Shilla distance-regular graphs

A Shilla distance-regular graph G (say with valency k) is a distance-regular graph with diameter 3 such that its second largest eigenvalue equals to a3. We will show that a3 divides k for a Shilla distance-regular graph G, and for G we define b=b(G):=k/a3. In this paper we will show that there are finitely many Shilla distance-regular graphs G with fixed b(G)>=2. Also, we will classify Shilla distance-regular graphs with b(G)=2 and b(G)=3. Furthermore, we will give a new existence condition for distance-regular graphs, in general.Comment: 14 page

Geometric aspects of 2-walk-regular graphs

A $t$-walk-regular graph is a graph for which the number of walks of given length between two vertices depends only on the distance between these two vertices, as long as this distance is at most $t$. Such graphs generalize distance-regular graphs and $t$-arc-transitive graphs. In this paper, we will focus on 1- and in particular 2-walk-regular graphs, and study analogues of certain results that are important for distance regular graphs. We will generalize Delsarte's clique bound to 1-walk-regular graphs, Godsil's multiplicity bound and Terwilliger's analysis of the local structure to 2-walk-regular graphs. We will show that 2-walk-regular graphs have a much richer combinatorial structure than 1-walk-regular graphs, for example by proving that there are finitely many non-geometric 2-walk-regular graphs with given smallest eigenvalue and given diameter (a geometric graph is the point graph of a special partial linear space); a result that is analogous to a result on distance-regular graphs. Such a result does not hold for 1-walk-regular graphs, as our construction methods will show

Taut distance-regular graphs and the subconstituent algebra

We consider a bipartite distance-regular graph $G$ with diameter $D$ at least 4 and valency $k$ at least 3. We obtain upper and lower bounds for the local eigenvalues of $G$ in terms of the intersection numbers of $G$ and the eigenvalues of $G$. Fix a vertex of $G$ and let $T$ denote the corresponding subconstituent algebra. We give a detailed description of those thin irreducible $T$-modules that have endpoint 2 and dimension $D-3$. In an earlier paper the first author defined what it means for $G$ to be taut. We obtain three characterizations of the taut condition, each of which involves the local eigenvalues or the thin irreducible $T$-modules mentioned above.Comment: 29 page

Krein parameters and antipodal tight graphs with diameter 3 and 4

AbstractWe determine which Krein parameters of nonbipartite antipodal distance-regular graphs of diameter 3 and 4 can vanish, and give combinatorial interpretations of their vanishing. We also study tight distance-regular graphs of diameter 3 and 4. In the case of diameter 3, tight graphs are precisely the Taylor graphs. In the case of antipodal distance-regular graphs of diameter 4, tight graphs are precisely the graphs for which the Krein parameter q114 vanishes

Remarks on pseudo-vertex-transitive graphs with small diameter

Let $\Gamma$ denote a $Q$-polynomial distance-regular graph with vertex set $X$ and diameter $D$. Let $A$ denote the adjacency matrix of $\Gamma$. For a vertex $x\in X$ and for $0 \leq i \leq D$, let $E^*_i(x)$ denote the projection matrix to the $i$th subconstituent space of $\Gamma$ with respect to $x$. The Terwilliger algebra $T(x)$ of $\Gamma$ with respect to $x$ is the semisimple subalgebra of $\mathrm{Mat}_X(\mathbb{C})$ generated by $A, E^*_0(x), \ldots, E^*_D(x)$. Let $V=\mathbb{C}^X$ denote a $\mathbb{C}$-vector space consisting of complex column vectors with rows indexed by $X$. We say $\Gamma$ is pseudo-vertex-transitive whenever for any vertices $x,y \in X$, both (i) the Terwilliger algebras $T(x)$ and $T(y)$ of $\Gamma$ are isomorphic; and (ii) there exists a $\mathbb{C}$-vector space isomorphism $\rho:V\to V$ such that $(\rho A - A \rho)V=0$ and $(\rho E^*_i(x) - E^*_i(y)\rho)V=0$ for all $0\leq i \leq D$. In this paper we discuss pseudo-vertex transitivity for distance-regular graphs with diameter $D\in \{2,3,4\}$. In the case of diameter two, a strongly regular graph $\Gamma$ is thin, and $\Gamma$ is pseudo-vertex-transitive if and only if every local graph of $\Gamma$ has the same spectrum. In the case of diameter three, Taylor graphs are thin and pseudo-vertex-transitive. In the case of diameter four, antipodal tight graphs are thin and pseudo-vertex-transitive.Comment: 29 page

Distance-regular graphs

This is a survey of distance-regular graphs. We present an introduction to distance-regular graphs for the reader who is unfamiliar with the subject, and then give an overview of some developments in the area of distance-regular graphs since the monograph 'BCN' [Brouwer, A.E., Cohen, A.M., Neumaier, A., Distance-Regular Graphs, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1989] was written.Comment: 156 page