On the Bays-Lambossy theorem (Q908921)

The Bays-Lambossy Theorem states that if p is a prime and if two cyclic t-(p,k,\(\lambda)\) designs are isomorphic then they are isomorphic by a multiplier map. An open problem is to determine for which values of t, v, k and \(\lambda\) the theorem generalizes. Earlier some examples of cyclic \(2-(4^ n,3,2)\) (n\(\geq 2)\) designs are given which are isomorphic but not by any multiplier, in (2). On the other hand, in (3) geometric conditions are given for cyclic 2-(pq,3,2) designs with p and q distinct primes which imply that isomorphic designs are multiplier isomorphic. In this paper examples of isomorphic cyclic \(2-(p^ n,3,1)\) designs or Steiner triple systems, with \(p\equiv 1(6)\) a prime and \(n\geq 2\) are given which are not isomorphic by any multiplier. The purpose of this paper is mainly to prove the following theorem. Theorem 1.1: Let p be a prime with \(p\equiv 1(6)\) and let \(n\geq 2\) be an integer. There are isomorphic cyclic \(2-(p^ n,3,1)\) designs which are not isomorphic by any multiplier. This appears to be the first example of such designs. These examples show that any generalization of the Bays-Lambossy theorem for the stated parameters would have to involve more than just multiplier maps.