Further 6-sparse Steiner Triple Systems

We give a construction that produces 6-sparse Steiner triple systems of order v for all sufficiently large v of the form 3p, p prime and p ≡ 3 (mod 4). We also give a complete list of all 429 6-sparse systems with v < 10000 produced by this construction.     

The Steiner triple systems of order 19

Using an orderly algorithm, the Steiner triple systems of order are classified; there are pairwise nonisomorphic such designs. For each design, the order of its automorphism group and the number of Pasch configurations it contains are recorded; of the designs are anti-Pasch. There are three main parts of the classification: constructing an initial set of blocks, the seeds; completing the seeds to triple systems with an algorithm for exact cover; and carrying out isomorph rejection of the final triple systems. Isomorph rejection is based on the graph canonical labeling software nauty supplemented with a vertex invariant based on Pasch configurations. The possibility of using the (strongly regular) block graphs of these designs in the isomorphism tests is utilized. The aforementioned value is in fact a lower bound on the number of pairwise nonisomorphic strongly regular graphs with parameters .

     

Some new perfect Steiner triple systems

In a Steiner triple system STS(v) = (V, B), for each pair {a, b} ⊂ V, the cycle graph G_a,b can be defined as follows. The vertices of G_a,b are V \ {a, b, c} where {a, b, c} ∈ B. {x, y} is an edge if either {a, x, y} or {b, x, y} ∈ B. The Steiner triple system is said to be perfect if the cycle graph of every pair is a single (v − 3)-cycle. Perfect STS(v) are known only for v = 7, 9, 25, and 33. We construct perfect STS (v) for v = 79, 139, 367, 811, 1531, 25771, 50923, 61339, and 69991. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 7: 327–330, 1999     

Infinite classes of anti‐mitre and 5‐sparse Steiner triple systems

In this paper, we present three constructions for anti‐mitre Steiner triple systems and a construction for 5‐sparse ones. The first construction for anti‐mitre STSs settles two of the four unsettled admissible residue classes modulo 18 and the second construction covers such a class modulo 36. The third construction generates many infinite classes of anti‐mitre STSs in the remaining possible orders. As a consequence of these three constructions we can construct anti‐mitre systems for at least 13/14 of the admissible orders. For 5‐sparse STS(υ), we give a construction for υ ≡ 1, 19 (mod 54) and υ ≠ 109. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 14: 237–250, 2006     

Constructions for anti‐mitre Steiner triple systems

In this paper, we present a recursive construction for anti‐mitre Steiner triple systems. Furthermore, we present another construction of anti‐mitre STSs by utilizing 5‐sparse ones. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

On sparse countably infinite Steiner triple systems

We give a general construction for Steiner triple systems on a countably infinite point set and show that it yields 2 ${}^{\text{?}{}_{\text{0}}}$ nonisomorphic systems all of which are uniform and r‐sparse for all finite r?4. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 115–122, 2010     

Steiner triple systems with two disjoint subsystems

It is shown that there exists a triangle decomposition of the graph obtained from the complete graph of order v by removing the edges of two vertex disjoint complete subgraphs of orders u and w if and only if u,w, and v are odd, (mod 3), and . Such decompositions are equivalent to group divisible designs with block size 3, one group of size u, one group of size w, and v – u – w groups of size 1. This result settles the existence problem for Steiner triple systems having two disjoint specified subsystems, thereby generalizing the well‐known theorem of Doyen and Wilson on the existence of Steiner triple systems with a single specified subsystem. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs     

Sequencing partial Steiner triple systems

A partial Steiner triple system of order $n$ is sequenceable if there is a sequence of length $n$ of its distinct points such that no proper segment of the sequence is a union of point‐disjoint blocks. We prove that if a partial Steiner triple system has at most three point‐disjoint blocks, then it is sequenceable.     

On list coloring Steiner triple systems

We study the list chromatic number of Steiner triple systems. We show that for every integer s there exists n₀=n₀(s) such that every Steiner triple system on n points STS(n) with n≥n₀ has list chromatic number greater than s. We also show that the list chromatic number of a STS(n) is always within a log n factor of its chromatic number. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 314–322, 2009     

Nonexistence of sparse triple systems over abelian groups and involutions

In 1973 Paul Erdős conjectured that there is an integer v ₀(r) such that, for every v>v ₀(r) and v≡1,3 (mod 6), there exists a Steiner triple system of order v, containing no i blocks on i+2 points for every 1<i≤r. Such an STS is said to be r-sparse. In this paper we consider relations of automorphisms of an STS to its sparseness. We show that for every r≥13 there exists no point-transitive r-sparse STS over an abelian group. This bound and the classification of transitive groups give further nonexistence results on block-transitive, flag-transitive, 2-transitive, and 2-homogeneous STSs with high sparseness. We also give stronger bounds on the sparseness of STSs having some particular automorphisms with small groups. As a corollary of these results, it is shown that various well-known automorphisms, such as cyclic, 1-rotational over arbitrary groups, and involutions, prevent an STS from being high-sparse.      

On the maximum double independence number of Steiner triple systems

The maximum independence number of Steiner triple systems of order $v$ is well‐known. Motivated by questions of access balancing in storage systems, we determine the maximum total cardinality of a pair of disjoint independent sets of Steiner triple systems of order $v$ for all admissible orders.     

A proof of Lindner's conjecture on embeddings of partial Steiner triple systems

Lindner's conjecture that any partial Steiner triple system of order u can be embedded in a Steiner triple system of order v if and is proved. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 63–89, 2009     

Embedding Steiner triple systems in hexagon triple systems

A hexagon triple is the graph consisting of the three triangles (triples) {a,b,c},{c,d,e}, and {e,f,a}, where a,b,c,d,e, and f are distinct. The triple {a,c,e} is called an inside triple. A hexagon triple system of order n is a pair (X,H) where H is a collection of edge disjoint hexagon triples which partitions the edge set of K_n with vertex set X. The inside triples form a partial Steiner triple system. We show that any Steiner triple system of order n can be embedded in the inside triples of a hexagon triple system of order approximately 3n.     

Quasi‐embeddings of Steiner triple systems,or Steiner triple systems of different orders with maximum intersection

In this paper, we present a conjecture that is a common generalization of the Doyen–Wilson Theorem and Lindner and Rosa's intersection theorem for Steiner triple systems. Given u, v ≡ 1,3 (mod 6), u < v < 2u + 1, we ask for the minimum r such that there exists a Steiner triple system such that some partial system can be completed to an STS , where |?| = r. In other words, in order to “quasi‐embed” an STS(u) into an STS(v), we must remove r blocks from the small system, and this r is the least such with this property. One can also view the quantity (u(u ? 1)/6) ? r as the maximum intersection of an STS(u) and an STS(v) with u < v. We conjecture that the necessary minimum r = (v ? u) (2u + 1 ? v)/6 can be achieved, except when u = 6t + 1 and v = 6t + 3, in which case it is r = 3t for t ≠ 2, or r = 7 when t = 2. Using small examples and recursion, we solve the cases v ? u = 2 and 4, asymptotically solve the cases v ? u = 6, 8, and 10, and further show for given v ? u > 2 that an asymptotic solution exists if solutions exist for a run of consecutive values of u (whose required length is no more than v ? u). Some results are obtained for v close to 2u + 1 as well. The cases where ≈ 3u/2 seem to be the hardest. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Indecomposable large sets of Steiner triple systems with indices 5, 6

A family ( X, B1 ), (X, B2 ), . . . , (X, Bq ) of q STS(v)s is a λ-fold large set of STS(v) and denoted by LSTS λ (v) if every 3-subset of X is contained in exactly λ STS(v)s of the collection. It is indecomposable and denoted by IDLSTS λ (v) if there does not exist an LSTS λ'(v) contained in the collection for any λ' λ. In this paper, we show that for λ = 5, 6, there is an IDLSTS λ (v) for v ≡ 1 or 3 (mod 6) with the exception IDLSTS6 (7).     

Steiner triple systems with disjoint or intersecting subsystems

The existence of incomplete Steiner triple systems of order υ having holes of orders w and u meeting in z elements is examined, with emphasis on the disjoint (z = 0) and intersecting (z = 1) cases. When and , the elementary necessary conditions are shown to be sufficient for all values of z. Then for and υ “near” the minimum of , the conditions are again shown to be sufficient. Consequences for larger orders are also discussed, in particular the proof that when one hole is at least three times as large as the other, the conditions are again sufficient. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 8: 58–77, 2000     

Embedding partial Steiner triple systems so that their automorphisms extend

It is shown that there is a function g on the natural numbers such that a partial Steiner triple system U on u points can be embedded in a Steiner triple system V on ν points, in such a way that all automorphisms of U can be extended to V, for every admissible ν satisfying ν > g(u). We find exponential upper and lower bounds for g. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs.     

Uniform two‐class regular partial Steiner triple systems

A 2‐class regular partial Steiner triple system is a partial Steiner triple system whose points can be partitioned into 2‐classes such that no triple is contained in either class and any two points belonging to the same class are contained in the same number of triples. It is uniform if the two classes have the same size. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of uniform 2‐class regular partial Steiner triple systems.     

Large monochromatic components in 3‐edge‐colored Steiner triple systems

It is known that in any r‐coloring of the edges of a complete r‐uniform hypergraph, there exists a spanning monochromatic component. Given a Steiner triple system on n vertices, what is the largest monochromatic component one can guarantee in an arbitrary 3‐coloring of the edges? Gyárfás proved that $\left(2n+3\right)/3$ is an absolute lower bound and that this lower bound is best possible for infinitely many $n$. On the other hand, we prove that for almost all Steiner triple systems the lower bound is actually $\left(1?o\left(1\right)\right)n$. We obtain this result as a consequence of a more general theorem which shows that the lower bound depends on the size of a largest 3‐partite hole (ie, disjoint sets $X_1,X_2,X_3$ with $|X_1|=|X_2|=|X_3|$ such that no edge intersects all of $X_1,X_2,X_3$) in the Steiner triple system (Gyárfás previously observed that the upper bound depends on this parameter). Furthermore, we show that this lower bound is tight unless the structure of the Steiner triple system and the coloring of its edges are restricted in a certain way. We also suggest a variety of other Ramsey problems in the setting of Steiner triple systems.     

On cliques in spanning graphs of projective Steiner triple systems

We are interested in the sizes of cliques that are to be found in any arbitrary spanning graph of a Steiner triple system 𝒮. In this paper we investigate spanning graphs of projective Steiner triple systems, proving, not surprisingly, that for any positive integer k and any sufficiently large projective Steiner triple system 𝒮, every spanning graph of 𝒮 contains a clique of size k. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 8: 157–165, 2000