On simple radical difference families

For q a prime power and k odd (even), we define a (q,k,1) difference family to be radical if each base block is a coset of the kth roots of unity in the multiplicative group of GF(q) (the union of a coset of the (k ? 1)th roots of unity in the multiplicative group of GF(q) with zero). Such a family will be denoted by RDF. The main result on this subject is a theorem dated 1972 by R.M. Wilson; it is a sufficient condition for the existence of a (q,k, 1)-RDF for any k. We improve this result by replacing Wilson's condition with another sufficient but weaker condition, which is proved to be necessary at least for k ? 7. As a consequence, we get new difference families and hence new Steiner 2-designs. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Existence of (q,k, 1) difference families with q a prime power and k = 4, 5

The existence of a (q, k, 1) difference family in GF(q) has been completely solved for k = 3. For k = 4, 5 partial results have been given by Bose, Wilson, and Buratti. In this article, we continue the investigation and show that the necessary condition for the existence of a (q, k, 1) difference family in GF(q), i.e., q ≡ 1 (mod k(k − 1)) is also sufficient for k = 4, 5. For general k, Wilson's bound shows that a (q, k, 1) difference family in GF(q) exists whenever q ≡ 1 (mod k(k − 1)) and q > [k(k − 1)/2]^k(k−1). An improved bound on q is also presented. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 7: 21–30, 1999     

Frame starters and adders in dicyclic groups

We construct frame starters in dicyclic groups Q_2n, in particular we construct frame starters with adders in Q_2q, where q = pⁿ and p ≡ 3 mod 4 is a prime. We also deduce the existence of strong frame starters in Z_2n for odd integers n whose prime factors are congruent with 1 modulo 4. The obtained results imply the constructions of classes of Room frames of types 4^p and 2ⁿ. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 6: 347–353, 1998     

Flag transitive planes of orderq n with a long cyclel ∞ as a collineation

Baker and Ebert [1] presented a method for constructing all flag transitive affine planes of orderq ² havingGF(q) in their kernels for any odd prime powerq. Kantor [6; 7; 8] constructed many classes of nondesarguesian flag transitive affine planes of even order, each admitting a collineation, transitively permuting the points at infinity. In this paper, two classes of non-desarguesian flag transitive affine planes of odd order are constructed. One is a class of planes of orderq ⁿ , whereq is an odd prime power andn 3 such thatq ⁿ 1 (mod 4), havingGF(q) in their kernels. The other is a class of planes of orderq ⁿ , whereq is an odd prime power andn 2 such thatq ⁿ 1 (mod 4), havingGF(q) in their kernels. Since each plane of the former class is of odd dimension over its kernel, it is not isomorphic to any plane constructed by Baker and Ebert [1]. The former class contains a flag transitive affine plane of order 27 constructed by Kuppuswamy Rao and Narayana Rao [9]. Any plane of the latter class of orderq ⁿ such thatn 1 (mod 2), is not isomorphic to any plane constructed by Baker ad Ebert [1].The author is grateful to the referee for many helpful comments.     

Existence of directed GDDs with block size five

In this article, we construct directed group divisible designs (DGDDs) with block size five, group-type hⁿ, and index unity. The necessary conditions for the existence of such a DGDD are n ≥ 5, (n − 1)h ≡ 0 (mod 2) and n(n − 1)h² ≡ 0 (mod 10). It is shown that these necessary conditions are also sufficient, except possibly for n = 15 where h ≡ 1 or 5 (mod 6) and h ≢ 0 (mod 5), or (n, h) = (15, 9). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 6: 389–402, 1998     

Weak amicable T‐matrices and Plotkin arrays

We introduce the class of weak amicable T‐matrices and use it to construct a class of orthogonal designs, for p = 1 and for p a prime power ≡ 3 (mod 4), and all odd q, q ≤ 21. This class includes new Plotkin arrays of order 24, 40, 56 and for the first time, of orders 8q, q ∈ {9,11,13,15,17,19,21}. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 16: 44–52, 2008     

Class number one quadratic fields and solvability of some Pellian equations

Consider these two types of positive square-free integers d≠ 1 for which the class number h of the quadratic field Q(√d) is odd: (1) d is prime∈ 1(mod 8), or d=2q where q is prime ≡ 3 (mod 4), or d=qr where q and r are primes such that q≡ 3 (mod 8) and r≡ 7 (mod 8); (2) d is prime ≡ 1 (mod 8), or d=qr where q and r are primes such that q≡r≡ 3 or 7 (mod 8). For d of type (2) (resp. (1)), let Π be the set of all primes (resp. odd primes) p∈N satisfying (d/p) = 1. Also, let δ :=0 (resp. δ :=1) if d≡ 2,3 (mod 4) (resp. d≡ 1 (mod 4)). Then the following are equivalent: (a) h=1; (b) For every p∈П at least one of the two Pellian equations Z ²-dY ² = ±4^δ p is solvable in integers. (c) For every p∈П the Pellian equation W ²-dV ² = 4^δ p ² has a solution (w,v) in integers such that gcd (w,v) divides 2^δ.     

More cyclic triplewhist tournaments

We extend the set of values of n for which it is known that a Z-cyclic triple whist tournament for 4n players exists by proving that if there exists such a tournament for q + 1 players, where q ≡ 3 (mod 4) is prime, then there exists such a tournament for qp^a1₁…p^an_n + 1 players, whenever the p_i are primes ≡ 5 (mod 8). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Optimal (4up, 5, 1) optical orthogonal codes

By a (ν, k, 1)‐OOC we mean an optical orthogonal code. In this paper, it is proved that an optimal (4p, 5, 1)‐OOC exists for prime p ≡ 1 (mod 10), and that an optimal (4up, 5, 1)‐OOC exists for u = 2, 3 and prime p ≡ 11 (mod 20). These results are obtained by applying Weil's theorem. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

On r*-sequenceability and symmetric harmoniousness of groups. II

In this paper we investigate symmetric harmoniousness of groups and connections of this concept to the R*-sequenceability of groups. We prove that, under suitable assumptions, the direct product of a symmetric harmonious group with a group that is R*-sequenceable is R*-sequenceable; we discuss the symmetric harmoniousness of abelian and of nilpotent groups; we also prove that, for a fixed odd prime p, all but possibly finitely many of the nonabelian groups of order pq (q prime, q ≡ 1 (mod p)) are symmetric harmonious. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the cohomology of orbit space of free ℤ<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis></Subscript>-actions on lens spaces

Let G = ℤ _p , p an odd prime, act freely on a finite-dimensional CW-complex X with mod p cohomology isomorphic to that of a lens space L ^2m−1(p; q ₁, …, q _m ). In this paper, we determine the mod p cohomology ring of the orbit space X/G, when p ² ∤ m.     

A representation theorem and Z-cyclic whist tournaments

Let E denote the group of units (i.e., the reduce set of residues) in the ring Z. Here we consider q,p to be primes, q ≡ 3 (mod 4), q ? 7, p ≡ 1 (mod 4). Let W denote a common primitive root of 3, q, and p². If H denotes the (normal) subgroup of E that is generated by {?1, W}, we show that the factor group E/H is cyclic by demonstrating the existence of an element x in E such that the coset xH has order equal to |E/H|. This order is given by gcd(p^n?1(p ? 1),q ? 1). This representation of E/H is exploited via an appropriate construction to produce Z-cyclic whist tournaments for 3qpⁿ players. Consequently these results extend those of an early study of Wh(3qpⁿ) that was restricted to gcd(p^n?1(p ? 1),q ? 1) = 2. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the cubic character of quadratic units

An elementary proof is given of the theorem: If D = ?3q or ?27q is the discriminant of a cubic field, where q ≡ 1 (mod 4) is a prime, and if p or 4p is represented by c² + ∥ D ∥ d², then the fundamental unit in the field $\text{Q(q}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ is a cubic residue of the prime p. In special cases necessary and sufficient conditions are derived.     

Bicovering arcs and small complete caps from elliptic curves

Bicovering arcs in Galois affine planes of odd order are a powerful tool for the construction of complete caps in spaces of arbitrarily higher dimensions. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the arcs contained in elliptic cubic curves are bicovering. As a result, bicovering k-arcs in AG(2,q) of size k≤q/3 are obtained, provided that q?1 has a prime divisor m with 7<m<(1/8)q ^1/4. Such arcs produce complete caps of size kq ^(N?2)/2 in affine spaces of dimension N≡0(mod4). When q=p ^h with p prime and h≤8, these caps are the smallest known complete caps in AG(N,q), N≡0(mod4).     

Tables on fifth power residuacity

In this paper 2 ^p 1 (modq),q=10p+1,p 3 (mod 4),p andq prime, is expressed uniquely (except for changes in sign and interchange ofx, y) in the formq=w ²+25 (x ²+y ²)/2+125z ², 4wz=y ²–x ²–4xy, withw, x, y, z odd, forp<10⁵. For 10⁵<p<10⁶, allp such that 2 ^p 1 (mod 10p + 1),p 3 (mod 4),p and 10p + 1 prime, are listed.     

The existence of uniform 5-GDDs

In this article, we construct group divisible designs (GDDs) with block size five, group-type g^u and index unity. The necessary condition for the existence of such a GDD is u ≷ 5, (u - 1)g ≡ 0 (mod 4) and u(u - 1)g² ≡ 0 (mod 20). It is shown that these necessary conditions are also sufficient, except possibly in a few cases. Additionally, a new construction to obtain GDDs using holey TDs is presented. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 5: 275–299, 1997     

Extension of a theorem of Cauchy and Jacobi

Let q and p be prime with q = a² + b² ≡ 1 (mod 4), a ≡ 1 (mod 4), and p = qf + 1. In the nineteenth century Cauchy (Mém. Inst. France17 (1840), 249–768) and Jacobi (J. für Math.30 (1846), 166–182) generalized the work of earlier authors, who had determined certain binomial coefficients (mod p) (see H. J. S. Smith, “Report on the Theory of Numbers,” Chelsea, 1964), by determining two products of factorials given by Π_kkf! (mod p = qf + 1) where k runs through the quadratic residues and the quadratic non-residues (mod q), respectively. These determinations are given in terms of parameters in representations of p^h or of 4p^h by binary quadratic forms. A remarkable feature of these results is the fact that the exponent h coincides with the class number of the related quadratic field. In this paper C. R. Mathews' (Invent. Math.54 (1979), 23–52) recent explicit evaluation of the quartic Gauss sum is used to determine four products of factorials (mod p = qf + 1, q ≡ 5 (mod 8) > 5), given by Π_kkf! where k runs through the quartic residues (mod q) and the three cosets which may be formed with respect to this subgroup. These determinations appear to be considerably more difficult. They are given in terms of parameters in representations of 16p^h by quaternary quadratic forms. Stickelberger's theorem is required to determine the exponent h which is shown to be closely related to the class number of the imaginary quartic field Q(i√2q + 2a√q), q = a² + b² ≡ 5 (mod 8), a odd.     

Further results on large sets of disjoint group‐divisible designs with block size three and type 2n41

Large sets of disjoint group‐divisible designs with block size three and type 2ⁿ4¹ were first studied by Schellenberg and Stinson because of their connection with perfect threshold schemes. It is known that such large sets can exist only for n ≡0 (mod 3) and do exist for all odd n ≡ (mod 3) and for even n=24m, where m odd ≥ 1. In this paper, we show that such large sets exist also for n=2^k(3m), where m odd≥ 1 and k≥ 5. To accomplish this, we present two quadrupling constructions and two tripling constructions for a special large set called ^*LS(2ⁿ). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 24–35, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10032     

Direct constructions for cyclically relative difference matrices with five rows

In this article, we construct a (6p, 5, 1) cyclic difference matrix with one hole of size 6 for any prime p > 5 and a (2p, 5, 1) cyclic difference matrix with one hole of size 2 for any prime p ≡ 1, 13 or 17 (mod 24). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 14: 391–399, 2006     

On a Criterion for Catalan's Conjecture

We give a new proof of a theorem of P. Mihailescu which states that the equation x ^p – y ^q = 1 is unsolvable with x, y integral and p, q odd primes, unless the congruences p ^q p (mod q ²) and q ^p q (mod p ²) hold.