On subgraphs in distance-regular graphs (Q685995)

A graph is distance-regular when it is simple and for any two vertices at distance \(j\), the numbers of vertices adjacent to one and at distance \(j- 1\) (resp. \(j\) and \(j+1)\) of the other are constant (depending on \(j\) only). First some necessary conditions are derived for distance- regularity of the subgraph of the geodesics joining two vertices of a distance-regular graph. Then the diameter-maximal distance-regular graphs with fixed valency and fixed even girth are characterized as the hypercubes and the doubled Odd graphs, whereas for bipartite distance- regular graphs an improved upper bound on the diameter is derived. All distance-regular subgraphs of girth 6 of a hypercube are shown to be Odd graphs, while for girth 8 the (common) valency is at most 12, thus extending known results for girth 4.