On locally semiprimitive graphs and a theorem of Weiss (Q2259151)

Let a group \(G\) act faithfully on a finite connected simple graph \(\Gamma\) and \(x\) be a vertex of \(\Gamma\). Then, \(\Gamma(x)\) denotes the neighbourhood of \(x\) in \(\Gamma\) and \(G_x^{\Gamma(x)}\) denotes the permutation group induced on the set \(\Gamma(x)\) by the stabilizer \(G_x\). If \(L\) is some finite permutation group, then the pair \((\Gamma,G)\) is locally \(L\) if, for all vertices \(x\) of \(\Gamma\), \(G_x^{\Gamma(x)}\) is permutationally isomorphic to \(L\). According to \textit{G. Verret} [Bull. Aust. Math. Soc. 80, No. 3, 498--505 (2009; Zbl 1177.05054)], if there is a constant \(c(L)\) such that for every locally \(L\) pair \((\Gamma,G)\) we have \(|G_x|\leq c(L)\) then \(L\) is called graph-restrictive. The long-standing Weiss conjecture [\textit{R. Weiss}, in: Algebraic methods in graph theory, Vol. II, Conf. Szeged 1978, Colloq. Math. Soc. Janos Bolyai 25, 827--847 (1981; Zbl 0475.05040)] asserts that finite primitive permutation groups are graph-restrictive. \textit{P. Potočnik} et al. [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B 102, No. 3, 820--831 (2012; Zbl 1241.05044)] showed that a graph-restrictive group \(G\) is semiprimitive (i.e., \(G\) is transitive and every normal subgroup of \(G\) is transitive or semiregular) and stated the PSV conjecture: a finite permutation group is graph-restrictive if and only if it is semiprimitive. In this paper, the authors investigate the validity of the PSV conjecture for semiprimitive groups with a regular normal nilpotent subgroup. This type of semiprimitive group is a generalization of an affine group. They show that if \(G\) acts arc-transitive on \(\Gamma\) and the graph \(\Gamma\) has valency \(d\) coprime to six, then \(|G_x|\leq d!(d-1)!\) for each vertex \(x\) of \(\Gamma\). They also prove a detailed structure theorem for the vertex stabilizers in the remaining case.