On 1-Systems of Q(6, q), q Even

In this paper, a method is developed to study locally hermitian 1-systems of Q(6, q), q even, by associating a kind of flock in PG(4, q) to them. This method is applied to a known locally hermitian 1-system of Q(6, 2^2e ), which was discovered by Offer as a spread of the hexagon H(2^2e ). The results concerning this spread appear to be suitable for generalization and enable us to find new classes of 1-systems of Q(6, q), q even. We also prove that a locally hermitian 1-system of Q(6, q), q even, which is not contained in a 5-dimensional subspace, is semi-classical if and only if it belongs to the new classes we describe. Finally, from the new classes of 1-systems arise new classes of semipartial geometries.     

On the restriction of cross characteristic representations of 2 F 4(q) to proper subgroups

We prove that the restriction of any nontrivial representation of the Ree groups ² F ₄(q), q = 2²ⁿ⁺¹ ≥ 8 in odd characteristic to any proper subgroup is reducible. We also determine all triples (K, V, H) such that ${K \in \{^2F_4(2), ^2F_4(2)'\} }We prove that the restriction of any nontrivial representation of the Ree groups ² F ₄(q), q = 2²ⁿ⁺¹ ≥ 8 in odd characteristic to any proper subgroup is reducible. We also determine all triples (K, V, H) such that K ? {²F₄(2), ²F₄(2)￠}{K \in \{^2F_4(2), ^2F_4(2)'\} } , H is a proper subgroup of K, and V is a representation of K in odd characteristic restricting absolutely irreducibly to H.     

A spectrum result on minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes of PG(3, q), q odd

This article presents a spectrum result on minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes of PG(3, q), q odd. We prove that for every integer k in an interval of, roughly, size [q ²/4, 3q ²/4], there exists such a minimal blocking set of size k in PG(3, q), q odd. A similar result on the spectrum of minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes of PG(3, q), q even, was presented in Rößing and Storme (Eur J Combin 31:349–361, 2010). Since minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes in PG(3, q) are tangency sets, they define maximal partial 1-systems on the Klein quadric Q ⁺(5, q), so we get the same spectrum result for maximal partial 1-systems of lines on the Klein quadric Q ⁺(5, q), q odd.     

On recognition by spectrum of the simple groups B 3(q), C 3(q), and D 4(q)

The spectrum of a finite group is the set of its element orders. Two groups are isospectral whenever they have the same spectra. We consider the classes of finite groups isospectral to the simple symplectic and orthogonal groups B ₃(q), C ₃(q), and D ₄(q). We prove that in the case of even characteristic and q > 2 these groups can be reconstructed from their spectra up to isomorphisms. In the case of odd characteristic we obtain a restriction on the composition structure of groups of this class.     

A Characterization of the Complement of a Hyperbolic Quadric in PG (3, q), for q Odd

The incidence structure NQ⁺(3, q) has points the points not on a non-degenerate hyperbolic quadric Q⁺(3, q) in PG(3, q), and its lines are the lines of PG(3, q) not containing a point of Q⁺(3, q). It is easy to show that NQ⁺(3, q) is a partial linear space of order (q, q(q−1)/2). If q is odd, then moreover NQ⁺(3, q) satisfies the property that for each non-incident point line pair (x,L), there are either (q−1)/2 or (q+1)/2 points incident with L that are collinear with x. A partial linear space of order (s, t) satisfying this property is called a ((q−1)/2,(q+1)/2)-geometry. In this paper, we will prove the following characterization of NQ⁺(3,q). Let S be a ((q−1)/2,(q+1)/2)-geometry fully embedded in PG(n, q), for q odd and q>3. Then S = NQ⁺(3, q).     

On the pronormality of subgroups of odd index in finite simple symplectic groups

A subgroup H of a group G is pronormal if the subgroups H and H ^g are conjugate in 〈H,H ^g 〉 for every g ∈ G. It was conjectured in [1] that a subgroup of a finite simple group having odd index is always pronormal. Recently the authors [2] verified this conjecture for all finite simple groups other than PSL _n (q), PSU _n (q), E ₆(q), ² E ₆(q), where in all cases q is odd and n is not a power of 2, and P Sp_2n (q), where q ≡ ±3 (mod 8). However in [3] the authors proved that when q ≡ ±3 (mod 8) and n ≡ 0 (mod 3), the simple symplectic group P Sp²ⁿ (q) has a nonpronormal subgroup of odd index, thereby refuted the conjecture on pronormality of subgroups of odd index in finite simple groups.The natural extension of this conjecture is the problem of classifying finite nonabelian simple groups in which every subgroup of odd index is pronormal. In this paper we continue to study this problem for the simple symplectic groups P Sp_2n (q) with q ≡ ±3 (mod 8) (if the last condition is not satisfied, then subgroups of odd index are pronormal). We prove that whenever n is not of the form 2 ^m or 2 ^m (2^2k +1), this group has a nonpronormal subgroup of odd index. If n = 2 ^m , then we show that all subgroups of P Sp_2n (q) of odd index are pronormal. The question of pronormality of subgroups of odd index in P Sp_2n (q) is still open when n = 2 ^m (2^2k + 1) and q ≡ ±3 (mod 8).     

Caps in PG(n,q),q even,n⩾3

Letm′₂(3,q) be the largest value ofk(k<q ²+1) for which there exists a completek-cap in PG(3,q),q even. In this paper, the known upper bound onm′₂(3,q) is improved. We also describe a number of intervals, fork, for which there does not exist a completek-cap in PG(3,q),q even. These results are then used to improve the known upper bounds on the number of points of a cap in PG(n, q),q even,n?4.     

Cyclic Arcs in PG(2, q)

B.C. Kestenband [9], J.C. Fisher, J.W.P. Hirschfeld, and J.A. Thas [3], E. Boros, and T. Szönyi [1] constructed complete (q ² ? q + l)-arcs in PG(2, q ²), q ≥ 3. One of the interesting properties of these arcs is the fact that they are fixed by a cyclic protective group of order q ² ? q + 1. We investigate the following problem: What are the complete k-arcs in PG(2, q) which are fixed by a cyclic projective group of order k? This article shows that there are essentially three types of those arcs, one of which is the conic in PG(2, q), q odd. For the other two types, concrete examples are given which shows that these types also occur.     

On sizes of complete caps in projective spaces PG(n, q) and arcs in planes PG(2, q)

More than thirty new upper bounds on the smallest size t ₂(2, q) of a complete arc in the plane PG(2, q) are obtained for (169 ≤ q ≤ 839. New upper bounds on the smallest size t ₂(n, q) of the complete cap in the space PG(n, q) are given for n = 3 and 25 ≤ q ≤ 97, q odd; n = 4 and q = 7, 8, 11, 13, 17; n = 5 and q = 5, 7, 8, 9; n = 6 and q = 4, 8. The bounds are obtained by computer search for new small complete arcs and caps. New upper bounds on the largest size m ₂(n, q) of a complete cap in PG(n, q) are given for q = 4, n = 5, 6, and q = 3, n = 7, 8, 9. The new lower bound 534 ≤ m ₂(8, 3) is obtained by finding a complete 534-cap in PG(8, 3). Many new sizes of complete arcs and caps are obtained. The updated tables of upper bounds for t ₂(n, q), n ≥ 2, and of the spectrum of known sizes for complete caps are given. Interesting complete caps in PG(3, q) of large size are described. A proof of the construction of complete caps in PG(3, 2 ^h ) announced in previous papers is given; this is modified from a construction of Segre. In PG(2, q), for q = 17, δ = 4, and q = 19, 27, δ = 3, we give complete ${(\frac{1}{2}(q + 3) + \delta)}$ -arcs other than conics that share ${\frac{1}{2}(q + 3)}$ points with an irreducible conic. It is shown that they are unique up to collineation. In PG(2, q), ${{q \equiv 2}}$ (mod 3) odd, we propose new constructions of ${\frac{1}{2} (q + 7)}$ -arcs and show that they are complete for q ≤ 3701.     

A Family of Non-quasiprimitive Graphs Constructed From PSU3（q） Where q Is Odd

Let Г be a simple connected graph and let G be a group of automorphisms of Г. Г is said to be （G, 2）-arc transitive if G is transitive on the 2-arcs of Г. It has been shown that there exists a family of non-quasiprimitive （PSU3（q）, 2）-arc transitive graphs where q = 2^3m with m an odd integer. In this paper we investigate the case where q is an odd prime power.     

A Class of Finite-Dimensional Representations of U_q（sl_2）

In order to study a class of finite-dimensional representations of Uq（sl2）, we deal with the quotient algebra Uq （m, n, b） of quantum group Uq（sl2） with relations Kr=1, Emr=b, Fnr=0 in this paper, where q is a root of unity. The algebra Uq（m, n, b） is decomposed into a direct sum of indecomposable （left） ideals. The structures of indecomposable projective representations and their blocks are determined.     

Embeddings of Un(q2) and symmetric strongly regular graphs

In the geometric setting of the embedding of the unitary group U_n(q²) inside an orthogonal or a symplectic group over the subfield GF(q) of GF(q²), q odd, we show the existence of infinite families of transitive two‐character sets with respect to hyperplanes that in turn define new symmetric strongly regular graphs and two‐weight codes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 248–253, 2010     

The classification of spreads in PG(3, q) admitting linear groups of order q(q+1), I. odd order

A classification is given of all spreads in PG(3, q), q = p^r, p odd, whose associated translation planes admit linear collineation groups of order q(q +1) such that a Sylow p-subgroup fixes a line and acts non-trivially on it.The authors are indebted to T. Penttila for pointing out the special examples of conical flock translation planes of order q² that admit groups of order q(q+1), when q = 23 or 47.     

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.     

42-arcs in PG(2, q) left invariant by PSL(2, 7)

For an odd prime p?≠ 7, let q be a power of p such that ${q^3\equiv1 \pmod 7}$ . It is known that the desarguesian projective plane PG(2, q) of order q has a unique conjugacy class of projectivity groups isomorphic to PSL(2, 7). For such a projective group Γ, we investigate the geometric properties of the (unique) Γ-orbit Ω of size 42 such that the 1-point stabilizer of Γ in Ω is a cyclic group of order 4. We present a computational approach to prove that Ω is a 42-arc provided that q?≥ 53 and q?≠ 37³, 11⁶, 5⁶, 3⁶. We discuss the case q?=?53 in more detail showing the completeness of Ω for q?=?53.     

A characterization of the Grassmann embedding of H(q), with q even

In this note, we characterize the Grassmann embedding of H(q), q even, as the unique full embedding of H(q) in PG(12, q) for which each ideal line of H(q) is contained in a plane. In particular, we show that no such embedding exists for H(q), with q odd. As a corollary, we can classify all full polarized embeddings of H(q) in PG(12, q) with the property that the lines through any point are contained in a solid; they necessarily are Grassmann embeddings of H(q), with q even.     

Linear (q+1)-fold Blocking Sets in PG(2, q4)

A (q+1)-fold blocking set of size (q+1)(q⁴+q²+1) in PG(2, q⁴) which is not the union of q+1 disjoint Baer subplanes, is constructed     

Equalities on the number of conjugacy classes of the Sylow p-subgroups of GL(n,q)

We denote by Gn the group of the upper unitriangular matrices over F_q, the finite field with q = p^t elements, and r(G_n) the number of conjugacy classes of G_n. In this paper, we obtain the value of r(G_n) modulo (q² -1)(q -1). We prove the following equalities     

A New Characterization of PSL(p,q)

Abstract

Order components of a finite group are introduced in Chen [Chen, G. Y. (1996c) On Thompson's conjecture. J. Algebra 185:184–193]. It was proved that PSL(3, q), where q is an odd prime power, is uniquely determined by its order components [Iranmanesh, A., Alavi, S. H., Khosravi, B. (2002a). A characterization of PSL(3, q) where q is an odd prime power. J. Pure Appl. Algebra 170(2–3): 243–254]. Also in Iranmanesh et al. [Iranmanesh, A., Alavi, S. H., Khosravi, B. (2002b). A characterization of PSL(3, q) where q = 2 ⁿ . Acta Math. Sinica, English Ser. 18(3):463–472] and [Iranmanesh, A., Alavi, S. H. (2002). A characterization of simple groups PSL(5, q). Bull. Austral. Math. Soc. 65:211–222] it was proved that PSL(3, q) for q = 2 ⁿ and PSL(5, q) are uniquely determined by their order components. In this paper we prove that PSL(p, q) can be uniquely determined by its order components, where p is an odd prime number. A main consequence of our results is the validity of Thompson's conjecture for the groups under consideration.