Browsing by Author "Hertweck, Martin"

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Contributions to the integral representation theory of groups
(2004) Hertweck, Martin; Kimmerle, Wolfgang (apl. Prof. Dr.)
This thesis contributes to the integral representation theory of groups. Topics treated include: the integral isomorphism problem --- if the group rings ZG and ZH are isomorphic, are the finite groups G and H isomorphic?, the Zassenhaus conjecture concerning automorphisms of integral group rings --- can each augmentation preserving automorphism of ZG be written as the product of an automorphism of G and a central automorphism?, and the normalizer problem --- in the unit group of ZG, is G only normalized by the obvious units? It is well known that these topics are closely related. Though counterexamples are known to each of these questions, our knowledge about such problems is still rather incomplete. A semilocal analysis of the known counterexample to the integral isomorphism problem is performed, which leads to new insight into the structure of the underlying groups. At the same time, this gives strong evidence for the existence of non-isomorphic groups of odd order having isomorphic semilocal group rings. It is shown how in the "semilocal case", counterexamples to the Zassenhaus conjecture can be produced with relatively minor effort. More importantly, it is shown for the first time that there is no local-global principle for automorphisms: An automorphism of a semilocal group ring (corresponding to an invertible bimodule M) need not give rise to a global automorphism (none of the modules in the genus of M is free from one side). In another part of this thesis, the normalizer problem for infinite groups is discussed. Research begun by Mazur is continued, and extensions of results of Jespers, Juriaans, de Miranda und Rogerio are obtained: By reduction to the finite group case, the normalizer problem is answered in the affirmative for certain classes of groups. The hypercenter of the unit group of RG, where G is a periodic group and R a G-adapted ring, is investigated too. If the hypercenter is not equal to the center, then G is a so called Q*-group, and then the hypercenter is described explicitly. The description in the R=Z case was obtained independently by Li and Parmenter, using different methods. The approach given here emphazises the connection to the normalizer problem and has a group-theoretical flavor. Moreover, it is shown that the second center of the unit group of ZG coincides with the finite conjugacy center. By way of contrast, the thesis ends with a little observation, intended to raise hopes that significant applications of integral representation theory to finite group theory will be found some day. In search of a proof of Glauberman's Z_p-star-Theorem (for odd p) which is independent from the classification, the following detail is noticed: If x is an element of order 3 in a finite group G which does not commute with any of its distinct conjugates, then chi(x), for any irreducible character chi of G, is an integral muliple of a root of unity.