Finite Simple Groups: Factorizations, Regular Subgroups, and Cayley Graphs (2012.09551v5)

Abstract: This paper addresses the factorization problem of almost simple groups, studies regular subgroups of quasiprimitive permutation groups, and characterizes $s$-arc transitive Cayley graphs of finite simple groups. The main result of the paper presents a classification of exact factorizations of almost simple groups, which has been a long-standing open problem initiated around 1980 by the work of Wiegold-Williamson (1980), and significantly progressed by Liebeck, Praeger and Saxl in 2010. A by-product theorem of classifying exact factorizations of almost simple groups shows that, if $G=HK$ is a classical group of Lie type and $H,K$ are nonsolvable, then $H$ or $K$ is `almost maximal', with only a couple of exceptions. As applications of the classification result, (1) a classification is given of quasiprimitive groups containing a regular simple group; (2) a characterization is obtained for $s$-arc transitive Cayley graphs of simple groups, showing that $3$-arc transitive Cayley graphs of simple groups are surprisingly rare; (3) a question regarding biperfect Hopf algebras is confirmed.