On semi-planar Steiner quasigroups

AbstractA Steiner triple system (briefly ST) is in 1–1 correspondence with a Steiner quasigroup or squag (briefly SQ) [B. Ganter, H. Werner, Co-ordinatizing Steiner systems, Ann. Discrete Math. 7 (1980) 3–24; C.C. Lindner, A. Rosa, Steiner quadruple systems: A survey, Discrete Math. 21 (1979) 147–181]. It is well known that for each n≡1 or 3 (mod 6) there is a planar squag of cardinality n [J. Doyen, Sur la structure de certains systems triples de Steiner, Math. Z. 111 (1969) 289–300]. Quackenbush expected that there should also be semi-planar squags [R.W. Quackenbush, Varieties of Steiner loops and Steiner quasigroups, Canad. J. Math. 28 (1976) 1187–1198]. A simple squag is semi-planar if every triangle either generates the whole squag or the 9-element squag. The first author has constructed a semi-planar squag of cardinality 3n for all n>3 and n≡1 or 3 (mod 6) [M.H. Armanious, Semi-planar Steiner quasigroups of cardinality 3n, Australas. J. Combin. 27 (2003) 13–27]. In fact, this construction supplies us with semi-planar squags having only nontrivial subsquags of cardinality 9. Our aim in this article is to give a recursive construction as n→3n for semi-planar squags. This construction permits us to construct semi-planar squags having nontrivial subsquags of cardinality >9. Consequently, we may say that there are semi-planar SQ(3mn)s (or semi-planar ST(3mn)s) for each positive integer m and each n≡1 or 3 (mod 6) with n>3 having only medial subsquags at most of cardinality 3ν (sub-ST(3)ν) for each ν∈{1,2,…,m+1}

Hyperidentities and Related Concepts, I

This survey article illustrates many important current trends and perspectives for the field including classification of hyperidentities, characterizations of algebras with hyperidentities, functional representations of free algebras, structure results for bigroups, categorical questions and applications. However, the paper contains new results, too

Hyperidentities and Related Concepts, II

This survey article illustrates many important current trends and perspectives for the field including classification of hyperidentities, characterizations of algebras with hyperidentities, functional representations of free algebras, structure results for bilattices, categorical questions and applications. However, the paper contains new results and open problems, too

On the Combinatorial and Logical Complexities of Algebraic Structures

In this thesis, we investigate the combinatorial and logical complexities of several algebraic structures, including groups, quasigroups, certain families of strongly regular graphs, and relation algebras. In Chapter 3, we leverage the Weisfeiler&ndash;Leman algorithm for groups (Brachter &amp; Schweitzer, LICS 2020) to improve the parallel complexity of isomorphism testing for several families of groups including (i) coprime extensions H ⋉ N where H is O(1)-generated and N is Abelian (c.f., Qiao, Sarma, &amp; Tang, STACS 2011), (ii) direct product decompositions, and (iii) groups without Abelian normal subgroups (c.f., Babai, Codenotti, &amp; Qiao, ICALP 2012). Furthermore, we show that the weaker count-free Weisfeiler&ndash;Leman algorithm is unable to even identify Abelian groups. As a consequence, we obtain that FO fails to capture all polynomial-time computable queries even on Abelian groups. Nonetheless, we leverage the count-free variant of Weisfeiler&ndash; Leman in tandem with bounded non-determinism and limited counting to obtain a new upper bound of &beta;1MAC0 (FOLL) for isomorphism testing of Abelian groups. This improves upon the previous TC0 (FOLL) upper bound due to Chattopadhyay, Toran, &amp; Wagner (ACM Trans. Comput. Theory, 2013). Weisfeiler&ndash;Leman is equivalent to the first in a hierarchy of Ehrenfeucht&ndash;Fra&uml;ıss&acute;e pebble games (Hella, Ann. Pur. Appl. Log., 1989). In Chapter 4, we explore the descriptive complexity theory of finite groups by examining the power of the second Ehrenfeucht-Fra&uml;ıss&acute;e bijective pebble game in Hella&rsquo;s (Ann. Pure Appl. Log., 1989) hierarchy. This is a Spoiler-Duplicator game in which Spoiler can place up to two pebbles each round. While it trivially solves graph isomorphism, it may be nontrivial for finite groups, and other ternary relational structures. We first provide a novel generalization of Weisfeiler-Leman (WL) coloring, which we call 2-ary WL. We then show that the 2-ary WL is equivalent to the second Ehrenfeucht-Fra&uml;ıss&acute;e bijective pebble game in Hella&rsquo;s hierarchy.&nbsp; Our main result is that, in the pebble game characterization, only O(1) pebbles and O(1) rounds are sufficient to identify all groups without Abelian normal subgroups. In particular, we show that within the first few rounds, Spoiler can force Duplicator to select an isomorphism between two such groups at each subsequent round. By Hella&rsquo;s results (ibid.), this is equivalent to saying that these groups are identified by formulas in first-order logic with generalized 2-ary quantifiers, using only O(1) variables and O(1) quantifier depth.&nbsp; In Chapter 5, we show that Graph Isomorphism (GI) is not AC0 -reducible to several problems, including the Latin Square Isotopy problem and isomorphism testing of several families of Steiner designs. As a corollary, we obtain that GI is not AC0 -reducible to isomorphism testing of Latin square graphs and strongly regular graphs arising from special cases of Steiner 2-designs. We accomplish this by showing that the generator-enumeration technique for each of these problems can be implemented in &beta;2FOLL, which cannot compute Parity (Chattopadhyay, Tor&acute;an, &amp; Wagner, ibid.). Finally, in Chapter 6, we shed new light on the spectrum of the relation algebra we call An, which is obtained by splitting the non-flexible diversity atom of 67 into n symmetric atoms. Precisely, we show that the minimum value in Spec(An) is at most 2n6+o(1), which is the first polynomial bound and improves upon the previous bound due to Dodd &amp; Hirsch (J. Relat. Methods Comput. Sci. 2013). We also improve the lower bound to 2n2 + Ω(n&radic;logn). Prior to the work in this thesis, only the trivial bound of n2 + 2n + 3 was known.</p

Combinatorial Embeddings and Representations

Topological embeddings of complete graphs and complete multipartite graphs give rise to combinatorial designs when the faces of the embeddings are triangles. In this case, the blocks of the design correspond to the triangular faces of the embedding. These designs include Steiner, twofold and Mendelsohn triple systems, as well as Latin squares. We look at construction methods, structural properties and other problems concerning these cases. In addition, we look at graph representations by Steiner triple systems and by combinatorial embeddings. This is closely related to finding independent sets in triple systems. We examine which graphs can be represented in Steiner triple systems and combinatorial embeddings of small orders and give several bounds including a bound on the order of Steiner triple systems that are guaranteed to represent all graphs of a given maximum degree. Finally, we provide an enumeration of graphs of up to six edges representable by Steiner triple systems

Boundary Algebra: A Simpler Approach to Boolean Algebra and the Sentential Connectives

Boundary algebra [BA] is a algebra of type , and a simplified notation for Spencer-Brown’s (1969) primary algebra. The syntax of the primary arithmetic [PA] consists of two atoms, () and the blank page, concatenation, and enclosure between ‘(‘ and ‘)’, denoting the primitive notion of distinction. Inserting letters denoting, indifferently, the presence or absence of () into a PA formula yields a BA formula. The BA axioms are A1: ()()= (), and A2: “(()) [abbreviated ‘⊥’] may be written or erased at will,” implying (⊥)=(). The repeated application of A1 and A2 simplifies any PA formula to either () or ⊥. The basis for BA is B1: abc=bca (concatenation commutes & associates); B2, ⊥a=a (BA has a lower bound, ⊥); B3, (a)a=() (BA is a complemented lattice); and B4, (ba)a=(b)a (implies that BA is a distributive lattice). BA has two intended models: (1) the Boolean algebra 2 with base set B={(),⊥}, such that () ⇔ 1 [dually 0], (a) ⇔ a′, and ab ⇔ a∪b [a∩b]; and (2) sentential logic, such that () ⇔ true [false], (a) ⇔ ~a, and ab ⇔ a∨b [a∧b]. BA is a self-dual notation, facilitates a calculational style of proof, and simplifies clausal reasoning and Quine’s truth value analysis. BA resembles C.S. Peirce’s graphical logic, the symbolic logics of Leibniz and W.E. Johnson, the 2 notation of Byrne (1946), and the Boolean term schemata of Quine (1982).Boundary algebra; boundary logic; primary algebra; primary arithmetic; Boolean algebra; calculation proof; G. Spencer-Brown; C.S. Peirce; existential graphs