Lower bounds for the cardinality of minimal blocking sets in projective spaces

In this paper new lower bounds for the cardinality of minimal m-blocking sets are determined. Let r₂(q) be the number such that q+r₂(q)+1 is the cardinality of the smallest non-trivial line-blocking set in a plane of order q. If B is a minimal m-blocking set in PG(n,q) that contains at most q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)·(∑_i=2m−n′^m−1qⁱ) points for an integer n′ satisfying mn′2m, then the dimension of B is at most n′. If the dimension of B is n′, then the following holds. The cardinality of B equals q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)(∑_i=2m−n′^m−1qⁱ). For n′=m the set B is an m-dimensional subspace and for n′=m+1 the set B is a cone with an (m−2)-dimensional vertex over a non-trivial line-blocking set of cardinality q+r₂(q)+1 in a plane skew to the vertex. This result is due to Heim (Mitt. Math. Semin. Giessen 226 (1996), 4–82). For n′>m+1 and q not a prime the number q is a square and for q16 the set B is a Baer cone. If q is odd and |B|<q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)(q^m−1+q^m−2), it follows from this result that the subspace generated by B has dimension at most m+1. Furthermore we prove that in this case, if , then B is an m-dimensional subspace or a cone with an (m−2)-dimensional vertex over a non-trivial line-blocking set of cardinality q+r₂(q)+1 in a plane skew to the vertex. For q=p^3h, p7 and q not a square we show this assertion for |B|q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+q^2/3·(q^m−1+…+1).     

On a Class of Symmetric Balanced Generalized Weighing Matrices

Let q be a prime power and m a positive integer. A construction method is given to multiply the parametrs of an -circulant BGW(v=1+q+q ₂+·+q ^m , q ^m , q ^m –q ^m–1) over the cyclic group C _n of order n with (q–1)/n being an even integer, by the parameters of a symmetric BGW(1+q ^m+1, q ^m+1, q ^m+1–q ^m ) with zero diagonal over a cyclic group C _vn to generate a symmetric BGW(1+q+·+q ^2m+1,q ^2m+1,q ^2m+1–q ^2m) with zero diagonal, over the cyclic group C _n . Applications include two new infinite classes of strongly regular graphs with parametersSRG(36(1+25+·+25^2m+1),15(25)^2m+1,6(25)^2m+1,6(25)^2m+1), and SRG(36(1+49+·+49^2m+1),21(49)^2m+1,12(49)^2m+1,12(49)^2m+1).     

On a family of elliptic curves of rank at least 2

Let C_m:y² = x³ ? m²x + p²q² be a family of elliptic curves over ?, where m is a positive integer and p, q are distinct odd primes. We study the torsion part and the rank of C_m(?). More specifically, we prove that the torsion subgroup of C_m(?) is trivial and the ?-rank of this family is at least 2, whenever m ? 0 (mod 3), m ? 0 (mod 4) and m ≡ 2 (mod 64) with neither p nor q dividing m.

     

On nonsystematic perfect codes over finite fields

The nonsystematic perfect q-ary codes over finite field F _q of length n = (q ^m − 1)/(q − 1) are constructed in the case when m ≥ 4 and q ≥ 2 and also when m = 3 and q is not prime. For q ≠ 3, 5, these codes can be constructed by switching seven disjoint components of the Hamming code H _q ⁿ ; and, for q = 3, 5, eight disjoint components.     

The generic division rings

LetA=k (X ₁, X₂..., X_m) be the division ring generated by genericn×n matrices over a fieldk; thenA is not a crossed product in the following cases: (i) there exists a primeq such thatq ³ℛn;(ii)[k:Q]=m, whereQ is the field of rationals, then if eitherq ³ℛn for someq for whichq-1ℛm, orq ²/nn for some other prime; (iii)k=Z _p ^r a finite field ofp ^r elements and eitherq ³ℛn for sameqℛp ^r-1 orq ²ℛn for some other primes. Other cases are also considered.     

Two New Families in the Stable Homotopy Groups of Sphere and Moore Spectrum

This paper proves the existence of an order p element in the stable homotopy group of sphere spectrum of degree pnq pmq q - 4 and a nontrivial element in the stable homotopy group of Moore spectum of degree pnq pmq q - 3 which are represented by h0(hmbn-1-hnbm-1) and i*(h0hnhm) in the E2-terms of the Adams spectral sequence respectively, where p≥7 is a prime, n≥m 2≥4, q = 2(p - 1).     

Parity patterns associated with lifts of Hecke groups

Let q be an odd prime, m a positive integer, and let Γ _m (q) be the group generated by two elements x and y subject to the relations x ^2m =y ^qm =1 and x ²=y ^q ; that is, Γ _m (q) is the free product of two cyclic groups of orders 2m respectively qm, amalgamated along their subgroups of order m. Our main result determines the parity behaviour of the generalized subgroup numbers of Γ _m (q) which were defined in Müller (Adv. Math. 153:118–154, 2000), and which count all the homomorphisms of index n subgroups of Γ _m (q) into a given finite group H, in the case when gcd (m,| H |)=1. This computation depends upon the solution of three counting problems in the Hecke group ℋ(q)=C ₂*C _q : (i) determination of the parity of the subgroup numbers of ℋ(q); (ii) determination of the parity of the number of index n subgroups of ℋ(q) which are isomorphic to a free product of copies of C ₂ and of C _∞; (iii) determination of the parity of the number of index n subgroups in ℋ(q) which are isomorphic to a free product of copies of C _q . The first problem has already been solved in Müller (Groups: Topological, Combinatorial and Arithmetic Aspects, LMS Lecture Notes Series, vol. 311, pp. 327–374, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004). The bulk of our paper deals with the solution of Problems (ii) and (iii). Research of C. Krattenthaler partially supported by the Austrian Science Foundation FWF, grant S9607-N13, in the framework of the National Research Network “Analytic Combinatorics and Probabilistic Number Theory”.     

On some new generalized difference sequence spaces defined by a sequence of moduli

In this paper, we define the new generalized difference sequence spaces [V, λ, F, p, q]₀(Δ _v ^m ), [V, λ, F, p, q]₁(Δ _v ^m ) and [V, λ, F, p, q]_∞(Δ _v ^m ). We also study some inclusion relations between these spaces.     

The existence of even cycles with specific lengths in Wenger’s graph

Wenger＇s graph Hm（q） is a q-regular bipartite graph of order 2qm constructed by using the mdimensional vector space Fq^m over the finite field Fq. The existence of the cycles of certain even length plays an important role in the study of the accurate order of the Turan number ex（n; C2m） in extremal graph theory. In this paper, we use the algebraic methods of linear system of equations over the finite field and the “critical zero-sum sequences” to show that： if m ≥ 3, then for any integer l with l ≠ 5, 4 ≤ l ≤ 2ch（Fq） （where ch（Fq） is the character of the finite field Fq） and any vertex v in the Wenger＇s graph Hm（q）, there is a cycle of length 21 in Hm（q） passing through the vertex v.     

Engel Values in Residually Finite Groups

The following theorem is proved. Let n be a positive integer and q a power of a prime p. There exists a number m = m(n, q) depending only on n and q such that if G is any residually finite group satisfying the identity ([x _1,n y ₁] ⋯ [x _m,n y _m ])^q ≡ 1, then the verbal subgroup of G corresponding to the nth Engel word is locally finite.     

Engel Values in Residually Finite Groups

The following theorem is proved. Let n be a positive integer and q a power of a prime p. There exists a number m = m(n, q) depending only on n and q such that if G is any residually finite group satisfying the identity ([x _1,n y ₁] ⋯ [x _m,n y _m ])^q ≡ 1, then the verbal subgroup of G corresponding to the nth Engel word is locally finite.     

Boundedness Properties of Pseudo-Differential and Calderón-Zygmund Operators on Modulation Spaces

In this article, we study the boundedness of pseudo-differential operators with symbols in S _ρ,δ ^m on the modulation spaces M ^p,q . We discuss the order m for the boundedness Op(S _ρ,δ ^m )⊂ℒ(M ^p,q ) to be true. We also prove the existence of a Calderón-Zygmund operator which is not bounded on the modulation space M ^p,q with q≠2. This unboundedness is still true even if we assume a generalized T(1) condition. These results are induced by the unboundedness of pseudo-differential operators on M ^p,q whose symbols are of the class S _1,δ ⁰ with 0<δ<1.      

Character table of a controlling association scheme defined by the general orthogonal groupO(3,q).

LetN _m (q) be the set of nonisotropic lines in the vector space of dimensionm over a finite field of orderq. In a paper by Bannai, Hao, Song and Wei, it was shown that the association scheme character tableP(Sp(2n, q),N _2n (q)), withn 3 andq odd, is controlled byP(Sp(4,q),N ₄(q)) which is in turn controlled byP(O(3,q),O(3,q)/O ⁺ (2,q)). Our purpose in this paper is to compute the entries in the character tableP(O(3,q), O(3,q)/O ⁺ (2,q)) explicitly, which is left open in that paper.     

On completely free elements in finite fields

Letq>1 be a prime power,m>1 an integer,GF(q ^m) andGF (q) the Galois fields of orderq ^m andq, respectively. We show that the different module structures of (GF(q ^m), +) arising from the intermediate fields of the field extensionGF(q ^m) overGF (q), can be studied simultaneously with the help of some basic properties of cyclotomic polynomials. The results can be generalized to finite cyclic Galois extensions over arbitrary fields.In 1986, D. Blessenohl and K. Johnsen proved that there exist elements inGF(q ^m) which generate normal bases inGF(q ^m) overany intermediate fieldGF(q ^d) ofGF(q ^m) overGF(q). Such elements are called completely free inGF(q ^m) overGF(q). Using our ideas, we give a detailed and constructive proof of the most difficult part of that theorem, i.e., the existence of completely free elements inGF(q ^m), overGF(q) provided thatm is a prime power. The general existence problem of completely free elements is easily reduced to this special case.Furthermore, we develop a recursive formula for the number of completely free elements inGF(q ^m) overGF(q) in the case wherem is a prime power.     

A Poisson * Negative Binomial Convolution Law for Random Polynomials over Finite Fields

Let F _q[X] denote a polynomial ring over a finite field F _q with q elements. Let 𝒫_n be the set of monic polynomials over F _q of degree n. Assuming that each of the qⁿ possible monic polynomials in 𝒫_n is equally likely, we give a complete characterization of the limiting behavior of P(Ω_n=m) as n→∞ by a uniform asymptotic formula valid for m≥1 and n−m→∞, where Ω_n represents the number (multiplicities counted) of irreducible factors in the factorization of a random polynomial in 𝒫_n. The distribution of Ω_n is essentially the convolution of a Poisson distribution with mean log n and a negative binomial distribution with parameters q and q⁻¹. Such a convolution law exhibits three modes of asymptotic behaviors: when m is small, it behaves like a Poisson distribution; when m becomes large, its behavior is dominated by a negative binomial distribution, the transitional behavior being essentially a parabolic cylinder function (or some linear combinations of the standard normal law and its iterated integrals). As applications of this uniform asymptotic formula, we derive most known results concerning P(Ω_n=m) and present many new ones like the unimodality of the distribution. The methods used are widely applicable to other problems on multiset constructions. An extension to Rényi's problem, concerning the distribution of the difference of the (total) number of irreducibles and the number of distinct irreducibles, is also presented. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 13, 17–47, 1998     

A family of translation planes of order q 2m+1 with two orbits of length 2 and q 2m+1−1 on l ∞

A class of translation planes of order q ^2m+1, where q is an odd prime power and m1, is constructed. If m=1, then this class is contained in the class of order q ³ constructed by Hiramine [5]. These planes of order q ^2m+1 are of dimension 2m+1 over their kernels. If q ^2m+13³, then the linear translation complements of these planes have two orbits of length 2 and q ^2m+1–1 on l and this class contains many planes which are not generalized André planes. If q ^2m+1= 3³, then each plane of this class is isomorphic to the Hering plane of order 27.Dedicated to Professor Tuyosi Oyama on his 60th birthday     

On cyclic caps in 4-dimensional projective spaces

For any divisor k of q ⁴−1, the elements of a group of k th-roots of unity can be viewed as a cyclic point set C _k in PG(4,q). An interesting problem, connected to the theory of BCH codes, is to determine the spectrum A(q) of maximal divisors k of q ⁴−1 for which C _k is a cap. Recently, Bierbrauer and Edel [Edel and Bierbrauer (2004) Finite Fields Appl 10:168–182] have proved that 3(q ² + 1)∈A(q) provided that q is an even non-square. In this paper, the odd order case is investigated. It is proved that the only integer m for which m(q ² + 1)∈A(q) is m = 2 for q ≡ 3 (mod 4), m = 1 for q ≡ 1 (mod 4). It is also shown that when q ≡ 3 (mod 4), the cap is complete.      

Quasirecognition by prime graph of the simple group <Superscript>2</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript>4</Subscript>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>)

As the main result, we show that if G is a finite group such that Γ(G) = Γ(² F ₄(q)), where q = 2^2m+1 for some m ≧ 1, then G has a unique nonabelian composition factor isomorphic to ² F ₄(q). We also show that if G is a finite group satisfying |G| =|² F ₄(q)| and Γ(G) = Γ(² F ₄(q)), then G ≅ ² F ₄(q). As a consequence of our result we give a new proof for a conjecture of W. Shi and J. Bi for ² F ₄(q). The third author was supported in part by a grant from IPM (No. 87200022).     

Periodicity of Non-Central Integral Arrangements Modulo Positive Integers

An integral coefficient matrix determines an integral arrangement of hyperplanes in \mathbbR^m{\mathbb{R}^m} . After modulo q reduction ${(q \in {\mathbb{Z}_{ >0 }})}${(q \in {\mathbb{Z}_{ >0 }})} , the same matrix determines an arrangement A_q{\mathcal{A}_q} of “hyperplanes” in \mathbbZ^m_q{\mathbb{Z}^m_q} . In the special case of central arrangements, Kamiya, Takemura, and Terao [J. Algebraic Combin. 27(3), 317–330 (2008)] showed that the cardinality of the complement of A_q{\mathcal{A}_q} in \mathbbZ^m_q{\mathbb{Z}^m_q} is a quasi-polynomial in ${q \in {\mathbb{Z}_{ >0 }}}${q \in {\mathbb{Z}_{ >0 }}} . Moreover, they proved in the central case that the intersection lattice of A_q{\mathcal{A}_q} is periodic from some q on. The present paper generalizes these results to the case of non-central arrangements. The paper also studies the arrangement [^(B)]_m^[0,a]{\hat{\mathcal{B}}_m^{[0,a]}} of Athanasiadis [J. Algebraic Combin. 10(3), 207–225 (1999)] to illustrate our results.     

Subquadrangle m‐regular systems on generalized quadrangles

We introduce the notion of subquadrangle regular system of a generalized quadrangle. A subquadrangle regular system of order m on a generalized quadrangle of order (s, t) is a set ? of embedded subquadrangles with the property that every point lies on exactly m subquadrangles of ?. If m is one half of the total number of subquadrangles on a point, we call ? a subquadrangle hemisystem. We construct two infinite families of symplectic subquadrangle hemisystems of the Hermitian surface ??(3, q²), q odd, and two infinite families of symplectic subquadrangle hemisystems of ??₃(q²), q even. Some sporadic examples of symplectic subquadrangle regular systems of ??(3, q²) are also presented. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 19:28‐41, 2010