Characterizing geometric designs, II

We provide a characterization of the classical point-line designs PG₁(n,q), where n?3, among all non-symmetric 2-(v,k,1)-designs as those with the maximal number of hyperplanes. As an application of this result, we characterize the classical quasi-symmetric designs PGn−2(n,q), where n?4, among all (not necessarily quasi-symmetric) designs with the same parameters as those having line size q+1 and all intersection numbers at least qn−4+?+q+1. Finally, we also give an explicit lower bound for the number of non-isomorphic designs having the same parameters as PG₁(n,q); in particular, we obtain a new proof for the known fact that this number grows exponentially for any fixed value of q.     

Vertex-disjoint directed cycles of prescribed length in tournaments with given minimum out-degree and in-degree

In a recent paper, Bessy, Sereni and the author (see [3]) have proved that for r≥1, a tournament with minimum out-degree and in-degree both greater than or equal to 2r−1 contains at least r vertex-disjoint directed triangles. In this paper, we generalize this result; more precisely, we prove that for given integers q≥3 and r≥1, a tournament with minimum out-degree and in-degree both greater than or equal to (q−1)r−1 contains at least r vertex-disjoint directed cycles of length q. We will use an auxiliary result established in [3], concerning a union of sets contained in another union of sets. We finish by giving a lower bound on the maximum number of vertex-disjoint directed cycles of length q when only the minimum out-degree is supposed to be greater than or equal to (q−1)r−1.     

A new construction of caps

In this paper we present a general method to construct caps in higher-dimensional projective spaces. As an application, for q≥8 even we obtain caps in PG(5,q) larger than the caps known so far, and a new class of caps of size (q+1)(q²+3) for q≥7 odd.     

Complete catalogue of graphs of maximum degree 3 and defect at most 4

We consider graphs of maximum degree 3, diameter D≥2 and at most 4 vertices less than the Moore bound M_3,D, that is, (3,D,−?)-graphs for ?≤4.We prove the non-existence of (3,D,−4)-graphs for D≥5, completing in this way the catalogue of (3,D,−?)-graphs with D≥2 and ?≤4. Our results also give an improvement to the upper bound on the largest possible number N_3,D of vertices in a graph of maximum degree 3 and diameter D, so that N_3,D≤M_3,D−6 for D≥5.     

On defining sets of full designs

A defining set of a t-(v,k,λ) design is a subcollection of its blocks which is contained in a unique t-design with the given parameters on a given v-set. A minimal defining set is a defining set, none of whose proper subcollections is a defining set. The spectrum of minimal defining sets of a design D is the set {|M|∣M is a minimal defining set of D}. The unique simple design with parameters is said to be the full design on v elements; it comprises all possible k-tuples on a v set. We provide two new minimal defining set constructions for full designs with block size k≥3. We then provide a generalisation of the second construction which gives defining sets for all k≥3, with minimality satisfied for k=3. This provides a significant improvement of the known spectrum for designs with block size three. We hypothesise that this generalisation produces minimal defining sets for all k≥3.     

An infinite family of symmetric designs

In this paper, using the construction method of [3], we show that if q>2 is a prime power such that there exists an affine plane of order q?1, then there exists a strongly divisible 2?(q?1)(q^h?1), q^h?1(q?1), q^h?1) design for every h?2. We show that these quasi-residual designs are embeddable, and hence establish the existence of an infinite family of symmetric 2?(q^h+1?q+1,q^h, q^h?1) designs. This construction may be regarded as a generalisation of the construction of [1, Chapter 4, Section 1] and [4].     

On Gibbs measures of P-adic Potts model on the cayley tree

We consider a nearest-neighbor p-adic Potts (with q ≥ 2 spin values and coupling constant J ? _p) model on the Cayley tree of order k ≥ 1. It is proved that a phase transition occurs at k = 2, q ? p and p ≥ 3 (resp. q ? 2², p = 2). It is established that for p-adic Potts model at k ≥ 3 a phase transition may occur only at q ? p if p ≥ 3 and q ? 2² if p = 2.     

Optimal decay rates of solutions for a multidimensional generalized Benjamin–Bona–Mahony equation

In this paper, we study the optimal decay rates of solutions for the generalized Benjamin–Bona–Mahony equation in multi-dimensional space (n≥3$n\ge 3$). By using Fourier transform and the energy method, we obtain the L^q(2≤q≤∞)$L^q(2\le q\le \infty )$ convergence rates of the solutions under the condition that the initial data is small. The optimal decay rates obtained in this paper are found to be the same as the decay rate for the Heat equation.     

Pattern sequences in ‹q, r›- numeration systems

Let q ≥ 2 and 0 ≤ r ≤ q − 2 be integers. In this paper, we study pattern sequences for patterns in ‹q, r›-numeration systems through their generating functions. Our result implies that any nontrivial linear combination over ? of pattern sequences chosen from different ‹q, r›-numeration systems cannot be a linear recurrence sequence. In particular, pattern sequences in different ‹q, r›-numeration systems are linearly independent over ?, while within one ‹q, r›-numeration system they can be linearly dependent ?.     

Primitive complete normal bases: Existence in certain 2-power extensions and lower bounds

The present paper is a continuation of the author’s work (Hachenberger (2001) [3]) on primitivity and complete normality. For certain 2-power extensions E over a Galois field F_q, we are going to establish the existence of a primitive element which simultaneously generates a normal basis over every intermediate field of E/F_q. The main result is as follows: Letq≡3mod4and letm(q)≥3be the largest integer such that2^m(q)dividesq²−1; ifE=F_q^2l, wherel≥m(q)+3, then there exists a primitive element inEthat is completely normal overF_q.Our method not only shows existence but also gives a fairly large lower bound on the number of primitive completely normal elements. In the above case this number is at least 4⋅(q−1)^2l−2. We are further going to discuss lower bounds on the number of such elements in r-power extensions, where r=2 and q≡1mod4, or where r is an odd prime, or where r is equal to the characteristic of the underlying field.     

Moufang Loops of Odd Orderpq1 ··· qnr1 ··· rm

LetLbe a Moufang loop of odd orderpαqα11···qnαnwherepandqiare primes with 3 ≤ p < q1 < ··· < qnand αi ≤ 2. In this paper, we prove thatLis a group ifpandqiare primes with 3 ≤ p < q1 < ··· < qn: (i) α ≤ 3, or (ii) α ≤ 4,p ≥ 5.     

Finding small regular graphs of girths 6, 8 and 12 as subgraphs of cages

Small k-regular graphs of girth g where g=6,8,12 are obtained as subgraphs of minimal cages. More precisely, we obtain (k,6)-graphs on 2(kq−1) vertices, (k,8)-graphs on 2k(q²−1) vertices and (k,12)-graphs on 2kq²(q²−1), where q is a prime power and k is a positive integer such that q≥k≥3. Some of these graphs have the smallest number of vertices known so far among the regular graphs with girth g=6,8,12.     

Existence and Nonexistence of Entire Positive Solutions of Semilinear Elliptic Systems

We show that entire positive solutions exist for the semilinear elliptic system Δu = p(x)v^α, Δv = q(x)u^β on R^N, N ≥ 3, for positive α and β, provided that the nonnegative functions p and q are continuous and satisfy appropriate decay conditions at infinity. We also show that entire solutions fail to exist if the functions p and q are of slow decay.     

New bounds on binary identifying codes

The original motivation for identifying codes comes from fault diagnosis in multiprocessor systems. Currently, the subject forms a topic of its own with several possible applications, for example, to sensor networks.In this paper, we concentrate on identification in binary Hamming spaces. We give a new lower bound on the cardinality of r-identifying codes when r≥2. Moreover, by a computational method, we show that M₁(6)=19. It is also shown, using a non-constructive approach, that there exist asymptotically good (r,≤?)-identifying codes for fixed ?≥2. In order to construct (r,≤?)-identifying codes, we prove that a direct sum of r codes that are (1,≤?)-identifying is an (r,≤?)-identifying code for ?≥2.     

Critical exponent for damped wave equations with nonlinear memory

We consider the Cauchy problem in Rⁿ,n≥1, for a semilinear damped wave equation with nonlinear memory. Global existence and asymptotic behavior as t→∞ of small data solutions have been established in the case when 1≤n≤3. We also derive a blow-up result under some positive data in any dimensional space.     

Approximate method for eigensensitivity analysis of a defective matrix

Based on the exact modal expansion method, an arbitrary high-order approximate method is developed for calculating the second-order eigenvalue derivatives and the first-order eigenvector derivatives of a defective matrix. The numerical example shows the validity of the method. If the different eigenvalues μ(1),…,μ(q) of the matrix are arranged so that |μ(1)|≤?≤|μ(q)| and satisfy the condition that |μ(q₁)|<|μ(q₁+1)| for some q₁<q, and if the approximate method only uses the left and right principal eigenvectors associated with μ(1),…,μ(q₁), then associated with μ(h)(h≤q₁) the errors of the eigenvalue and eigenvector derivatives by the pth-order approximate method are nearly proportional to |μ(h)/μ(q₁+1)|^p+1.     

Good equidistant codes constructed from certain combinatorial designs

An (n,M,d;q) code is called equidistant code if the Hamming distance between any two codewords is d. It was proved that for any equidistant (n,M,d;q) code, d?nM(q-1)/(M-1)q(=d_opt, say). A necessary condition for the existence of an optimal equidistant code is that d_opt be an integer. If d_opt is not an integer, i.e. the equidistant code is not optimal, then the code with d=⌊d_opt⌋ is called good equidistant code, which is obviously the best possible one among equidistant codes with parameters n,M and q. In this paper, some constructions of good equidistant codes from balanced arrays and nested BIB designs are described.     

Hamming graphs in Nomura algebras

Let A be an association scheme on q≥3 vertices. We show that the Bose-Mesner algebra of the generalized Hamming scheme H(n,A), for n?2, is not the Nomura algebra of any type II matrix.This result gives examples of formally self-dual Bose-Mesner algebras that are not the Nomura algebras of type II matrices.     

Uniformly resolvable designs with index one, block sizes three and five and up to five parallel classes with blocks of size five

Each parallel class of a uniformly resolvable design (URD) contains blocks of only one block size k (denoted k-pc). The number of k-pcs is denoted r_k. The necessary conditions for URDs with v points, index one, blocks of size 3 and 5, and r₃,r₅>0, are . If r_k>1, then v≥k², and r₃=(v−1−4⋅r₅)/2. For r₅=1 these URDs are known as group divisible designs. We prove that these necessary conditions are sufficient for r₅=3 except possibly v=105, and for r₅=2,4,5 with possible exceptions (v=105,165,285,345) New labeled frames and labeled URDs, which give new URDs as ingredient designs for recursive constructions, are the key in the proofs.