Flag‐transitive 2‐ designs of product type

In this paper, we prove that if a 2‐ design admits a flag‐transitive automorphism group G, then G is of affine, almost simple type, or product type. Furthermore, we prove that if G is product type then is either a 2‐(25, 4, 12) design or a 2‐(25, 4, 18) design with .     

Incomplete idempotent Schröder quasigroups and related packing designs

Summary In this paper it is proved that, for any positive integern 2, 3 (mod 4),n 7, there exists an incomplete idempotent Schröder quasigroup with one hole of size two IISQ(n, 2) except forn = 10. It is also proved that for any positive integern 0, 1 (mod 4), there exists an idempotent Schröder quasigroup ISQ(n) except forn = 5 and 9. These results completely determine the spectrum of ISQ(n) and provide an application to the packing of a class of edge-coloured block designs.Research supported by NSERC grant A-5320.Research supported by NSFC grant 19231060-2.     

On a new class of productive regular Hadamard matrices

We show that for each integer n for which there is a Hadamard matrix of order 4n and 8n²-1 is a prime number, there is a productive regular Hadamard matrix of order 16n²(8n²-1)². As a corollary, by applying a recent result of Ionin, we get many parametrically new classes of symmetric designs whenever either of 4n(8n²-1)-1 or 4n(8n²-1)+1 is a prime power.     

SUZUKI GROUPS Sz（q） AND 2-（v,k, 1） BLOCK DESIGNS

It is proved that if D be a 2-(v,k,1) design with G≤Aut D block primitive then G does not have a Suzuki group Sz(q) as the socle.     

Mutually Disjoint 5‐Designs and 5‐Spontaneous Emission Error Designs from Extremal Ternary Self‐Dual Codes

It is known that extremal ternary self‐dual codes of length mod 12) yield 5‐designs. Previously, mutually disjoint 5‐designs were constructed by using single known generator matrix of bordered double circulant ternary self‐dual codes (see [1, 2]). In this paper, a number of generator matrices of bordered double circulant extremal ternary self‐dual codes are searched with the aid of computer. Using these codes we give many mutually disjoint 5‐designs. As a consequence, a list of 5‐spontaneous emission error designs are obtained.     

Flag‐Transitive 2‐ Symmetric Designs with Sporadic Socle

Let be a nontrivial 2‐ symmetric design admitting a flag‐transitive, point‐primitive automorphism group G of almost simple type with sporadic socle. We prove that there are up to isomorphism six designs, and must be one of the following: a 2‐(144, 66, 30) design with or , a 2‐(176, 50, 14) design with , a 2‐(176, 126, 90) design with or , or a 2‐(14,080, 12,636, 11,340) design with .     

2-(<Emphasis Type="Italic">v,k</Emphasis>,1) Designs and PSL (3,<Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>) where <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis> is ODD

Let G be a block-primitive automorphism group of a 2-(v,k,1) design. If G is isomorphic to PSL (3,q) where q is odd, then G is also point-primitive. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10171089).     

On the maximum number of fixed points in automorphisms of prime order of 2-(v,k,1) designs

In this paper, we study 2-(v, k, 1) designs with automorphisms of prime orderp, having the maximum possible number of fixed points. We prove an upper bound on the number of fixed points, and we study the structure of designs in which this bound is met with equality (such a design is called ap-MFP(v, k)). Several characterizations and asymptotic existence results forp-MFP(v, k) are obtained. For (p, k)=(3,3), (5,5), (2,3) and (3,4), necessary and sufficient conditions onv are obtained for the existence of ap-MFP(v, k). Further, for 3≤k≤5 and for any primep≡1 modk(k−1), we establish necessary and sufficient conditions onv for the existence of ap-MFP(v, k).     

Twofold triple systems with cyclic 2‐intersecting Gray codes

Given a combinatorial design with block set , the block‐intersection graph (BIG) of is the graph that has as its vertex set, where two vertices and are adjacent if and only if . The i‐block‐intersection graph (i‐BIG) of is the graph that has as its vertex set, where two vertices and are adjacent if and only if . In this paper, several constructions are obtained that start with twofold triple systems (TTSs) with Hamiltonian 2‐BIGs and result in larger TTSs that also have Hamiltonian 2‐BIGs. These constructions collectively enable us to determine the complete spectrum of TTSs with Hamiltonian 2‐BIGs (equivalently TTSs with cyclic 2‐intersecting Gray codes) as well as the complete spectrum for TTSs with 2‐BIGs that have Hamilton paths (i.e. for TTSs with 2‐intersecting Gray codes). In order to prove these spectrum results, we sometimes require ingredient TTSs that have large partial parallel classes; we prove lower bounds on the sizes of partial parallel classes in arbitrary TTSs, and then construct larger TTSs with both cyclic 2‐intersecting Gray codes and parallel classes.     

On the existence of super-simple designs with block size 4

Summary We prove that forv = 1 and for allv 1 (mod 3),v 10, there is a (v, 4, 4) design with the property that no triple appears in more than one block. The proof of this result is made more difficult by the non-existence of a GDD (4, 4, 3; 15) with no triple appearing in more than one block. We also show that forv = 1 and for allv 1, 4 (mod 12),v 13, there is a (v, 4, 2) design with this property, and with the additional property that the design is the union of two (v, 4, 1) designs.     

Generalizations of the centroid with an application in stochastic geometry

The centroid of a subset of with positive volume is a well‐known characteristic. An interesting task is to generalize its definition to at least some sets of zero volume. In the presented paper we propose two possible ways how to do that. The first is based on the Hausdorff measure of an appropriate dimension. The second is given by the limit of centroids of ε‐neighbourhoods of the particular set when ε goes to 0. For both generalizations we discuss their existence and basic properties. Then we focus on sufficient conditions of existence of the second generalization and on conditions when both generalizations coincide. It turns out that they can be formulated with the help of the Minkowski content, rectifiability, and self‐similarity. Since the centroid is often used in stochastic geometry as a centre function for certain particle processes, we present properties that are needed for both generalizations to be valid centre functions. Finally, we also show their continuity on compact convex m‐sets with respect to the Hausdorff metric topology.     

Optimal 1—Spontaneous Emission Error Designs*

A t‐spontaneous emission error design, denoted by t‐ SEED or t‐SEED in short, is a system of k‐subsets of a v‐set V with a partition of satisfying for any and , , where is a constant depending only on E. The design of t‐SEED was introduced by Beth et al. in 2003 (T. Beth, C. Charnes, M. Grassl, G. Alber, A. Delgado, M. Mussinger, Des Codes Cryptogr 29 (2003), 51–70) to construct quantum jump codes. The number m of designs in a t‐ SEED is called dimension, which corresponds to the number of orthogonal basis states in a quantum jump code. A t‐SEED is nondegenerate if every point appears in each of its member design. A nondegenerate t‐SEED is called optimal when it achieves the largest possible dimension. This paper investigates the dimension of optimal 1‐SEEDs, in which Baranyai's Lemma plays a significant role and the hypergraph distribution is closely related as well. Several classes of optimal 1‐SEEDs are shown to exist. In particular, we determine the exact dimensions of optimal 1‐ SEEDs for all orders v and block sizes k with .     

On the Value of a Random Minimum Weight Steiner Tree

Consider a complete graph on n vertices with edge weights chosen randomly and independently from an exponential distribution with parameter 1. Fix k vertices and consider the minimum weight Steiner tree which contains these vertices. We prove that with high probability the weight of this tree is (1+o(1))(k-1)(log n-log k)/n when k =o(n) and n.* Research supported in part by NSF grant DSM9971788 Research supported in part by NSF grants DMS-0106589, CCR-9987845 and by the State of New Jersey. Part of this research was done while visiting IBM T. J. Watson Research Center.     

Small Uniformly Resolvable Designs for Block Sizes 3 and 4

A uniformly resolvable design (URD) is a resolvable design in which each parallel class contains blocks of only one block size k, such a class is denoted k‐pc and for a given k the number of k‐pcs is denoted r_k. In this paper, we consider the case of block sizes 3 and 4 (both existent). We use v to denote the number of points, in this case the necessary conditions imply that v ≡ 0 (mod 12). We prove that all admissible URDs with v < 200 points exist, with the possible exceptions of 13 values of r₄ over all permissible v. We obtain a URD({3, 4}; 276) with r₄ = 9 by direct construction use it to and complete the construction of all URD({3, 4}; v) with r₄ = 9. We prove that all admissible URDs for v ≡ 36 (mod 144), v ≡ 0 (mod 60), v ≡ 36 (mod 108), and v ≡ 24 (mod 48) exist, with a few possible exceptions. Recently, the existence of URDs for all admissible parameter sets with v ≡ 0 (mod 48) was settled, this together with the latter result gives the existence all admissible URDs for v ≡ 0 (mod 24), with a few possible exceptions.     

Group divisible designs with block size 4 and type

Building upon the work of Wei and Ge (Designs, Codes, and Cryptography 74, 2015), we extend the range of positive integer parameters g, u, and m for which group divisible designs with block size 4 and type are known to exist. In particular, we show that the necessary conditions for the existence of these designs when and are sufficient in the following cases: , with one exception, 2⁶5¹, , and .     

On the existence of difference sets in groups of order 96

The correspondence between a (96,20,4) symmetric design having regular automorphism group and a difference set with the same parameters has been used to obtain difference sets in groups of order 96. Starting from eight such symmetric designs constructed by the tactical decomposition method, 55 inequivalent (96,20,4) difference sets are distinguished. Thereby the existence of difference sets in 22 nonabelian groups of order 96 is proved.     

Polarities of G. Higman's symmetric design and a strongly regular graph on 176 vertices

We investigate the polarities of G. Higman's symmetric 2-(176, 50, 14) design and find that there are two of them (up to conjugacy), one having 80 and the other 176 absolute points. From the latter we can derive a strongly regular graph with parameters (v, k, , )=(176, 49, 12, 14). Its group of automorphisms is Sym(8) with orbits of size 8 and 168 on the vertices. It does not carry a partial geometry or a delta space, and is not the result of mergingd=1 andd=2 in a distance regular graph with diameter 3 and girth 6 on 176 vertices.     

Resolvable Mendelsohn designs with block size 4

Summary Letv andK be positive integers. A (v, k, 1)-Mendelsohn design (briefly (v, k, 1)-MD) is a pair (X,B) whereX is av-set (ofpoints) andB is a collection of cyclically orderedk-subsets ofX (calledblocks) such that every ordered pair of points ofX are consecutive in exactly one block ofB. A necessary condition for the existence of a (v, k, 1)-MD isv(v–1) 0 (modk). If the blocks of a (v, k, 1)-MD can be partitioned into parallel classes each containingv/k blocks wherev ) (modk) or (v – 1)/k blocks wherev 1 (modk), then the design is calledresolvable and denoted briefly by (v, k, 1)-RMD. It is known that a (v, 3,1)-RMD exists if and only ifv 0 or 1 (mod 3) andv 6. In this paper, it is shown that the necessary condition for the existence of a (v, 4, 1)-RMD, namelyv 0 or 1 (mod 4), is also sufficient, except forv = 4 and possibly exceptingv = 12. These constructions are equivalent to a resolvable decomposition of the complete symmetric directed graphK _v ^* onv vertices into 4-circuits.Research supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada under Grant A-5320.     

Some bounds for partially balanced block designs

Bounds on eigenvalues of theC-matrix for a partially balanced block (PBB) design are given together with some bounds on the number of blocks. Furthermore, a certain equiblock-sized PBB design is characterized. These results contain, as special cases, the known results for variance-balanced block designs and so on.     

On the number of SQSs,latin hypercubes and MDS codes

We establish that the logarithm of the number of latin d‐cubes of order n is and the logarithm of the number of sets of t ( is fixed) orthogonal latin squares of order n is . Similar estimations are obtained for systems of mutually strongly orthogonal latin d‐cubes. As a consequence, we construct a set of Steiner quadruple systems of order n such that the logarithm of its cardinality is as and .