Simple direct constructions for hybrid triple designs (Q1183987)

Let \(\lambda DK_ v\) denote the complete symmetric digraph on \(v\) vertices in which each arc has multiplicity \(\lambda\). A cyclic triple is a digraph \(C\) with \(V(C)=\{a,b,c\}\) and \(A(C)=\{(a,b),(b,c),(c,a)\}\) \((A(C)\) denotes the arc-set), and a transitive triple is a digraph \(T\) with \(V(T)=\{a,b,c\}\) and \(A(T)=\{(a,b),(b,c),(c,a)\}\). A \(c\)-hybrid triple design of order \(v\) and multiplicity \(\lambda\), a \(c- \hbox{HTD}(v,\lambda)\), is a partition of the arcs of \(\lambda DK_ v\) into \(c\) cyclic triples and \(t=b_ v-c\) transitive triples, where \(b_ v=\lambda v(v-1)/3\) is the total number of triples in the partition. The definition of a \(c\)-hybrid triple system was first given by \textit{Ch. J. Colbourn, W. R. Pulleyblank} and \textit{A. Rosa} [Graphs Comb. 5, No. 1, 15-28 (1989; Zbl 0676.05015)] who constructed such systems of order \(v\), \(v\equiv 0,1 (\text{mod }3)\), \(v\neq 6\), for all \(c\in\{0,1,\dots,b_ v- 2,b_ v\}\). For \(v=6\), \(c\)-hybrid triple systems were shown to exist exactly when \(c\in\{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7\}\). Using the construction described by \textit{K. T. Phelps} and \textit{C. C. Lindner} [Eur. J. Comb. 5, 239-242 (1984; Zbl 0559.05011)] the author presents a simple, direct and self- contained construction for all \(c\)-hybrid triple designs. The main result is as follows: There exists a \(c\)-hybrid triple design if and only if \(\lambda v(v-1)\equiv 0 (\text{mod }3)\) and \(c\in\{0,1,\dots,b_ v- 2,b_ v\}\) (with \(b_ v=\lambda v(v-1)/3)\), except when \(v=6\), \(\lambda=1\) and \(c\in\{8,10\}\). In these cases the design does not exist.