Related papers: On flag-transitive 2-(v,k,2) designs

We define flag structures on a real three manifold M as the choice of two complex lines on the complexified tangent space at each point of M. We suppose that the plane field defined by the complex lines is a contact plane and construct an…

The sets of primitive, quasiprimitive, and innately transitive permutation groups may each be regarded as the building blocks of finite transitive permutation groups, and are analogues of composition factors for abstract finite groups. This…

A code ${\mathcal C}$ is a subset of the vertex set of a Hamming graph $H(n,q)$, and ${\mathcal C}$ is $2$-neighbour-transitive if the automorphism group $G={\rm Aut}({\mathcal C})$ acts transitively on each of the sets ${\mathcal C}$,…

A mixed dihedral group is a group $H$ with two disjoint subgroups $X$ and $Y$, each elementary abelian of order $2^n$, such that $H$ is generated by $X\cup Y$, and $H/H'\cong X\times Y$. In this paper, for each $n\geq 2$, we construct a…

If $G$ is a finite group and $k =q>2$ or $k=q+1$ for a prime power $q$ then, for infinitely many integers $v$, there is a $2$-$(v,k,1)$-design ${\bf D}$ for which ${\rm Aut} {\bf D}\cong G$.

Let $\Gamma$ be a $G$-symmetric graph with vertex set $V$. We suppose that $V$ admits a $G$-partition $\mathcal{B} = \{ B_0, ... , B_b \}$, with parts of size $v$, and that the quotient graph induced on $\mathcal B$ is a complete graph of…

The simple graphs $G=(V,E)$ that satisfy $|E'|\leq 2|V'|-l$ for any subgraph (and for $l=1,2,3$) are the $(2,l)$-sparse graphs. Those that also satisfy $|E|=2|V|-l$ are the $(2,l)$-tight graphs. These can be characterised by their…

A graph $\G$ is {\em symmetric} or {\em arc-transitive} if its automorphism group $\Aut(\G)$ is transitive on the arc set of the graph, and $\G$ is {\em basic} if $\Aut(\G)$ has no non-trivial normal subgroup $N$ such that the quotient…

Let G be a connected complex semi-simple group, B a Borel subgroup of G, and T a maximal torus in B. We construct a class of smooth T-stable subvarieties inside the flag variety G/B, each of which is an embedding of a product of projective…

We show that the geometry associated to certain non-split sharply 2-transitive groups does not contain a proper projective plane. For a sharply 2-transitive group of finite Morley rank we improve known rank inequalities for this geometry…

Let $G$ be a group with socle a simple group of Lie type defined over the finite field with $q$ elements where $q$ is a power of the prime $p$. Suppose that $G$ acts transitively upon the lines of a linear space $\mathcal{S}$. We show that…

A digraph is $s$-arc-transitive if its automorphism group is transitive on directed paths with $s$ edges, that is, on $s$-arcs. Although infinite families of finite $s$-arc transitive digraphs of arbitrary valency were constructed by the…

Let $F$ be any field. We give a short and elementary proof that any finite subgroup $G$ of $PGL(2,F)$ occurs as a Galois group over the function field $F(x)$. We also develop a theory of descent to subfields of $F$. This enables us to…

In this paper, we introduce a family of tetravalent graphs called propeller graphs, denoted by $Pr_{n}(b,c,d)$. We then produce three infinite subfamilies and one finite subfamily of arc-transitive propeller graphs, and show that all such…

We determine all factorisations $X=AB$, where $X$ is a finite almost simple group and $A,B$ are core-free subgroups such that $A\cap B$ is cyclic or dihedral. As a main application, we classify the graphs $\Gamma$ admitting an almost simple…

A new infinite family of bipartite cubic 3-arc transitive graphs is constructed and studied. They provide the first known examples admitting a 2-arc transitive vertex-biquasiprimitive group of automorphisms for which the index two subgroup…

Given an action of a group $G$ by automorphisms on an infinite relational structure $\mathcal{M}$, we say that the action is structurally sharply $k$-transitive if, for any two $k$-tuples $\bar{a}, \bar{b} \in M^k$ of distinct elements such…

Let G' be a subgraph of a graph G. We define a down-link from a (K_v,G)-design B to a (K_n,G')-design B' as a map f:B->B' mapping any block of B into one of its subgraphs. This is a new concept, closely related with both the notion of…

We classify the regular maps $\mathcal M$ which have automorphism groups $G$ acting faithfully and primitively on their vertices. As a permutation group $G$ must be of almost simple or affine type, with dihedral point stabilisers. We show…

We show that there exist functions $c$ and $g$ such that, if $k$, $n$ and $d$ are positive integers with $d> g(n)$ and $\Gamma$ is a $d$-valent $2$-arc-transitive graph of order $kp^n$ with $p$ a prime, then $p\leqslant kc(d)$. In other…