A new algorithm for finding the nilpotency class of a finite p-group describing the upper central series

Abstract

In this paper we describe an algorithm for finding the nilpotency class, and the upper central series of the maximal normal p-subgroup N(G) of the automorphism group, Aut(G) of a bounded (or finite) abelian p-group G. This is the first part of two papers devoted to compute the nilpotency class of N(G) using formulas, and algorithms that work in almost all groups. Here, we prove that for p>2 the algorithm always runs. The algorithm describes a sequence of ideals of the Jacobson radical, J, and because N(G)=J+1, this sequence induces the upper central series in N(G).