A Course On Elation Quadrangles

The notion of elation generalized quadrangle is a natural generalization to the theory of generalized quadrangles of the important notion of translation planes in the theory of projective planes. Almost any known class of finite generalized quadrangles can be constructed from a suitable class of elation quadrangles. In this book the author considers several aspects of the theory of elation generalized quadrangles. Special attention is given to local Moufang conditions on the foundational level, exploring, for instance, Knarr's question from the 1990s concerning the very notion of elation quadrangles. All the known results on Kantor's prime power conjecture for finite elation quadrangles are gathered, some of them published here for the first time. The structural theory of elation quadrangles and their groups is heavily emphasized. Other related topics, such as $p$-modular cohomology, Heisenberg groups, and existence problems for certain translation nets, are briefly touched. This book starts from scratch and is essentially self-contained. Many alternative proofs are given for known theorems. This course contains dozens of exercises at various levels, from very easy to rather difficult, and will stimulate undergraduate and graduate students to enter the fascinating and rich world of elation quadrangles. More accomplished mathematicians will find the final chapters especially challenging.

The book deals with fundamental structural aspects of algebraic and simple groups, Coxeter groups and the related geometries and buildings. All contributing authors are very active researchers in the topics related to the theme of the book. Some of the articles provide the latest developments in the subject; some provide an overview of the current status of some important problems in this area; some survey an area highlighting the current developments; and some provide an exposition of an area to collect problems and conjectures. It is hoped that these articles would be helpful to a beginner to start independent research on any of these topics, as well as to an expert to know some of the latest developments or to consider some problems for investigation.

Translation generalized quadrangles play a key role in the theory of generalized quadrangles, comparable to the role of translation planes in the theory of projective and affine planes. The notion of translation generalized quadrangle is a local analogue of the more global ?Moufang Condition?, a topic of great interest, also due to the classification of all Moufang polygons. Attention is thus paid to recent results in that direction, but also many of the most important results in the general theory of generalized quadrangles that appeared since 1984 are treated.Translation Generalized Quadrangles is essentially self-contained, as the reader is only expected to be familiar with some basic facts on finite generalized quadrangles. Proofs that are either too long or too technical are left out, or just sketched. The three standard works on generalized quadrangles are (co-)authored by the writers of this book: ?Finite Generalized Quadrangles? (1984) by S E Payne and J A Thas, ?Generalized Polygons? (1998) by H Van Maldeghem, and ?Symmetry in Finite Generalized Quadrangles? (2004) by K Thas.

This volume contains articles based on the invited lectures given at the 23rd British Combinatorial Conference, held in July 2011 at the University of Exeter. Each article surveys an area of current research in combinatorial mathematics and will be invaluable to anyone wishing to keep abreast of modern developments.

This monograph classifies finite generalized quadrangles by symmetry, generalizing the celebrated Lenz-Barlotti classification for projective planes. The book introduces combinatorial, geometrical and group-theoretical concepts that arise in the classification and in the general theory of finite generalized quadrangles, including automorphism groups, elation and translation generalized quadrangles, generalized ovals and generalized ovoids, span-symmetric generalized quadrangles, flock geometry and property (G), regularity and nets, split BN-pairs of rank 1, and the Moufang property.

Designs and Finite Geometries brings together in one place important contributions and up-to-date research results in this important area of mathematics. Designs and Finite Geometries serves as an excellent reference, providing insight into some of the most important research issues in the field.

Generalized Polygons is the first book to cover, in a coherent manner, the theory of polygons from scratch. In particular, it fills elementary gaps in the literature and gives an up-to-date account of current research in this area, including most proofs, which are often unified and streamlined in comparison to the versions generally known. Generalized Polygons will be welcomed both by the student seeking an introduction to the subject as well as the researcher who will value the work as a reference. In particular, it will be of great value for specialists working in the field of generalized polygons (which are, incidentally, the rank 2 Tits-buildings) or in fields directly related to Tits-buildings, incidence geometry and finite geometry. The approach taken in the book is of geometric nature, but algebraic results are included and proven (in a geometric way!). A noteworthy feature is that the book unifies and generalizes notions, definitions and results that exist for quadrangles, hexagons, octagons - in the literature very often considered separately - to polygons. Many alternative viewpoints given in the book heighten the sense of beauty of the subject and help to provide further insight into the matter.​