arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Petr Vojtěchovský.
Moufang loops are one of the best-known generalizations of groups. There is only one countable family of nonassociative finite simple Moufang loops, arising from the split octonion algebras. We prove that every member of this family is generated by three elements, using the classical results on generators of unimodular groups.
The probability that $m$ randomly chosen elements of a finite power associative loop $C$ have prescribed orders and generate $C$ is calculated in terms of certain constants related to the action of $Aut(C)$ on the subloop lattice of $C$. As an illustration, all meaningful probabilities of random generation by elements of given orders are found for the smallest nonassociative simple Moufang loop.
Hasse constants and their basic properties are introduced to facilitate the connection between the lattice of subalgebras of an algebra $C$ and the natural action of the automorphism group $Aut(C)$ on $C$. These constants are then used to describe the lattice of subloops of the smallest nonassociative simple Moufang loop.
Let $G$ be a finite group and $C_2$ the cyclic group of order 2. Consider the 8 multiplicative operations $(x,y)\mapsto (x^iy^j)^k$, where $i$, $j$, $k\in\{-1, 1\}$. Define a new multiplication on $G\times C_2$ by assigning one of the above 8 multiplications to each quarter $(G\times\{i\})\times(G\times\{j\})$, for $i$, $j\in C_2$. When $G$ is nonabelian then exactly four assignments yield Moufang loops that are not associative; all (anti)isomorphic, known as loops $M(G,2)$.
We derive presentations for Moufang loops of type $M(G,2)$, defined by Chein, with $G$ finite, two-generated. We then use $G=S_3$ to visualize the smallest non-associative Moufang loop.
Nonassociative finite simple Moufang loops are exactly the loops constructed by Paige from Zorn vector matrix algebras. We prove this result anew, using geometric loop theory. In order to make the paper accessible to a broader audience, we carefully discuss the connections between composition algebras, simple Moufang loops, simple Moufang 3-nets, $S$-simple groups and groups with triality. Related results on multiplication groups, automorphisms groups and generators of Paige loops are provided.
We first find the combinatorial degree of any map $f:V\to F$ where $F$ is a finite field and $V$ is a finite-dimensional vector space over $F$. We then simplify and generalize a certain construction due to Chein and Goodaire that was used in characterizing code loops as finite Moufang loops that posses at most two squares. The construction yields binary codes of high divisibility level with prescribed Hamming weights of intersections of codewords.
Let $G$ be a finite group and $C_2$ the cyclic group of order 2. Consider the 8 multiplicative operations $(x,y)\mapsto (x^iy^j)^k$, where $i$, $j$, $k\in\{-1, 1\}$. Define a new multiplication on $G\times C_2$ by assigning one of the above 8 multiplications to each quarter $(G\times\{i\})\times(G\times\{j\})$, for $i$, $j\in C_2$. We describe all situations in which the resulting quasigroup is a Bol loop. This paper also corrects an error in P. Vojtěchovský: On the uniqueness of loops $M(G,2)$.
Two constructions due to Drápal produce a group by modifying exactly one quarter of the Cayley table of another group. We present these constructions in a compact way, and generalize them to Moufang loops, using loop extensions. Both constructions preserve associators, the associator subloop, and the nucleus. We conjecture that two Moufang 2-loops of finite order $n$ with equivalent associator can be connected by a series of constructions similar to ours, and offer empirical evidence that this is so for $n=16$, 24, 32; the only interesting cases with $n\le 32$. We further investigate the way the constructions affect code loops and loops of type $M(G, 2)$. The paper closes with several conjectures and research questions concerning the distance of Moufang loops, classification of small Moufang loops, and generalizations of the two constructions.
C-loops are loops satisfying $x(y(yz))=((xy)y)z$. They often behave analogously to Moufang loops and they are closely related to Steiner triple systems and combinatorics. We initiate the study of C-loops by proving: (i) Steiner loops are C-loops, (ii) C-loops are alternative, inverse property loops with squares in the nucleus, (iii) the nucleus of a C-loop is a normal subgroup, (iv) C-loops modulo their nucleus are Steiner loops, (v) C-loops are power associative, power alternative but not necessarily diassociative, (vi) torsion commutative C-loops are products of torsion abelian groups and torsion commutative 2-C-loops; and several other results. We also give examples of the smallest nonassociative C-loops, and explore the analogy between commutative C-loops and commutative Moufang loops.
We show how to obtain all nonassociative Moufang loops of order less than 64 and 4262 nonassociative Moufang loops of order 64 in a unified way. We conjecture that there are no other nonassociative Moufang loops of order 64. The main idea of the computer search is to modify precisely one quarter of the multiplication table in a certain way, previously applied to small 2-groups.
A groupoid identity is said to be linear of length $2k$ if the same $k$ variables appear on both sides of the identity exactly once. We classify and count all varieties of groupoids defined by a single linear identity. For $k=3$, there are 14 nontrivial varieties and they are in the most general position with respect to inclusion. Hentzel et. al. showed that the linear identity $(xy)z = y(zx)$ implies commutativity and associativity in all products of at least 5 factors. We complete their project by showing that no other linear identity of any length behaves this way, and by showing how the identity $(xy)z = y(zx)$ affects products of fewer than 5 factors; we include distinguishing examples produced by the finite model builder Mace4. The corresponding combinatorial results for labelled binary trees are given. We associate a certain wreath product with any linear identity. Questions about linear groupoids can therefore be transferred to groups and attacked by group-theoretical computational tools, e.g., GAP. Systematic notation and diagrams for linear identities are devised. A short equational basis for Boolean algebras involving the identity $(xy)z = y(zx)$ is presented, together with a proof produced by the automated theorem prover Otter.
A loop identity is of Bol-Moufang type if two of its three variables occur once on each side, the third variable occurs twice on each side, and the order in which the variables appear on both sides is the same, viz. $((xy)x)z=x(y(xz))$. Loop varieties defined by one identity of Bol-Moufang type include groups, Bol loops, Moufang loops and C-loops. We show that there are exactly 14 such varieties, and determine all inclusions between them, providing all necessary counterexamples, too. This extends and completes the programme of Fenyves.
A quasigroup identity is of Bol-Moufang type if two of its three variables occur once on each side, the third variable occurs twice on each side, the order in which the variables appear on both sides is the same, and the only binary operation used is the multiplication, viz. $((xy)x)z=x(y(xz))$. Many well-known varieties of quasigroups are of Bol-Moufang type. We show that there are exactly 26 such varieties, determine all inclusions between them, and provide all necessary counterexamples. We also determine which of these varieties consist of loops or one-sided loops, and fully describe the varieties of commutative quasigroups of Bol-Moufang type. Some of the proofs are computer-generated.
The variety of quasigroups satisfying the identity $(xy)(zy)=xz$ mirrors the variety of groups, and offers a new look at groups and their multiplication tables. Such quasigroups are constructed from a group using right division instead of multiplication. Their multiplication tables consist of circulant blocks which have additional symmetries and have a concise presentation. These tables are a reincarnation of the group matrices which Frobenius used to give the first account of group representation theory. Our results imply that every group matrix may be written as a block circulant matrix and that this result leads to partial diagonalization of group matrices, which are present in modern applied mathematics. We also discuss right division in loops with the antiautomorphic inverse property.
Let $F$ be a perfect field and $M^*(F)$ the nonassociative simple Moufang loop consisting of the units in the (unique) split octonion algebra $O(F)$ modulo the center. Then $Aut(M^*(F))$ is equal to $G_2(F) \rtimes Aut(F)$. In particular, every automorphism of $M^*(F)$ is induced by a semilinear automorphism of $O(F)$. The proof combines results and methods from geometrical loop theory, groups of Lie type and composition algebras; its gist being an identification of the automorphism group of a Moufang loop with a subgroup of the automorphism group of the associated group with triality.
Given two finite groups G(.), G(*) defined on the same set G, their distance is the number of pairs (x,y) for which x.y and x*y differ. The Cayley stability of a group G(.) is the minimum distance of G(.) from another group defined on G. We show that the Cayley stability of the cyclic group of prime order p is 6p-18, for every p>7.
A left Bol loop is a loop satisfying $x(y(xz)) = (x(yx))z$. The commutant of a loop is the set of elements which commute with all elements of the loop. In a finite Bol loop of odd order or of order $2k$, $k$ odd, the commutant is a subloop. We investigate conditions under which the commutant of a Bol loop is not a subloop. In a finite Bol loop of order relatively prime to 3, the commutant generates an abelian group of order dividing the order of the loop. This generalizes a well-known result for Moufang loops. After describing all extensions of a loop $K$ such that $K$ is in the left and middle nuclei of the resulting loop, we show how to construct classes of Bol loops with non-subloop commutant. In particular, we obtain all Bol loops of order 16 with non-subloop commutant.