On cubic Cayley graphs of finite simple groups (Q1349077)

There exists an elaborated theory devoted to the classification of the finite simple groups. In this paper, a wide subclass \({\mathcal H}\) of the class of all finite simple groups is considered. As usual, we use the notation \(\Gamma= \text{Cay}(G,S)\) for (undirected) Cayley graphs where \(S^{-1}= S\). (\(G\) is a finite group and \(S\) is a subset of \(G\setminus \{1\}\).) \(\text{Cay}(G,S)\) is called a CI-graph if any isomorphism between \(\text{Cay}(G,S)\) and a graph of the form \(\text{Cay}(G,T)\) is induced by some automorphism of \(G\). If all connected Cayley graphs of \(G\) whose valency does not exceed \(m\) are CI-graphs, we say that \(G\) is a connected \(m\)-CI-group. Let \(\text{Aut}(G,S)\) be the group of automorphisms of \(G\) leaving \(S\) invariant globally. The right translations of \(G\) constitute a group \(G_R\) (isomorphic to \(G\)). It is a subgroup of the group \(\text{Aut }\Gamma\) of all automorphism of \(\Gamma\). The interrelation of \(G_R\) and \(\text{Aut }\Gamma\) in full generality is a very difficult problem. In the main results of the article, the following conclusions are proved under the assumption \(G\in{\mathcal H}\): (i) if \(\Gamma\) is a connected cubic Cayley graph of \(G\), then \(\text{Aut }\Gamma\) is a semidirect product of \(G\) and \(\text{Aut}(G,S)\), moreover, \(\text{Aut}(G,S)\) is a subgroup of the symmetric group of degree 3, (ii) \(G\) is a connected 3-CI-group, and (iii) the formulae \(\text{Aut }\Gamma= G_R\) and \(|\text{Aut}(G,S)|= 1\) are equivalent. In addition, it is shown that, for any group \(G\) which belongs to the class of groups studied by \textit{M. Suzuki} [Ann. Math. II. Ser. 75, 105-145 (1962; Zbl 0106.24702)], there is a cubic Cayley graph \(\Gamma\) of \(G\) such that \(\text{Aut }\Gamma= G_R\).