \mid R \rangle$ be a group defined by a finite presentation, and let $F$ be the free group on $X$. If $w \in F$ represents the identity in $G$, then $w$ is equal in $F$ to (the free ...
- 37.4k
13
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Cyclic Sylow $p$-subgroup in finite simple groups
I came accross a beautiful and "simple" (no pun intended) theorem, mentioned here in slide 14 by Jack Schmidt.
All finite simple groups have a cyclic
Sylow $p$-subgroup for some $p$
I found ...
- 2,829
13
votes
0
answers
556
views
Higher-dimensional algebraic subgroups of the proalgebraic Nottingham group?
Let $R$ be a commutative ring, and, for $n\ge0$,
${\mathcal{A}}_n={\mathcal{A}}_n(R)$ the group of series
$u(x)=\sum_0^\infty a_jx^{j+1}\in R[[x]]$ for which
$a_0\in R^\times$ and $u(x)\equiv x\pmod{x^...
- 4,193
12
votes
0
answers
340
views
Does every finite group have a small projective representation (over some ring)?
Question. Let $G$ be a finite group. Can we find some (commutative) ring $R$ and some positive integer $d=O(\log\lvert G\rvert)$ such that $G$ can be found as a subgroup of $\operatorname{PGL}_d(R)$?
...
- 602
12
votes
0
answers
479
views
Writing an element of a free product of $C_2$'s as a product of order-$2$ elements
My question is simple: Suppose that $G$ is isomorphic to the free product of finitely many copies of $C_2$. Is it true that any element $g \in G$ can be written as a product $g = s_1 \dotsm s_m$ such ...
- 1,298
12
votes
0
answers
558
views
God's number for higher dimensional Rubik's cubes
In this MO question, user Martin Brandenburg asks about God's number for $n \times n \times n$-cubes for $n>3$. Here, God's number $g(n)$ was defined as the smallest number $m$ such that every ...
- 4,829
12
votes
0
answers
420
views
Non-isomorphic groups with same character tables and different Brauer character tables
Let $A$ be a discrete valuation ring with perfect residue field $k$ of characteristic $p$ and field of fractions $K$ of characteristic $0$. Let $G$ and $H$ be two finite groups and assume that $K$ is ...
12
votes
0
answers
277
views
How many steps on $S_n$ are required to span $V\wedge V$, $V = K^n$?
Let $A$ be a set of generators of $G=S_n$; assume $e\in A$,
$A=A^{-1}$. Let $V = K^n$, $K$ a field. Consider the natural
action of $G$ on $V$ (namely, $g(e_i) = e_{g(i)}$) and on $W = V\wedge V$
(...
- 20.2k
12
votes
0
answers
268
views
If two group actions lead to the same orbifold, are they conjugate?
In The Geometry and Topology of Three-Manifolds, Thurston says: "In these examples, it was not hard to construct the quotient space from the group action. In order to go in the opposite direction, we ...
- 616
12
votes
0
answers
444
views
The third (co)homology group
I need to prove that the third (co)homology group of a certain finitely presented group is not finitely generated. The group is not an amalgamated product or an HNN extension, and it does not act ...
user6976
12
votes
0
answers
172
views
A connected Borel subgroup of the plane
It is known that the complex plane $\mathbb C$ contain dense connected (additive) subgroups with dense complement but each dense path-connected subgroup of $\mathbb C$ necessarily coincides with $\...
- 41.8k
12
votes
0
answers
373
views
Does Thompson's group $V$ have property AP?
Property AP: A discrete group $\Gamma$ has property AP (Approximation Property) if there exists a net $(\phi_i)_{i \in I}$ of finitely supported functions on $\Gamma$ such that $\phi_i \to 1 $ weak$^*$...
12
votes
0
answers
513
views
Converse of Frobenius
Enumerate the elements of a finite group $G$ as follows: $g_1,g_2,\dots,g_n$. Introduce $n$ variables indexed by the elements of $G$: $x_{g_1},\dots,x_{g_n}$.
Consider the matrix $X_G$ with entries $...
- 43.2k
12
votes
0
answers
468
views
A question concerning model theory of groups
Several days ago, Professor Martin Bridson gave a very nice talk in my department. Some questions concerning his talk came into my brain Since I am neither a model theorist nor a algebraist, I am not ...
- 4,201
12
votes
0
answers
3k
views
Proof of Cauchy's Theorem from Group Theory - Generalizable?
There are many proofs for Cauchy's Theorem from group theory, which states that if a prime $p$ divides the order of a finite group $G$, then $\exists g\in G$ of order $p$.
Recently I've encountered ...
- 14.6k
12
votes
0
answers
424
views
Reference for class of involutions containing longest element of finite Coxeter group?
Consider a finite (say irreducible) Coxeter group $W$ with a fixed generator set $S$ and rank $n$. This is the same thing as a finite real reflection group, generated by a set of “simple” ...
- 52.9k
12
votes
0
answers
699
views
Solving a set of equations in a finite symmetric group
A standard way to find solutions to a finite set of equations in a finite symmetric group
${\rm S}_n$ is to take the equations as relators of a finitely presented group, to use
the low index subgroups ...
- 19.6k
12
votes
0
answers
249
views
What Is The Minimal Monomial of the Symmetric Group?
In the symmetric group $S_n$ what is the shortest sequence $c_1,\ldots,c_k\in S_n$ such that, for all $x\in S_n$ the following product of conjugates of $x$:
$$x^{c_1}x^{c_2}\ldots x^{c_k}$$
equals the ...
- 590