Blocking Subspaces By Lines In PG(<Emphasis Type="Italic">n,q</Emphasis>)

This paper studies the cardinality of a smallest set of t-subspaces of the finite projective spaces PG(n, q) such that every s-subspace is incident with at least one element of , where 0 t < s n. This is a very difficult problem and the solution is known only for very few families of triples (s, t, n). When the answer is known, the corresponding blocking configurations usually are partitions of a subspace of PG(n, q) by subspaces of dimension t. One of the exceptions is the solution in the case t = 1 and n = 2s. In this paper, we solve the case when t = 1 and 2s < n 3s-3 and q is sufficiently large.     

A characterization of linear spaces based on the number of transversals

We characterize a class of linear spaces by the property that through any point outside two disjoint, but non-parallel lines there is at most one transversal.     

Blockings-dimensional subspaces by lines inPG(2s,q)

We investigate sets of lines inPG(2s,q) such that everys-dimensional subspace contains a line of this set. We determine the minimum number of lines in such a set and show that there is only one type of such a set with this minimum number of lines.     

The permutation class group of a finite group

Analogously to the projective class group, the permutation class group of a finite group π can be defined as the group of equivalence classes of direct summands of integral permutation modules modulo permutation modules. It is shown that this group behaves nicely with respect to localization and completion, which then is used to prove that contrary to the projective class group - it is not always a torsion group. More precisely, the rank of the permutation class of group is computed.     

Complete caps in projective spaces PG (n, q)

A computer search in the finite projective spaces PG(n, q) for the spectrum of possible sizes k of complete k-caps is done. Randomized greedy algorithms are applied. New upper bounds on the smallest size of a complete cap are given for many values of n and q. Many new sizes of complete caps are obtained.     

The probability of generating a permutation group

It is well known that a permutation group of degree can be generated by elements. In this paper we study the asymptotic behavior of the probability of generating a permutation group of degree n with elements. In particular we prove that if n is large enough and elements generate a permutation group G of degree n modulo G G ², then almost certainly these elements generate G itself. Received: 2 January 2002     

Classification of the (n, 3)-arcs in PG(2, 7)

In this paper the classification of the (n, 3)-arcs in PG(2, 7) is presented. It has been obtained using a computer-based exhaustive search that exploits projective equivalence and produces exactly one representative of each equivalence class. For each (n, 3)-arc, the automorphism group and the maximal size of a contained k-arc have been found.     

Self-dual sets of type (m, n) in projective spaces

In this paper we introduce and analyze the notion of self-dual k-sets of type (m, n). We show that in a non-square order projective space such sets exist only if the dimension is odd. We prove that, in a projective space of odd dimension and order q, self-dual k-sets of type (m, n), with , are of elliptic and hyperbolic type, respectively. As a corollary we obtain a new characterization of the non-singular elliptic and hyperbolic quadrics.     

A structural characterization of non-Arguesian lattices

This is the first of a planned series of papers on the structure of non-Arguesian modular lattices. Apart from the (subspace lattices of) non-Arguesian projective planes, the best known examples of such lattices are obtained via the Hall-Dilworth construction by badly gluing together two projective planes of the same order. Our principal result shows that every non-Arguesian modular lattice L retains some of the flavor of these examples: There exist in the ideal lattice of L 20 intervals, not necessarily distinct, that form non-degenerate projective plains, and 10 points and 10 lines in these planes that constitute in a natural sense a classical non-Arguesian configuration.Research supported by NSERC Operating Grant A8190.Research supported by NSF Grant DMS-8300107.     

A characterization ofL n (q) by the normalizers' orders of their sylow subgroups

LetG be a finite group. If for every primer, whereR ₁ Syl _r G andR ₂ Syl _r (L _n (q)), thenG L _n (q).     

Characterization ofL p (R n ) using Gabor frames

We characterize L^p norms of functions onR ⁿ for 1<p<∞ in terms of their Gabor coefficients. Moreover, we use the Carleson-Hunt theorem to show that the Gabor expansions of L^p functions converge to the functions almost everywhere and in L^p for 1<p<∞. In L¹ we prove an analogous result: the Gabor expansions converge to the functions almost everywhere and in L¹ in a certain Cesàro sense. Consequently, we are able to establish that a large class of Gabor families generate Banach frames for L^p (R ⁿ) when 1≤p<∞.     

On the spectrum of resolvable orthogonal arrays invariant under the Klein group K4

It is shown that there exists a resolvablen ² by 4 orthogonal array which is invariant under the Klein 4-groupK ₄ for all positive integersn congruent to 0 modulo 4 except possibly forn {12, 24, 156, 348}.     

Card shuffling and a transformation on S n

Summary We consider two card shuffling schemes. The first, which has appeared in the literature previously ([G], [RB], [T]), is as follows: start with a deck ofn cards, and pick a random tuplet { 1, 2, , n} ⁿ ; interchange cards 1 andt ₁, then interchange cards 2 andt ₂, etc. The second scheme, which can be viewed as a transformation on the symmetric groupS _n , is given by the restriction of the former shuffling scheme to tuplest which form a permutation of {1, 2,,n}.We determine the bias of each of these shuffling schemes with respect to the sets of transpositions and derangements, and the expected number of fixed points of a permutation generated by each of these shuffling schemes. For the latter scheme we prove combinatorially that the permutation which arises with the highest probability is the identity. The same question is open for the former scheme. We refute a candidate answer suggested by numerical evidence [RB].This work was carried out in part while R.S. was visiting the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications and was partly supported through NSF Grant CCR-8707539.     

A geometric construction of the K-loop of a hyperbolic space

It is well known that the homogeneous orthochronous proper Lorentzgroup is isomorphic to the proper motion group of the hyperbolic space. To each Lorentz boost \ {id} there corresponds in the hyperbolic space exactly one lineL such that fixes each of the two ends ofL . Furthermore has no fixed points but each plane containingL is fixed by . If we fix a pointo, then to each other pointa there is exactly one boosta ⁺ such thatL _a+ is the line joiningo anda anda ⁺(o)=a. The set P of points of the hyperbolic space is turned in a K-loop (P, +) bya+b:=a ⁺(b). Each line of the hyperbolic space has the representationa+Z(b) wherea, b P,b 0 andZ(b):= {x P |x+b=b+x}.Dedicated to H. Salzmann on the occasion of his 65th birthdaySupported by the NATO Scientific Affairs Division grant CRG 900103.     

Semifield planes of order p 4 and kernel GF(p 2)

In this article we determine the number of non-isomorphic semifield planes of order p⁴ and kernel GF(p²) for p prime, 3 ≤ p ≤ 11. We show that for each of these values of p, the plane is either desarguesian, p-primitive, or a generalized twisted field plane. We also show that the class of p-primitive planes is the largest. We also discuss the autotopism group of the semifields under study.     

Expected Reflection Distance in G(r, 1, n) after a Fixed Number of Reflections

Extending to r > 1 a formula of the authors, we compute the expected reflection distance of a product of t random reflections in the complex reflection group G(r, 1, n). The result relies on an explicit decomposition of the reflection distance function into irreducible G(r, 1, n)-characters and on the eigenvalues of certain adjacency matrices.Received December 8, 2003