Factor sets associated with regular collineation groups (Q1178927): Difference between revisions

Let \(\pi\) be an affine plane of order \(n\) which admits a point-transitive abelian collineation group \(R\). By Satz 3 in \textit{P. Dembowski}, Abh. Math., Semin. Univ. Hamb. 29, 92-106 (1965), there exists then a point \(P\) on the line \(\ell_ \infty\) so that \(R\) is \((P,\ell_ \infty)\)- transitive. Set \(H = R_{(P,\ell_ \infty)}\). The author proves the following results. (i) If \(2\mid n\) and the Sylow \(2\)-subgroup of \(H\) are cyclic then \(\pi\) is a desarguesian plane of order \(2\) and \(R\) is either cyclic or elementary abelian. (ii) If \(p\) is an odd prime such that the Sylow \(p\)-subgroups of \(R/H\) are cyclic, then each Sylow \(p\)-subgroup \(S\) of \(R\) splits over \(S\cap H\). He obtains as a corollary that if \(n\) is the product of distinct primes then either \(n = 2\) and \(\pi\) is the desarguesian plane of order \(2\) or \(n\) is odd and \(R\) is the direct product of two cyclic groups of order \(n\). The proof relies on some special properties of factor sets of central extensions and of factor sets arising from regular collineation groups, which the author studies as a preliminary. Bijective and homogeneous factor sets are defined and examined in some detail, it is shown for instance that bijective factor sets can be used to construct affine planes with point-transitive collineation groups, but results of independent interest are also presented.