On the structure of finite groups isospectral to finite simple groups

Abstract

Finite groups are said to be isospectral if they have the same sets of element orders. A finite nonabelian simple group $L$ is said to be almost recognizable by spectrum if every finite group isospectral to $L$ is an almost simple group with socle isomorphic to $L$. It is known that all finite simple sporadic, alternating and exceptional groups of Lie type, except $J_2$, $A_6$, $A_{10}$ and $^3D_4(2)$, are almost recognizable by spectrum. The present paper is the final step in the proof of the following conjecture due to V.D. Mazurov: there exists a positive integer $d_0$ such that every finite simple classical group of dimension larger than $d_0$ is almost recognizable by spectrum. Namely, we prove that a nonabelian composition factor of a~finite group isospectral to a finite simple symplectic or orthogonal group $L$ of dimension at least 10, is either isomorphic to $L$ or not a group of Lie type in the same characteristic as $L$, and combining this result with earlier work, we deduce that Mazurov's conjecture holds with $d_0=60$.