Finite groups of bounded rank with an almost regular automorphism

摘要

In this paper we prove that any finite group of rankr, with an automorphism whose centralizer hasm points, has a characteristic soluble subgroup of (m, r)-bounded index andr-bounded derived length. This result gives a positive answer to a problem raised by E. I. Khukhro and A. Shalev (see also Problem 13.56 from the “Kourovka Notebook” [Kou]).