Frattini Geometry of Non-Generating Complexes: Symmetry, Homology and Betti Numbers

Abstract

For a finite group \(G\), let \(N(G)\) be the simplicial complex of subsets that do not generate \(G\). We separate a general Frattini-topological reduction from the structure special to finite \(p\)-groups. For every finite noncyclic group, the non-cone Frattini core is homotopy equivalent to the order complex of the proper part of the subgroup lattice of \(G/Φ(G)\). For a finite \(p\)-group this quotient is an elementary abelian vector space, and the core becomes the non-spanning complex of a uniform parallel extension of \(\mathrm{PG}(r-1,p)\), where \(r=d(G)\) and \(q=|Φ(G)|\). We use this geometry to determine the exact simplicial isomorphism data and full simplicial automorphism group, identify top homology equivariantly with the appropriate restriction of the Steinberg module, and derive modular consequences. We also give an explicit supportwise formula for every multigraded Betti number and compare it with a closed single-sum formula for the \(\mathbb Z\)-graded Betti numbers. Known matroidal and building-theoretic inputs are stated separately from the group-specific consequences. The resulting framework also yields the homotopy type, depth, regularity, projective dimension, face enumeration, and the complete Cohen--Macaulay classification.