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Cheryl Praeger

Publications and source records attributed to Cheryl Praeger.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

Quasiprimitive and bi-quasiprimitive highly-arc-transitive digraphs and finite simple groups

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 finite connected $H$-vertex-transitive, $(H,s)$-arc-transitive digraph with $s\geqslant6$, either some $H$-normal quotient is a directed cycle of length at least $3$, or there is an $(L,t)$-arc-transitive digraph with $t\geqslant (s-3)/2$, and $L$ a vertex-quasiprimitive almost simple group with socle a composition factor of $H$. This connection demonstrates that, to understand finite $s$-arc-transitive digraphs with large $s$, those admitting a vertex-quasiprimitive almost simple $s$-arc-transitive subgroup of automorphisms play a central role. We show that for each $s$ and each odd valency $k$, there are infinitely many $(H,s)$-arc-transitive digraphs of valency $k$ with $H$ a finite alternating group. In addition we discovered a novel construction which takes as input a connected non-bipartite $H$-vertex-transitive, $(H,s)$-arc-transitive digraph, and outputs a connected bipartite $G$-vertex-transitive, $(G,2s)$-arc-transitive digraph with $G=(H\times H).2$. This leads to construction of vertex-bi-quasiprimitive $s$-arc-transitive digraphs, for arbitrarily large $s$. Our investigations yield several new open problems.

math.CO↗
arXiv2024

Constructive Recognition of Special Linear Groups

We introduce a new constructive recognition algorithm for finite special linear groups in their natural representation. Given a group $G$ generated by a set of $d\times d$ matrices over a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$, known to be isomorphic to the special linear group $\mathrm{SL}(d,q)$, the algorithm computes a special generating set $S$ for $G$. These generators enable efficient computations with the input group, including solving the word problem. Implemented in the computer algebra system GAP, our algorithm outperforms existing state-of-the-art algorithms by a significant margin. A detailed complexity analysis of the algorithm will be presented in an upcoming publication.

math.GR↗
arXiv2023

Total closure for permutation actions of finite nonabelian simple groups

For a positive integer $k$, a group $G$ is said to be totally $k$-closed if for each set $Ω$ upon which $G$ acts faithfully, $G$ is the largest subgroup of $\mathrm{Sym}(Ω)$ that leaves invariant each of the $G$-orbits in the induced action on $Ω\times\cdots\times Ω=Ω^k$. Each finite group $G$ is totally $|G|$-closed, and $k(G)$ denotes the least integer $k$ such that $G$ is totally $k$-closed. We address the question of determining the closure number $k(G)$ for finite simple groups $G$. Prior to our work it was known that $k(G)=2$ for cyclic groups of prime order and for precisely six of the sporadic simple groups, and that $k(G)\geq3$ for all other finite simple groups. We determine the value for the alternating groups, namely $k(A_n)=n-1$. In addition, for all simple groups $G$, other than alternating groups and classical groups, we show that $k(G)\leq 7$. Finally, if $G$ is a finite simple classical group with natural module of dimension $n$, we show that $k(G)\leq n+2$ if $n \ge 14$, and $k(G) \le \lfloor n/3 + 12 \rfloor$ otherwise, with smaller bounds achieved by certain families of groups. This is achieved by determining a uniform upper bound (depending on $n$ and the type of $G$) on the base sizes of the primitive actions of $G$, based on known bounds for specific actions. We pose several open problems aimed at completing the determination of the closure numbers for finite simple groups.

math.GR↗
arXiv2018

On $s$-distance-transitive graphs

Distance-regular graphs have many beautiful combinatorial properties. Distance-transitive graphs have very strong symmetries, and they are distance-regular, i.e. distance-transitivity implies distance-regularity. In this paper, we give similar results, i.e. for special $s$ and graphs with other restrictions we show that $s$-distance-transitivity implies distance-regularity.

math.CO↗
arXiv2013

Affine transformations of finite vector spaces with large orders or few cycles

Let V be a d-dimensional vector space over a field of prime order p. We classify the affine transformations of V of order at least p^d/4, and apply this classification to determine the finite primitive permutation groups of affine type, and of degree n, that contain a permutation of order at least n/4. Using this result we obtain a classification of finite primitive permutation groups of affine type containing a permutation with at most four cycles.

math.GR↗
arXiv2013

On the maximum orders of elements of finite almost simple groups and primitive permutation groups

We determine upper bounds for the maximum order of an element of a finite almost simple group with socle T in terms of the minimum index m(T) of a maximal subgroup of T: for T not an alternating group we prove that, with finitely many exceptions, the maximum element order is at most m(T). Moreover, apart from an explicit list of groups, the bound can be reduced to m(T)/4. These results are applied to determine all primitive permutation groups on a set of size n that contain permutations of order greater than or equal to n/4.

math.GR↗
arXiv2012

On the maximal number of coprime subdegrees in finite primitive permutation groups

The subdegrees of a transitive permutation group are the orbit lengths of a point stabilizer. For a finite primitive permutation group which is not cyclic of prime order, the largest subdegree shares a non-trivial common factor with each non-trivial subdegree. On the other hand it is possible for non-trivial subdegrees of primitive groups to be coprime, a famous example being the rank 5 action of the small Janko group on 266 points which has subdegrees of lengths 11 and 12. We prove that, for every finite primitive group, the maximal size of a set of pairwise coprime non-trivial subdegrees is at most 2.

math.GR↗
arXiv2011

Coprime subdegrees for primitive permutation groups and completely reducible linear groups

In this paper we answer a question of Gabriel Navarro about orbit sizes of a finite linear group H acting completely reducibly on a vector space V: if the orbits containing the vectors a and b have coprime lengths m and n, we prove that the orbit containing a+b has length mn. Such groups H are always reducible if n and m are greater than 1. In fact, if H is an irreducible linear group, we show that, for every pair of non-zero vectors, their orbit lengths have a non-trivial common factor. In the more general context of finite primitive permutation groups G, we show that coprime non-identity subdegrees are possible if and only if G is of O'Nan-Scott type AS, PA or TW. In a forthcoming paper we will show that, for a finite primitive permutation group, a set of pairwise coprime subdegrees has size at most 2. Finally, as an application of our results, we prove that a field has at most 2 finite extensions of pairwise coprime indices with the same normal closure.

math.GR↗
arXiv2011

A new solvability criterion for finite groups

In 1968, John Thompson proved that a finite group G is solvable if and only if every 2-generator subgroup of G is solvable. In this paper, we prove that solvability of a finite group G is guaranteed by a seemingly weaker condition: G is solvable if, for all conjugacy classes C and D of G consisting of elements of prime power order, there exist x in C and y in D with x and y generating a solvable group. We also prove the following property of finite nonabelian simple groups, which is the key tool for our proof of the solvability criterion: if G is a finite nonabelian simple group, then there exist two prime divisors a and b of |G| such that, for all elements x, y in G with |x|=a and |y|=b, the subgroup generated by x and y is not solvable. Further, using a recent result of Guralnick and Malle, we obtain a similar membership criterion for any family of finite groups closed under forming subgroups, quotients and extensions.

math.GR↗
arXiv2010

Normal coverings of finite symmetric and alternating groups

In this paper we investigate the minimum number of maximal subgroups H_i for i=1 ...k of the symmetric group S_n (or the alternating group A_n) such that each element in the group S_n (respectively A_n) lies in some conjugate of one of the H_i. We prove that this number lies between a.phi(n) and bn for certain constants a, b, where phi(n) is the Euler phi-function, and we show that the number depends on the arithmetical complexity of n. Moreover in the case where n is divisible by at most two primes, we obtain an upper bound of 2+phi(n)/2, and we determine the exact value for S_n when n is odd and for A_n when n is even.

math.GR↗
arXiv2009

The mathematics of Donald Gordon Higman

This is about the mathematics and life of Donald Gordon Higman, 1928-2006. He did important work in representation theory of groups and algebras and in algebraic combinatorics. Charles C. Sims and Donald Higman discovered and constructed one of the sporadic simple groups.

math.HO↗