A group-theoretic framework for the construction of packings in Grassmannian spaces (Q1283451)

The central problem is to arrange \(N\) \(n\)-dimensional subspaces of \(\mathbb{R}^m\) so that they are as far apart as possible. In the present article the authors give an algebraic framework for constructing such arrangements that explains all the examples constructed and conjectured in \textit{P. W. Shor} and \textit{N. D. A. Sloane}, J. Algebr. Comb. 7, No, 2, 157-163 (1998; Zbl 0904.52009)]. The authors use totally isotropic subspaces in an orthogonal space \(\Omega^+(2i,2)\) to construct several infinite families of packings of \(2^k\)-dimensional subspaces of real \(2^i\)-dimensional space. The two main constructions for Grassmannian packings are given in two theorems. The third theorem describes an unrelated construction which yields another infinite family of optimal packing. Table 1 summarizes the parameters of the packings obtained in dimensions up to 128.