Strong difference families over arbitrary graphs

The concept of a strong difference family formally introduced in Buratti [J Combin Designs 7 (1999), 406–425] with the aim of getting group divisible designs with an automorphism group acting regularly on the points, is here extended for getting, more generally, sharply‐vertex‐transitive Γ‐decompositions of a complete multipartite graph for several kinds of graphs Γ. We show, for instance, that if Γ has e edges, then it is often possible to get a sharply‐vertex‐transitive Γ‐decomposition of K_{m × e} for any integer m whose prime factors are not smaller than the chromatic number of Γ. This is proved to be true whenever Γ admits an α‐labeling and, also, when Γ is an odd cycle or the Petersen graph or the prism T₅ or the wheel W₆. We also show that sometimes strong difference families lead to regular Γ‐decompositions of a complete graph. We construct, for instance, a regular cube‐decomposition of K_16m for any integer m whose prime factors are all congruent to 1 modulo 6. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 16: 443–461, 2008     

Doubly transitive 2‐factorizations

Let be a 2‐factorization of the complete graph K_v admitting an automorphism group G acting doubly transitively on the set of vertices. The vertex‐set V(K_v) can then be identified with the point‐set of AG(n, p) and each 2‐factor of is the union of p‐cycles which are obtained from a parallel class of lines of AG(n, p) in a suitable manner, the group G being a subgroup of A G L(n, p) in this case. The proof relies on the classification of 2‐(v, k, 1) designs admitting a doubly transitive automorphism group. The same conclusion holds even if G is only assumed to act doubly homogeneously. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs     

Nilpotent 1‐factorizations of the complete graph

For which groups G of even order 2n does a 1‐factorization of the complete graph K_2n exist with the property of admitting G as a sharply vertex‐transitive automorphism group? The complete answer is still unknown. Using the definition of a starter in G introduced in 4 , we give a positive answer for new classes of groups; for example, the nilpotent groups with either an abelian Sylow 2‐subgroup or a non‐abelian Sylow 2‐subgroup which possesses a cyclic subgroup of index 2. Further considerations are given in case the automorphism group G fixes a 1‐factor. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs     

A complete solution to the existence problem for 1‐rotational k‐cycle systems of Kv

The necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a 1‐rotational k‐cycle system of the complete graph K_v are established. The proof provides an algorithm able to determine, directly and explicitly, an odd k‐cycle system of K_v whenever such a system exists. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 283–293, 2009     

The nonexistence of a (K6‐e)‐decomposition of the complete graph K29

We show via an exhaustive computer search that there does not exist a (K₆?e)‐decomposition of K₂₉. This is the first example of a non‐complete graph G for which a G‐decomposition of K_2|E(G)|+1 does not exist. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 94–104, 2010     

Symmetries that latin squares inherit from 1‐factorizations

A 1‐factorization of a graph is a decomposition of the graph into edge disjoint perfect matchings. There is a well‐known method, which we call the ??‐construction, for building a 1‐factorization of K_n,n from a 1‐factorization of K_{n + 1}. The 1‐factorization of K_n,n can be written as a latin square of order n. The ??‐construction has been used, among other things, to make perfect 1‐factorizations, subsquare‐free latin squares, and atomic latin squares. This paper studies the relationship between the factorizations involved in the ??‐construction. In particular, we show how symmetries (automorphisms) of the starting factorization are inherited as symmetries by the end product, either as automorphisms of the factorization or as autotopies of the latin square. Suppose that the ??‐construction produces a latin square L from a 1‐factorization F of K_{n + 1}. We show that the main class of L determines the isomorphism class of F, although the converse is false. We also prove a number of restrictions on the symmetries (autotopies and paratopies) which L may possess, many of which are simple consequences of the fact that L must be symmetric (in the usual matrix sense) and idempotent. In some circumstances, these restrictions are tight enough to ensure that L has trivial autotopy group. Finally, we give a cubic time algorithm for deciding whether a main class of latin squares contains any square derived from the ??‐construction. The algorithm also detects symmetric squares and totally symmetric squares (latin squares that equal their six conjugates). © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 13: 157–172, 2005.     

Some new results on 1‐rotational 2‐factorizations of the complete graph

It is known that a necessary condition for the existence of a 1‐rotational 2‐factorization of the complete graph K_2n+1 under the action of a group G of order 2n is that the involutions of G are pairwise conjugate. Is this condition also sufficient? The complete answer is still unknown. Adapting the composition technique shown in Buratti and Rinaldi, J Combin Des, 16 (2008), 87–100, we give a positive answer for new classes of groups; for example, the groups G whose involutions lie in the same conjugacy class and having a normal subgroup whose order is the greatest odd divisor of |G|. In particular, every group of order 4t+2 gives a positive answer. Finally, we show that such a composition technique provides 2‐factorizations with a rich group of automorphisms. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 237–247, 2010     

A perfect one‐factorization of K52

A starter derived even starter that induces a perfect one‐factorization of K₅₂ is presented. This is the smallest order for which a perfect one‐factorization was not previously known and is the first new “small” order for which a perfect one‐factorization has been found in nearly 20 years. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 190–196, 2009     

Symmetric Hamilton cycle decompositions of complete graphs minus a 1‐factor

Let n≥2 be an integer. The complete graph K_n with a 1‐factor F removed has a decomposition into Hamilton cycles if and only if n is even. We show that K_n−F has a decomposition into Hamilton cycles which are symmetric with respect to the 1‐factor F if and only if n≡2, 4 mod 8. We also show that the complete bipartite graph K_{n, n} has a symmetric Hamilton cycle decomposition if and only if n is even, and that if F is a 1‐factor of K_{n, n}, then K_{n, n}−F has a symmetric Hamilton cycle decomposition if and only if n is odd. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 19:1‐15, 2010     

Nondisconnecting disentanglements of amalgamated 2‐factorizations of complete multipartite graphs

In this paper necessary and sufficient conditions are found for an edge‐colored graph H to be the homomorphic image of a 2‐factorization of a complete multipartite graph G in which each 2‐factor of G has the same number of components as its corresponding color class in H. This result is used to completely solve the problem of finding hamilton decompositions of K_a,b ? E(U) for any 2‐factor U of K_a,b. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 9: 460–467, 2001     

Existence of non‐resolvable Steiner triple systems

We consider two well‐known constructions for Steiner triple systems. The first construction is recursive and uses an STS(v) to produce a non‐resolvable STS(2v + 1), for v ≡ 1 (mod 6). The other construction is the Wilson construction that we specify to give a non‐resolvable STS(v), for v ≡ 3 (mod 6), v > 9. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 13: 16–24, 2005.     

Cyclic bi‐embeddings of Steiner triple systems on 12s + 7 points

A cyclic face 2‐colourable triangulation of the complete graph K_n in an orientable surface exists for n ≡ 7 (mod 12). Such a triangulation corresponds to a cyclic bi‐embedding of a pair of Steiner triple systems of order n, the triples being defined by the faces in each of the two colour classes. We investigate in the general case the production of such bi‐embeddings from solutions to Heffter's first difference problem and appropriately labelled current graphs. For n = 19 and n = 31 we give a complete explanation for those pairs of Steiner triple systems which do not admit a cyclic bi‐embedding and we show how all non‐isomorphic solutions may be identified. For n = 43 we describe the structures of all possible current graphs and give a more detailed analysis in the case of the Heawood graph. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 10: 92–110, 2002; DOI 10.1002/jcd.10001     

A local structure theorem on 5‐connected graphs

An edge of a 5‐connected graph is said to be contractible if the contraction of the edge results in a 5‐connected graph. Let x be a vertex of a 5‐connected graph. We prove that if there are no contractible edges whose distance from x is two or less, then either there are two triangles with x in common each of which has a distinct degree five vertex other than x, or there is a specified structure called a K₄^?‐configuration with center x. As a corollary, we show that if a 5‐connected graph on n vertices has no contractible edges, then it has 2n/5 vertices of degree 5. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 60: 99–129, 2009     

Minimum embedding of P3‐designs into (K4—e)‐designs

A (K₄ ? e)‐design on v + w points embeds a P₃‐design on v points if there is a subset of v points on which the K₄ ? e blocks induce the blocks of a P₃‐design. It is shown that w ≥ ¾(v ? 1). When equality holds, the embedding design is easily constructed. In this paper, the next case, when w = ¾v, is settled with finitely many exceptions. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 352–366, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10044     

The Hamilton–Waterloo problem for cycle sizes 3 and 4

The Hamilton–Waterloo problem seeks a resolvable decomposition of the complete graph K_n, or the complete graph minus a 1‐factor as appropriate, into cycles such that each resolution class contains only cycles of specified sizes. We completely solve the case in which the resolution classes are either all 3‐cycles or 4‐cycles, with a few possible exceptions when n=24 and 48. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 342–352, 2009     

Resolvable even‐cycle systems with a 1‐rotational automorphism

In this article, necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a 1‐rotationally resolvable even‐cycle system of λK_v are given, which are eventually for the existence of a resolvable even‐cycle system of λK_v. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 394–407, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10058     

Some rigid Steiner 5‐designs

Hitherto, all known non‐trivial Steiner systems S(5, k, v) have, as a group of automorphisms, either PSL(2, v−1) or PGL(2, (v−2)/2) × C₂. In this article, systems S(5, 6, 72), S(5, 6, 84) and S(5, 6, 108) are constructed that have only the trivial automorphism group. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18:392–400, 2010     

Some results on λ‐designs with two block sizes

A λ‐design is a family ?? = {B₁, B₂, …, B_v} of subsets of X = {1, 2, …, v} such that |B_i∩B_j| = λ for all i≠jand not all B_i are of the same size. The only known example of λ‐designs (called type‐1 designs) are those obtained from symmetric designs by a certain complementation procedure. Ryser [J Algebra 10 (1968), 246–261] and Woodall [Proc London Math Soc 20 (1970), 669–687] independently conjectured that all λ‐designs are type‐1. Let g = gcd(r ? 1, r^* ? 1), where rand r^* are the two replication numbers. Ionin and Shrikhande [J Combin Comput 22 (1996), 135–142; J Combin Theory Ser A 74 (1996), 100–114] showed that λ‐designs with g = 1, 2, 3, 4 are type‐1 and that the Ryser–Woodall conjecture is true for λ‐designs on p + 1, 2p + 1, 3p + 1, 4p + 1 points, where pis a prime. Hein and Ionin [Codes and Designs—Proceedings of Conference honoring Prof. D. K. Ray‐Chaudhuri on the occasion of his 65th birthday, Ohio State University Mathematical Research Institute Publications, 10, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 2002, pp. 145–156] proved corresponding results for g = 5 and Fiala [Codes and Designs—Proceedings of Conference honoring Prof. D. K. Ray‐Chaudhuri on the occasion of his 65th birthday, Ohio State University Mathematical Research Institute Publications, 10, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 2002, pp. 109–124; Ars Combin 68 (2003), 17–32; Ars Combin, to appear] for g = 6, 7, and 8. In this article, we consider λ designs with exactly two block sizes. We show that in this case, the conjecture is true for g = 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, and for g = 10, 14, 18, 22 with v≠4λ ? 1. We also give two results on such λ‐designs on v = 9p + 1 and 12p + 1 points, where pis a prime. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 19:95‐110, 2011     

Clique‐inverse graphs of K3‐free and K4‐free graphs

The clique graph K(G) of a given graph G is the intersection graph of the collection of maximal cliques of G. Given a family ℱ of graphs, the clique‐inverse graphs of ℱ are the graphs whose clique graphs belong to ℱ. In this work, we describe characterizations for clique‐inverse graphs of K₃‐free and K₄‐free graphs. The characterizations are formulated in terms of forbidden induced subgraphs. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 35: 257–272, 2000