On the generalized twisted field planes of characteristic 2

Let be a non-Desarguesian semifield plane of order 2 ⁿ 2⁶, and letG be the autotopism group relative to an autotopism triangle . We prove that ifG acts transitively on the non-vertex points on a side of , then is a generalized twisted field plane. A characterization of the generalized twisted field planes of characteristic 2 is also given.Research supported in part by NSF Grants RII-9014056, component IV of the EPSCoR of Puerto Rico grant and ARO grant for Cornell MSI.Research supported in part by NSF Grant No. DMS-9107372.     

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.     

A characterization of the generalized twisted field planes of characteristic ≥5

Let be a non-Desarguesian semifield plane of orderp ⁿ, p a prime number 5 andn3, and let denote the group induced by the autotopism groupG of on the line at infinity. We prove that is a generalized twisted field plane if, and only if, has an element of order (p ^k–1)((p ⁿ–1)/(p ^m–1)), for some integersk andm, wherek | m, m | n, andm.This work was supported in part by NSF grants RII-9014056, component IV of the EPSCoR of Puerto Rico grant and ARO grant for Cornell MSI     

Commutative presemifields and semifields

Strong conditions are derived for when two commutative presemifields are isotopic. It is then shown that any commutative presemifield of odd order can be described by a planar Dembowski-Ostrom polynomial and conversely, any planar Dembowski-Ostrom polynomial describes a commutative presemifield of odd order. These results allow a classification of all planar functions which describe presemifields isotopic to a finite field and of all planar functions which describe presemifields isotopic to Albert's commutative twisted fields. A classification of all planar Dembowski-Ostrom polynomials over any finite field of order p³, p an odd prime, is therefore obtained. The general theory developed in the article is then used to show the class of planar polynomials X¹⁰+aX⁶−a²X² with a≠0 describes precisely two new commutative presemifields of order e³ for each odd e?5.     

Laguerre planes of even order and translation ovals

Translation Laguerre planes of even order are represented in high dimensional projective space over GF(2) by a collection of subspaces that satisfies a very simple condition.This research was supported for the respective authors by a grant from the University of Canterbury and by a Feodor Lynen Fellowship.     

Classification of triply-retractive semifields of order q 4

A complete classification of the semifield spreads of order q⁴ that triply-retract to mixed partitions of PG (3, q²) is given.     

Integral circulant graphs of prime power order with maximal energy

The energy of a graph is the sum of the moduli of the eigenvalues of its adjacency matrix. We study the energy of integral circulant graphs, also called gcd graphs, which can be characterized by their vertex count n and a set D of divisors of n in such a way that they have vertex set Z_n and edge set {{a,b}:a,b∈Z_n,gcd(a-b,n)∈D}. Using tools from convex optimization, we analyze the maximal energy among all integral circulant graphs of prime power order p^s and varying divisor sets D. Our main result states that this maximal energy approximately lies between s(p-1)p^s-1 and twice this value. We construct suitable divisor sets for which the energy lies in this interval. We also characterize hyperenergetic integral circulant graphs of prime power order and exhibit an interesting topological property of their divisor sets.     

Steiner triple systems of order 19 associated with a certain type of projective plane of order 10

It is shown that the existence of a Steiner triple system of order 19 satisfying certain very restrictive conditions would lead to the completion of a large portion of the incidence matrix of a projective plane of order 10.     

On linear spaces and matroids of arbitrary cardinality

In this paper, we study linear spaces of arbitrary finite dimension on some (possibly infinite) set. We interpret linear spaces as simple matroids and study the problem of erecting some linear space of dimension n to some linear space of dimension n + 1 if possible. Several examples of some such erections are studied; in particular, one of these erections is computed within some infinite iteration process.Dedicated to the memory of Gian-Carlo Rota     

The collineation groups of the translation planes of order 25

Czerwinski and Oakden have classified all the translation planes of order 25. In this paper the author gives the order and orbit lengths on the line at infinity of the collineation groups of these planes.     

On the sharpness of a theorem of B. segre

The theorem of B. Segre mentioned in the title states that a complete arc of PG(2,q),q even which is not a hyperoval consists of at mostq−√q+1 points. In the first part of our paper we prove this theorem to be sharp forq=s ² by constructing completeq−√q+1-arcs. Our construction is based on the cyclic partition of PG(2,q) into disjoint Baer-subplanes. (See Bruck [1]). In his paper [5] Kestenband constructed a class of (q−√q+1)-arcs but he did not prove their completeness. In the second part of our paper we discuss the connections between Kestenband’s and our constructions. We prove that these constructions result in isomorphic (q−√q+1)-arcs. The proof of this isomorphism is based on the existence of a traceorthogonal normal basis in GF(q ³) over GF(q), and on a representation of GF(q)³ in GF(q ³)³ indicated in Jamison [4].     

The classification of spreads in PG(3, q) admitting linear groups of order q(q+1), I. odd order

A classification is given of all spreads in PG(3, q), q = p^r, p odd, whose associated translation planes admit linear collineation groups of order q(q +1) such that a Sylow p-subgroup fixes a line and acts non-trivially on it.The authors are indebted to T. Penttila for pointing out the special examples of conical flock translation planes of order q² that admit groups of order q(q+1), when q = 23 or 47.     

On infinite tournaments with regular automorphism groups

Atournament regular representation (TRR) of an abstract groupG is a tournamentT whose automorphism group is isomorphic toG and is a regular permutation group on the vertices ofT. L. Babai and W. Imrich have shown that every finite group of odd order exceptZ ₃ ×Z ₃ admits a TRR. In the present paper we give several sufficient conditions for an infinite groupG with no element of order 2 to admit a TRR. Among these are the following: (1)G is a cyclic extension byZ of a finitely generated group; (2)G is a cyclic extension byZ _2n+1 of any group admitting a TRR; (3)G is a finitely generated abelian group; (4)G is a countably generated abelian group whose torsion subgroup is finite.     

Some basic properties of planar Singer groups

A planar Singer group is a collineation group of a finite (in this article) projective plane acting regularly on the points of the plane. Theorem 1 gives a characterization of abelian planar Singer groups. This leads to a necessary and sufficient condition for an inner automorphism to be a multiplier. The Sylow 2-structure of a multiplier group and some of its consequences are given in Theorem 3. One important result in studying multipliers of an abelian Singer group is the existence of a common fixed line. We extend this to an arbitrary planar Singer group in Theorem 4. Theorem 5 studies the order of an abelian group of multiplers. If this order equals to the order of the plane plus 1, then the number of points of the plane is a prime. If this order is odd, then it is at most the planar order plus 1.Partially supported by a NSA grant.     

On automorphism groups of Cayley graphs

LetX _G,H denote the Cayley graph of a finite groupG with respect to a subsetH. It is well-known that its automorphism groupA(X_G,H) must contain the regular subgroupL _G corresponding to the set of left multiplications by elements ofG. This paper is concerned with minimizing the index [A(X_G,H)L_G] for givenG, in particular when this index is always greater than 1. IfG is abelian but not one of seven exceptional groups, then a Cayley graph ofG exists for which this index is at most 2. Nearly complete results for the generalized dicyclic groups are also obtained.     

On the dimensions of automorphism groups of eight-dimensional ternary fields,II

LetT be an eight-dimensional, connected, locally compact ternary field and let denote a connected closed Lie subgroup of its automorphism group which is taken with the compact-open topology. It is proved that if the ternary fixed fieldF of is connected, then is either isomorphic to one of the compact Lie groupsG ₂ or SU₃, or the (covering) dimension of is at most 7.     

The number of harmonic frames of prime order

Harmonic frames of prime order are investigated. The primary focus is the enumeration of inequivalent harmonic frames, with the exact number given by a recursive formula. The key to this result is a one-to-one correspondence developed between inequivalent harmonic frames and the orbits of a particular set. Secondarily, the symmetry group of prime order harmonic frames is shown to contain a subgroup consisting of a diagonal matrix as well as a permutation matrix, each of which is dependent on the particular harmonic frame in question.     

Maximal arcs in Desarguesian planes of odd order do not exist

Forq an odd prime power, and 1<n<q, the Desarguesian planePG(2,q) does not contain an(nq–q+n,n)-arc.Supported by Italian M.U.R.S.T. (Research Group onStrutture geometriche, combinatoria, loro applicazioni) and G.N.S.A.G.A. of C.N.R.     

Minimal pseudocompact group topologies on free abelian groups

A Hausdorff topological group G is minimal if every continuous isomorphism f:G→H between G and a Hausdorff topological group H is open. Significantly strengthening a 1981 result of Stoyanov, we prove the following theorem: For every infinite minimal abelian group G there exists a sequence of cardinals such that