Edge-symmetric semitriangular Higman graphs (Q2353023)

A triangular grap \(T(m)\) is the \(({m \choose 2},2(m-2),m-2,4)\) strongly regular graph of unordered pairs of elements from \( \{ 1,2,\dots,m \} \) incident when sharing exactly one vertex. A \((v,k,\lambda,\mu)\) strongly regular graph with the parameters \( v = {m \choose 2} \) and \(k = 2(m-2)\) is called a semitriangular Higman graph to commemorate Higman's work on rank 3 strongly regular graphs with these parameters [\textit{D. G. Higman}, Arch. Math. 21, 151--156 (1970; Zbl 0245.20003)]. An edge-symmetric graph is an arc-transitive graph, i.e., a graph whose automorphism group acts transitively on its arcs (ordered pairs of adjacent vertices). This paper contains a classification of edge-symmetric semitriangular Higman graphs. The classification is based on original results of Higman [loc. cit.] who showed that semitriangular graphs are either triangular graphs, Chang graphs when \(m=8\), graphs from a finite family uniquely determined by the parameter pairs \(\mu=6\) and \(m=9,17,27\), or 57; \( \mu = 7\) and \(m=51\); \( \mu = 8 \) and \( m = 28, 36, 325,903\), or 8128; or the complement graph of \(T(7)\). Since the authors have already shown in their previous work [Dokl. Math. 79, No. 3, 373--376 (2009); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk, Ross. Akad. Nauk 426, No. 4, 439--442 (2009; Zbl 1281.05078); ibid. 84, No. 1, 450--453 (2011); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk 439, No. 1, 21--24 (2011; Zbl 1243.05170); ibid. 84, No. 2, 625--628 (2011); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk 440, No. 2, 155--158 (2011; Zbl 1235.05162); ibid. 90, No. 1, 458--461 (2014); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk, Ross. Akad. Nauk 457, No. 3, 274--277 (2014; Zbl 1304.05103)] that semitriangular Higman graphs with \( \mu = 7 \) or \( \mu = 8 \) and \( m = 28, 36 \) cannot be edge-symmetric, to achieve the classification, they had to show the same results for the parameter pairs \( \mu = 6 \) and \( m =17, 27 \) or \( 57 \) and for the parameter pairs \( \mu = 8 \) and \( m = 325 \) or 8128. The non-edge-symmetricity of the graphs with these parameters is each time shown via a careful consideration of their structure in combination with the orbit structure of their automorphism groups. Putting these results together yields that an edge-symmetric semitriangular Higman graph is either a triangular graph, the complement of \(T(7)\), or the rank \(3\) graph of the group \(U_3(3)\) with \(\mu = 6\) and \(m=9\).