Hoffman polynomials of nonnegative irreducible matrices and strongly connected digraphs

AbstractFor a nonnegative n×n matrix A, we find that there is a polynomial f(x)∈R[x] such that f(A) is a positive matrix of rank one if and only if A is irreducible. Furthermore, we show that the lowest degree such polynomial f(x) with tr f(A)=n is unique. Thus, generalizing the well-known definition of the Hoffman polynomial of a strongly connected regular digraph, for any irreducible nonnegative n×n matrix A, we are led to define its Hoffman polynomial to be the polynomial f(x) of minimum degree satisfying that f(A) is positive and has rank 1 and trace n. The Hoffman polynomial of a strongly connected digraph is defined to be the Hoffman polynomial of its adjacency matrix. We collect in this paper some basic results and open problems related to the concept of Hoffman polynomials

On highly regular digraphs

We explore directed strongly regular graphs (DSRGs) and their connections to association schemes and finite incidence structures. More specically, we study flags and antiflags of finite incidence structures to provide explicit constructions of DSRGs. By using this connection between the finite incidence structures and digraphs, we verify the existence and non-existence of $1\frac{1}{2}$-designs with certain parameters by the existence and non-existence of corresponding digraphs, and vice versa. We also classify DSRGs of given parameters according to isomorphism classes. Particularly, we examine the actions of automorphism groups to provide explicit examples of isomorphism classes and connection to association schemes. We provide infinite families of vertex-transitive DSRGs in connection to non-commutative association schemes. These graphs are obtained from tactical configurations and coset graphs