Block-transitive 3-designs with block size at most 6 (Q2168864)

It is known that groups acting flag-transitively on 2-designs with \((r, \lambda)=1\) are affine or almost simple. Also if a group acts block-transitively on a t-\((v,k,\lambda)\) design with \(t \geq 4\) then it is either point-primitive of affine type or almost simple type. The main aim of this paper is to study 3-\((v,k,\lambda)\) designs with \(k\leq6\) admitting a block-transitive automorphism group \(G\). The authors use the 5-type subdivision of finite primitive permutation groups by the O'Nan-Scott theorem (affine, almost simple, product, simple diagonal, and twisted wreath product type) to determine the block-transitive automorphism group of a nontrivial 3-\((v,k,\lambda)\) design with \(k\leq 6\). They consider the two possibilities for \(G\). If \(G\) is a point-primitive automorphism group the authors prove that it is of affine type or almost simple type. If \(G\) is a point-imprimitive automorphism group then it has rank 3 or 4 and the design is a 3-\((16,6,\lambda)\) design, where \(\lambda\) is one of the following: \(\{4_6, 8_2, 12_{17}, 16_8, 24_5,28_1, 32_4, 48_7, 56_1, 64_2, 80_1, 84_1, 96_4, 112_1, 128_1, 140_1, 160_1\}\). This notation means that there are exactly six non-isomorphic 3-\((16,6,4)\) designs, two non-isomorphic 3-\((16,6,8)\) designs, etc. The authors use the software package MAGMA for the 1954 transitive groups on 16 points. Next in the paper, the obtained groups are presented by their number in this MAGMA list. There are \(63\) different 3-\((16,6,\lambda)\) designs with a block-transitive point-imprimitive automorphism group. For the isomorphism check MAGMA is also used.