Difference Sets Corresponding to a Class of Symmetric Designs

We study difference sets with parameters(v, k, ) = (p ^s(r ^2m - 1)/(r - 1), p ^s-1 r ^2m-2 r - 1)r ^{2m -2}, where r = r ^s - 1)/(p - 1) and p is a prime. Examples for such difference sets are known from a construction of McFarland which works for m = 1 and all p,s. We will prove a structural theorem on difference sets with the above parameters; it will include the result, that under the self-conjugacy assumption McFarland's construction yields all difference sets in the underlying groups. We also show that no abelian .160; 54; 18/-difference set exists. Finally, we give a new nonexistence prove of (189, 48, 12)-difference sets in Z ₃ × Z ₉ × Z ₇.     

New negative Latin square type partial difference sets in nonelementary abelian 2-groups and 3-groups

A partial difference set having parameters (n ², r(n − 1), n + r ² − 3r, r ² − r) is called a Latin square type partial difference set, while a partial difference set having parameters (n ², r(n + 1), − n + r ² + 3r, r ² + r) is called a negative Latin square type partial difference set. Nearly all known constructions of negative Latin square partial difference sets are in elementary abelian groups. In this paper, we develop three product theorems that construct negative Latin square type partial difference sets and Latin square type partial difference sets in direct products of abelian groups G and G′ when these groups have certain Latin square or negative Latin square type partial difference sets. Using these product theorems, we can construct negative Latin square type partial difference sets in groups of the form where the s _i are nonnegative integers and s ₀ + s ₁ ≥ 1. Another significant corollary to these theorems are constructions of two infinite families of negative Latin square type partial difference sets in 3-groups of the form for nonnegative integers s _i . Several constructions of Latin square type PDSs are also given in p-groups for all primes p. We will then briefly indicate how some of these results relate to amorphic association schemes. In particular, we construct amorphic association schemes with 4 classes using negative Latin square type graphs in many nonelementary abelian 2-groups; we also use negative Latin square type graphs whose underlying sets can be elementary abelian 3-groups or nonelementary abelian 3-groups to form 3-class amorphic association schemes.      

A Family of Partial Difference Sets with Denniston Parameters in Nonelementary Abelian 2-Groups

We construct a family of partial difference sets with Denniston parameters in the groupZ₄^t × Z₂^tby using Galois rings.     

On (p a , p b , p a , p a-b )-Relative Difference Sets

This paper provides new exponent and rank conditions for the existence of abelian relative (p ^a,p ^b,p ^a,p ^a–b)-difference sets. It is also shown that no splitting relative (2^2c,2^d,2^2c,2^2c–d)-difference set exists if d > c and the forbidden subgroup is abelian. Furthermore, abelian relative (16, 4, 16, 4)-difference sets are studied in detail; in particular, it is shown that a relative (16, 4, 16, 4)-difference set in an abelian group G Z₈ × Z₄ × Z₂ exists if and only if exp(G) 4 or G = Z₈ × (Z₂)³ with N Z₂ × Z₂.     

Relative difference sets fixed by inversion (ii)—character theoretical approach

In this paper, we continue our investigation of relative difference sets fixed by inversion. We exclusively focus our attention on abelian groups. New necessary conditions are obtained and a new family of such relative difference sets with forbidden subgroup Z/4Z is constructed. The methods we use are character theory of abelian groups and Galois rings over Z/4Z.     

On Circulant Complex Hadamard Matrices

We show that a circulant complex Hadamard matrix of order n is equivalent to a relative difference set in the group C ₄×C _n where the forbidden subgroup is the unique subgroup of order two which is contained in the C ₄ component. We obtain non-existence results for these relative difference sets. Our results are sufficient to prove there are no circulant complex Hadamard matrices for many orders.     

Cyclic Relative Difference Sets and their p-Ranks

By modifying the constructions in Helleseth et al. [10] and No [15], we construct a family of cyclic ((q ^3k –1)/(q–1), q–1, q ^3k–1, q ^3k–2) relative difference sets, where q=3 ^e . These relative difference sets are liftings of the difference sets constructed in Helleseth et al. [10] and No [15]. In order to demonstrate that these relative difference sets are in general new, we compute p-ranks of the classical relative difference sets and 3-ranks of the newly constructed relative difference sets when q=3. By rank comparison, we show that the newly constructed relative difference sets are never equivalent to the classical relative difference sets, and are in general inequivalent to the affine GMW difference sets.     

Constructions of Nested Partial Difference Sets with Galois Rings

There have been several recent constructions of partial difference sets (PDSs) using the Galois rings for p a prime and t any positive integer. This paper presents constructions of partial difference sets in where p is any prime, and r and t are any positive integers. For the case where 2$$ " align="middle" border="0"> many of the partial difference sets are constructed in groups with parameters distinct from other known constructions, and the PDSs are nested. Another construction of Paley partial difference sets is given for the case when p is odd. The constructions make use of character theory and of the structure of the Galois ring , and in particular, the ring × . The paper concludes with some open related problems.     

Paley type partial difference sets in non <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-groups

By modifying a construction for Hadamard (Menon) difference sets we construct two infinite families of negative Latin square type partial difference sets in groups of the form where p is any odd prime. One of these families has the well-known Paley parameters, which had previously only been constructed in p-groups. This provides new constructions of Hadamard matrices and implies the existence of many new strongly regular graphs including some that are conference graphs. As a corollary, we are able to construct Paley–Hadamard difference sets of the Stanton-Sprott family in groups of the form when is a prime power. These are new parameters for such difference sets.      

A New Family of Relative Difference Sets in 2-Groups

We recursively construct a new family of ( 2^6d+4, 8, 2^6d+4, 2^6d+1) semi-regular relative difference sets in abelian groups G relative to an elementary abelian subgroup U. The initial case d = 0 of the recursion comprises examples of (16, 8, 16, 2) relative difference sets for four distinct pairs (G, U).     

Necessary conditions for menon difference sets

Menon difference sets have the parameters (4N ², 2N ²±N,N ²±N). In this paper, a necessary condition for Menon difference sets in groups of the formZ _2p ×Z _2p ×G _q , whereG _q is an abelianq-group andp, q are distinct prime numbers, will be proved. We will also focus on the groupsZ _2pq ×Z _2pq and give constraints on the magnitudes ofp andq. Finally, we show that if the groupZ _6p ×Z _6p contains a Menon difference set, thenp=3 or 13 only.     

A New Family of Cyclic Difference Sets with Singer Parameters in Characteristic Three

We construct a new family of cyclic difference sets with parameters ((3 ^d – 1)/2, (3 ^{d – 1} – 1)/2, (3 ^{d – 2} – 1)/2) for each odd d. The difference sets are constructed with certain maps that form Jacobi sums. These new difference sets are similar to Maschietti's hyperoval difference sets, of the Segre type, in characteristic two. We conclude by calculating the 3-ranks of the new difference sets.     

Two Generalized Constructions of Relative Difference Sets

We give two generalizations of some known constructions of relative difference sets. The first one is a generalization of a construction of RDS by Chen, Ray-Chaudhuri and Xiang using the Galois ring GR(4, m). The second one generalizes a construction of RDS by Ma and Schmidt from the setting of chain rings to a setting of more general rings.     

A Construction of Difference Sets in High Exponent 2-Groups Using Representation Theory

Nontrivial difference sets in groups of order a power of 2 are part of the family of difference sets called Menon difference sets (or Hadamard), and they have parameters (2^2d+2, 2^2d+1±2 ^d , 2^2d ±2 ^d ). In the abelian case, the group has a difference set if and only if the exponent of the group is less than or equal to 2 ^d+2. In [14], the authors construct a difference set in a nonabelian group of order 64 and exponent 32. This paper generalizes that result to show that there is a difference set in a nonabelian group of order 2^2d+2 with exponent 2 ^d+3. We use representation theory to prove that the group has a difference set, and this shows that representation theory can be used to verify a construction similar to the use of character theory in the abelian case.     

On the Construction of Some Type II Codes over Z 4×Z4

We consider here the construction of Type II codes over the abelian group Z₄×Z₄. The definition of Type II codes here is based on the definitions introduced by Bannai [2]. The emphasis is given on the construction of these types of codes over the abelian group Z₄×Z₄ and in particular, the methods applied by Gaborit [7] in the construction of codes over Z₄ was extended to four different dualities with their corresponding weight functions (maps assigning weights to the alphabets of the code). In order to do this, we use the flattened form of the codes and construct binary codes analogous to the ones applied to Z₄ codes. Since each duality generates more than one weight function, we focus on those weights satisfying the squareness property. Here, by the squareness property, we mean that the weight function wt assigns the weight 0 to the Z₄×Z₄ elements (0, 0),(2, 2) and the weight 4 to the elements (0, 2) and (2, 0). The main results of this paper are focused on the characterization of these codes and provide a method of construction that can be applied in the generation of such codes whose weight functions satisfy the squareness property.     

Solvable absolute Galois groups are metabelian

We show that solvable absolute Galois groups have an abelian normal subgroup such that the quotient is the direct product of two finite cyclic and a torsion-free procyclic group. In particular, solvable absolute Galois groups are metabelian. Moreover, any field with solvable absolute Galois group G admits a non-trivial henselian valuation, unless each Sylow-subgroup of G is either procyclic or isomorphic to Z ₂⋊Z/2Z. A complete classification of solvable absolute Galois groups (up to isomorphism) is given. Oblatum 22-IV-1998 & 1-IX-2000?Published online: 30 October 2000     

Existence status of some previously open abelian difference sets

We theoretically establish the existence status of some previously open abelian difference sets. More precisely, we show the nonexistence of all the following difference sets: (841,120,17) in Z₂₉×Z₂₉, (364,121,40) in Z₂×Z₂×Z₇×Z₁₃, (837,133,21) in Z₃×Z₃×Z₃×Z₃₁,Z₃×Z₉×Z₃₁ and Z₈₃₇.     

Central simple algebras

Wedderburn’s factorization of polynomials over division rings is refined and used to prove that every central division algebra of degree 8, with involution, has a maximal subfield which is a Galois extension of the center (with Galois group Z₂⊕Z₂⊕Z₂). The same proof, for an arbitrary central division algebra of degree 4, gives an explicit construction of a maximal subfield which is a Galois extension of the center, with Galois group Z₂⊕Z₂. Use is made of the generic division algebras, with and without involution. This work was supported by the Israel Committee for Basic Research and the Anshel Pfeffer Chair.     

Relative difference sets in semidirect products with an amalgamated subgroup

We call a group G with subgroups G₁, G₂ such that G = G₁G₂ and both N = G₁ ∩ G₂ and G₁ are normal in G a semidirect product with amalgamated subgroup N. We show that if G_l is a group with N_l ? G_l containing a relative ‐difference set relative to N_l for l = 1,2, and if there exists a “compatible coupling” from (G₂, N₂) to (G₁, N₁), a notion introduced in the paper, then for any i,j ∈ ? there exists at least one semidirect product with amalgamated subgroup N ? N₁ ? N₂ containing a relative ‐difference set. We say “at least one” to emphasize that the proof is via recursive construction and that different groups may be obtained depending on the choices made at different stages of the recursion. A special case of this result shows that if K is any finite group containing a normal relative ‐difference set, then there exists, for each i ∈ ?, at least one semidirect product with amalgamated subgroup N containing a relative ‐difference set. These results suggest that the class of semidirect products with an amalgamated subgroup provides a rich source of new (non‐abelian) semiregular relative difference sets. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

New partial geometric difference sets and partial geometric difference families

Using Galois rings and Galois fields, we construct several infinite classes of partial geometric difference sets, and partial geometric difference families, with new parameters. Furthermore, these partial geometric difference sets (and partial geometric difference families) correspond to new infinite families of directed strongly regular graphs. We also discuss some of the links between partially balanced designs, 2-adesigns (which were recently coined by Cunsheng Ding in “Codes from Difference Sets” (2015)), and partial geometric designs, and make an investigation into when a 2-adesign is a partial geometric design.