The Terwilliger Algebra Associated with a Set of Vertices in a Distance-Regular Graph

Let Γ be a distance-regular graph of diameter D. Let X denote the vertex set of Γ and let Y be a nonempty subset of X. We define an algebra τ = τ(Y). This algebra is finite dimensional and semisimple. If Y consists of a single vertex then τ is the corresponding subconstituent algebra defined by P. Terwilliger. We investigate the irreducible τ-modules. We define endpoints and thin condition on irreducible τ-modules as a generalization of the case when Y consists of a single vertex. We determine when an irreducible module is thin. When the module is generated by the characteristic vector of Y, it is thin if and only if Y is a completely regular code of Γ. By considering a suitable subset Y, every irreducible τ(x)-module of endpoint i can be regarded as an irreducible τ(Y)-module of endpoint 0.This research was partially supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 12640039), Japan Society of the Promotion of Science. A part of the research was done when the author was visiting the Ohio State University.