On a Criterion for Catalan's Conjecture

We give a new proof of a theorem of P. Mihailescu which states that the equation x ^p – y ^q = 1 is unsolvable with x, y integral and p, q odd primes, unless the congruences p ^q p (mod q ²) and q ^p q (mod p ²) hold.     

Some Multiply Derived Translation Planes with SL(2,5) as an Inherited Collineation Group in the Translation Complement

Finite translation planes having a collineation group isomorphic to SL(2,5) occur in many investigations on minimal normal non-solvable subgroups of linear translation complements. In this paper, we are looking for multiply derived translation planes of the desarguesian plane which have an inherited linear collineation group isomorphic to SL(2,5). The Hall plane and some of the planes discovered by Prohaska [10], see also [1], are translation planes of this kind of order q ²;, provided that q is odd and either q ²; 1 mod 5 or q is a power of 5. In this paper the case q ² -1 mod 5 is considered and some examples are constructed under the further hypothesis that either q 2 mod 3, or q 1 mod 3 and q 1 mod 4, or q -1 mod 4, 3 q and q 3,5 or 6 mod 7. One might expect that examples exist for each odd prime power q. But this is not always true according to Theorem 2.     

New Hadamard matrices and conference matrices obtained via Mathon's construction

We give a formulation, via (1, –1) matrices, of Mathon's construction for conference matrices and derive a new family of conference matrices of order 59^2t+1 + 1,t 0. This family produces a new conference matrix of order 3646 and a new Hadamard matrix of order 7292. In addition we construct new families of Hadamard matrices of orders 69^2t+1 + 2, 109^2t+1 + 2, 8499 ^t ,t 0;q ²(q + 3) + 2 whereq 3 (mod 4) is a prime power and 1/2(q + 5) is the order of a skew-Hadamard matrix); (q + 1)q ²9 ^t ,t 0 (whereq 7 (mod 8) is a prime power and 1/2(q + 1) is the order of an Hadamard matrix). We also give new constructions for Hadamard matrices of order 49 ^t 0 and (q + 1)q ² (whereq 3 (mod 4) is a prime power).This work was supported by grants from ARGS and ACRB.Dedicated to the memory of our esteemed friend Ernst Straus.     

ExplicitN-polynomials of 2-power degree over finite fields,I

For an odd prime powerq the infinite field GF(q ² )= _n0 GF (q ²ⁿ ) is explicitly presented by a sequence (f _n)₁ ofN-polynomials. This means that, for a suitably chosen initial polynomialf ₁, the defining polynomialsf _nGF(q)[x] of degrees2 ⁿ are constructed by iteration of the transformation of variablexx+1/x and have linearly independent roots over GF(q). In addition, the sequences are trace-compatible in the sense that the relative traces map the corresponding roots onto each other. In this first paper the caseq1 (mod 4) is considered and the caseq3 (mod 4) will be dealt with in a second paper. This specific construction solves a problem raised by A. Scheerhorn in [11].     

Construction of orthogonal starters and corollaries

A method is proposed for constructing a system of (v–1)/2 pairwise disjoint orthogonal starters of order v for v6k+17 (mod 12)pn²+n+1/t such that the number 3 is one of the primitive roots of the Galois field of prime order p (k is prime, k 2, and n and t are positive integers). The starters occurring in this system satisfy certain additional conditions. The construction of a series of combinatorial structures, including some not previously known, is a consequence of this result.Translated from Ukrainskii Matematicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 44, No. 5, pp. 654–662, May, 1992.     

Some (17q, 17, 2) and (25q, 25, 3) BIBD Constructions

We give the explicit construction of a regular (17q, 17, 2)-BIBD for any prime power q 17 (mod 32) such that 2 is not a 4th power in GF(q) and the explicit construction of a regular (25q, 25, 3)-BIBD for any prime power q 25 (mod 48) such that and +3 are non-squares in GF(q).     

Characterization of complete exterior sets of conics

Let be a set of exterior points of a nondegenerate conic inPG(2,q) with the property that the line joining any 2 points in misses the conic. Ifq1 (mod 4) then consists of the exterior points on a passant, ifq3 (mod 4) then other examples exist (at least forq=7, 11, ..., 31).Support from the Dutch organization for scientific Research (NWO) is gratefully acknowledged     

Quasi-symmetric designs and the Smith Normal Form

We obtain necessary conditions for the existence of a 2 – (, k, ) design, for which the block intersection sizes s ₁, s ₂, ..., s _n satisfy s ₁ s ₂ ... s _n s (mod p ^e ),where p is a prime and the exponent e is odd. These conditions are obtained from restriction on the Smith Normal Form of the incidence matrix of the design. We also obtain restrictions on the action of the automorphism group of a 2 – (, k, ) design on points and on blocks.     

A Solution of a Problem of A. E. Brouwer

Let q=p^e 1(mod 4) be a prime power, and let ^(q) be the Paley graph over the finite field . Denote by ^(q) the subgraph of ^(q) induced on the set of non-zero squares of . In this paper the full automorphism group of ^(q) is determined affirming the conjecture of Brouwer [Des. Codes Cryptograph. 21, 69–76 (2000)]. The proof combines spectral and Schur ring techniques.     

Existence of 1-Rotational <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-Cycle Systems of the Complete Graph

We explicitly solve the existence problem for 1-rotational k-cycle systems of the complete graph K_v with v1 or k (mod 2k). For v1 (mod 2k) we have existence if and only if k is an odd composite number. For any odd k and vk (mod 2k), (except k3 and v15, 21 (mod 24)) a 1-rotational k-cycle system of K_v exists.Final version received: June 18, 2003     

C k -factorization of complete bipartite graphs

In this paper, it is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of aC _k-factorization ofK _m,n is (i)m = n 0 (mod 2), (ii)k 0 (mod 2),k 4 and (iii) 2n 0 (modk) with precisely one exception, namely m =n = k = 6.     

On solvability of linear difference equations in smooth and real analytic vector functions of several variables

We investigate the multidimensional equations _j=1 ^q A_j(x)y(x+e _j )=f(x),e _j ⁿ wherex ⁿ andA _j : ⁿ Hom( ^p , ^m ),f : ^{n m} are given maps. Sufficient conditions for smooth and analytic solvability for anyf C ^k ,k are found.Research partially supported by the Israel Ministry of ScienceAMS classification 39B Functional equations     

A note on unit and class number of real quadratic fields

Letp be an odd prime withp1 (mod 4) andQ(p) be the real quadratic field. Also let andh denote the fundamental unit and the class number of Q(p), respectively. The main purpose of this paper is to study the explicit expressions of ^h and ^2h , and to discuss the problems related to the conjecture of Ankeny-Artin-Chowla.     

Non-symmetric 2-designs modulo 2

Necessary conditions are obtained for the existence of a 2 – (v, k, ) design, for which the block intersection sizess ₁,s ₂, ...,s _n satisfys ₁ s ₂ ... s _n s (mod 2 ^e ), wheree is odd. These conditions are obtained by combining restrictions on the Smith Normal Form of the incidence matrix of the design with some well known properties of self-orthogonal binary codes with all weights divisible by 4.Research done at AT&T Bell Laboratories.     

Über die Quadratwurzel-Schranke für Quadratische-Rest-Codes

The minimal distanced of any QR-Code of lengthn 3mod4 over a prime fieldGF (p) with p3 mod4 satisfies the improved square root bound d(3d-2)4(n–1).

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Helmut Karzel zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet     

P 3-factorization of complete multipartite graphs

In this paper, it is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of aP ₃-factorization ofK _m ⁿ is (i)mn 0(mod 3) and (ii) (m – 1)n 0(mod 4).     

Symmetric balanced ternary designs with ϱ1 = 1 or 2

Summary We prove the following two non-existence theorems for symmetric balanced ternary designs. If ₁ = 1 and 0 (mod 4) then eitherV = + 1 or 4₂ – + 1 is a square and (4₂ – + 1) divides ² – 1. If ₁ = 2 thenV = ((m + 1)/2) ² + 2,K = (m ² + 7)/4 and = ((m – 1)/2)² + 1 wherem 3 (mod 4). An example belonging to the latter series withV = 18 is constructed.     

Semiregular Large Sets

We develop the notion of t-homogeneous, G-semiregular large sets of t-designs, show that there are infinitely many 3-homogeneous PSL(2, q)-semiregular large sets when q 3 mod 4, two sporadic 3-homogeneous AL(1,32)-semiregular large sets, and no other interesting t-homogeneous G-semiregular large sets for t 3.     

Hasse-Witt matrices of Fermat curves

Let m be an integer with m3. Let K and K be perfect fields of characteristic p and p such that (p,m)=1 and (p,m)=1, respectively. Moreover let A and A be algebraic function fields over K and K defined by x^m+y^m=a(0, ak) and x^m+y^m=a(a0 ak), respectively. Put g=(m–1)(m–2)/2. Denote by M(K,p,a) and M(K,p,a) the Hasse-Witt matrices of A and A with respect to the canonical bases of holomorphic differentials. Then we show that if p+p0(mod.m) then rank M(K,p,a)+rank M(K,p,a)=g and if pp1 (mod.m) then rank M(K,p,a)=rank M(K,p,a).     

Cyclic Steiner Quadruple Systems and Köhler's orbit graphs

In this article we are concerned with the problem of the existence of strictly cyclic Steiner Quadruple Systems sSQS(v), where v 2, 10 (24). E. Köhler (cf. (Köhler 1978)) used an orbit graph approach to handle such systems and obtained the result that in case p is a prime number with p 53, 77 (120) then sSQS(v) exists provided that the associated orbit graph OKG(p) is bridgeless. We continue these investigations by classifying the orbit graphs OKG(p) with p 5 (12), where the ones with p 53, 77 (120) constitute one out of four classes and thus show that sSQS(2p), p 5 (12) exists if OKG(p) or a reduced graph of it is bridgeless by discussing the four classes separately. Subsequent to this discussion we use the proof of Theorem 2 (Siemon 1991) to state that the bridgelessness of the graphs in all classes is equivalent to the number theoretic claim (3.1).Dedicated to Hanfried Lenz on the occasion of his 75th birthday.