Related papers: Block-transitive and point-primitive $2$-$(v,k,2)$…

In this paper we construct distance-regular graphs admitting a transitive action of the five sporadic simple groups discovered by E. Mathieu, the Mathieu groups $M_{11}$, $M_{12}$, $M_{22}$, $M_{23}$ and $M_{24}$. From the code spanned by…

We consider $2$-designs which admit a group of automorphisms that is flag-transitive and leaves invariant a chain of nontrivial point-partitions. We build on our recent work on $2$-designs which are block-transitive but not necessarily…

A combinatorial block design $D$ is called $3$-pyramidal if there exists a subgroup $G$ of $\mbox{Aut}(D)$ fixing $3$ points and acting regularly on the other points. If this happens, we say that the design is $3$-pyramidal under $G$. In…

Let G be the fundamental group of the complement of a K(G,1) hyperplane arrangement (such as Artin's pure braid group) or more generally a homologically toroidal group (as defined in the paper). The subgroup of elements in the complex…

We extend the notion of an $H$-normal quotient digraph of an $H$-vertex-transitive digraph to that of an $H$-subnormal quotient digraph. Using these concepts, together with bipartite halves of bipartite digraphs, we show that, for each…

A permutation group $(X,G)$ is said to be binary, or of relational complexity $2$, if for all $n$, the orbits of $G$ (acting diagonally) on $X^2$ determine the orbits of $G$ on $X^n$ in the following sense: for all $\bar{x},\bar{y} \in…

In this paper, we provide a complete classification of $2$-$(v,k,2)$ design admitting a flag-transitive automorphism group of affine type with the only exception of the semilinear $1$-dimensional group. Alongside this analysis we provide a…

We give a construction of a family of designs with a specified point-partition, and determine the subgroup of automorphisms leaving invariant the point-partition. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for a design in the family to…

In this paper we develop several general methods for analysing flag-transitive point-imprimitive $2$-designs, which give restrictions on both the automorphisms and parameters of such designs. These constitute a tool-kit for analysing these…

In this paper we analyze the structure of transitive permutation groups that have trivial four point stabilizers, but some nontrivial three point stabilizer. In particular we give a complete, detailed classification when the group is simple…

In this paper, we examine a class of doubly resolvable combinatorial objects. Let $t, k, \lambda, s$ and $v$ be nonnegative integers, and let $X$ be a set of $v$ symbols. A generalized Howell design, denoted $t$-$GHD_{k}(s,v;\lambda)$, is…

Suppose that a group $G$ acts transitively on the points of a non-Desarguesian plane, $\mathcal{P}$. We prove first that the Sylow 2-subgroups of $G$ are cyclic or generalized quaternion. We also prove that $\mathcal{P}$ must admit an odd…

Let $\boldsymbol{G}$ be an algebraic group of exceptional Lie type in characteristic $p$, $G=\boldsymbol{G}^{\sigma}$ its fixed-point subgroup under the action of a Steinberg endomorphism $\sigma$, and $\overline{G}$ an almost simple group…

We show that the only sporadic simple group such that some of its faithful representations or some faithful representations of its stem extensions give rise to exceptional (weakly-exceptional but not exceptional, respectively) quotient…

A Beauville surface is a rigid complex surface of general type, isogenous to a higher product by the free action of a finite group, called a Beauville group. Here we consider which characteristically simple groups can be Beauville groups.…

This paper initiates the investigation of the family of $(G,s)$-geodesic-transitive digraphs with $s\geq 2$. We first give a global analysis by providing a reduction result. Let $\Gamma$ be such a digraph and let $N$ be a normal subgroup of…

As a consequence of the classification of the finite simple groups, it has been possible in recent years to characterize Steiner t-designs, that is t-(v,k,1) designs, mainly for t = 2, admitting groups of automorphisms with sufficiently…

A design is $G$-additive with $G$ an abelian group, if its points are in $G$ and each block is zero-sum in $G$. All the few known ``manageable" additive Steiner 2-designs are $\mathrm{EA}(q)$-additive for a suitable $q$, where…

A design is called $t$-pyramidal when it has an automorphism group which fixes $t$ points and acts sharply transitively on the remaining points. We determine all symmetric $(2^k-1,2^{k-1},2^{k-2})$-designs which are $(2^{k-1}-1)$-pyramidal…

Non-trivial $2$-$(k^{2},k,\lambda )$ designs, with $\lambda \mid k$, admitting a flag-transitive almost simple automorphism group are classified.