Generalized quadrangles with a regular point and association schemes (Q1899398)

Let \({\mathcal Q}\) be a generalized quadrangle (GQ) with parameters \((s,t)\), \(s>t>2\) and having a regular point \((\infty)\). Let \(X\) be the set of points of \({\mathcal Q}\) not collinear with \((\infty)\). For \(x\in X\), let \(x_\infty=\{x,(\infty)\}^\perp\). Since \((\infty)\) is regular, \(|x_\infty^\perp|=t+1\) and \(|x_\infty\cap y_\infty|\in\{0,1,t+1\}\) for \(x,y\in X\). The authors define an association scheme on \(X\) with four classes using the symmetric relations \(R_0,\ldots,R_4\) defined on pairs \((x,y)\) of \(X\) by whether \(x=y\), or \(x\neq y\) and \(x_\infty=y_\infty\), or \(x\) and \(y\) are distinct and collinear, or \(x,y\) are not collinear and \(|x_\infty\cap y_\infty|\) is 1 or 0, respectively. Using the interlacing of eigenvalues and a characterization of \(GQ\) with a regular point by the second author, it is proved that any association scheme with four classes and the same parameters \(\{p_{ij}^k\}\) as the scheme arising from \({\mathcal Q}\), and satisfying two additional somewhat natural hypotheses, must arise from a \(GQ\). The details are quite reminiscent of those given in \textit{A. E. Brouwer} and \textit{W. H. Haemers}, Discrete Math. 106/107, 77-82 (1992; Zbl 0764.05098) and those in \textit{S. A. Hobart} and the reviewer, J. Algebr. Comb. 2, No. 3, 261-266 (1993; Zbl 0786.51006). The authors inform us that in the formula for \(\mu_2\), the factor \((s+1)\) should be replaced with \((s-1)\).