The \(S_3\)-symmetric tridiagonal algebra (Q6952884)

This paper presents a significant generalization of the tridiagonal algebra by introducing the \(S_3\)-symmetric tridiagonal algebra. This new algebra is generated by six elements, which are ingeniously interpreted as lying on the vertices of a regular hexagon. The defining relations are natural yet powerful: generators corresponding to non-adjacent vertices commute, while those at adjacent vertices satisfy a pair of tridiagonal relations. This geometric structure elegantly encodes the \(S_3\) symmetry, generalizing the original two-generator tridiagonal algebra in a non-trivial way.\N\NA key contribution of this work is the construction of a module for the \(S_3\)-symmetric tridiagonal algebra. The author achieves this by considering the triple tensor product \(V^{\otimes 3}\) of the standard module \(V\) associated with a \(Q\)-polynomial distance-regular graph. Within this module, they identify a unique irreducible submodule \(\Lambda\), referred to as the fundamental submodule, which contains the vector formed by summing over all tensor basis elements.\N\NFurthermore, the author demonstrates that the natural action of a subgroup \(G\) of the graph's automorphism group on \(V^{\otimes 3}\) commutes with the algebra action. He establishes that the fundamental submodule \(\Lambda\) lies within the \(G\)-invariant subspace.\N\NThe paper offers a detailed analysis for the case where the graph is a Hamming graph \(H(D, N)\) with \(D \geq 1\) and \(N \geq 3\). For this important family of graphs, the author constructs an explicit basis for \(\Lambda\) and describes the action of the algebra generators on this basis. He also proves that the dimension of \(\Lambda\) is given exactly by the binomial coefficient \(\binom{D+4}{4}\). As a specific example, the case of the complete graph \(K_N\) (i.e., \(H(1, N)\)) is examined in detail.\N\NThe work concludes by outlining several conjectures and open problems, suggesting promising directions for future research. By effectively bridging algebraic structures and combinatorial objects, this paper offers valuable new tools and insights.