Finite locally-\(GQ (3,3)\) graphs (Q1920847)

We consider undirected graphs without loops and multiple edges. Given a vertex \(a\) of a graph \(\Gamma\), we denote by \(\Gamma(a)\) the neighborhood of \(a\), i.e. the subgraph induced by \(\Gamma\) on the set of all vertices adjacent to \(a\). Let \(\mathcal X\) be a class of graphs. A graph \(\Gamma\) is said to be a locally-\(\mathcal X\) graph if \(\Gamma(a)\in {\mathcal X}\) for every vertex \(a\) of \(\Gamma\). If \({\mathcal X}= \{\Lambda\}\) then a locally-\(\mathcal X\) graph is referred to as a locally-\(\Lambda\) graph. A generalized quadrangle with parameters \((s, t)\) is defined to be an incidence system of points and lines in which each line contains \(s+ 1\) points, each point lies on \(t+ 1\) lines (every two points lie on at most one line), and for every point \(a\) not lying on a line \(L\), there exists exactly one line that contains \(a\) and intersects \(L\). The point graph of a generalized quadrangle with parameters \((s, t)\) is well known to be strongly regular with \(v= (s+ 1)\cdot (st+ 1)\), \(k= s(t+ 1)\), \(\lambda= s- 1\), and \(\mu= t+ 1\). Denote by \(GQ(s, t)\) the class of point graphs of generalized quadrangles with given parameters \((s, t)\). A coclique with \(st+ 1\) points in a graph of \(GQ(s, t)\) is called an ovoid. The class of graphs in which the neighborhoods of all points are generalized quadrangles includes a number of interesting examples connected with alternating, classical, and sporadic groups (see, for instance, [\textit{P. J. Cameron}, \textit{D. R. Hughes} and \textit{A. Pasini}, Geom. Dedicata 35, No. 1-3, 193-228 (1990; Zbl 0702.51005)]). The locally-\(GQ(s, t)\) graphs are classified for \(s\leq 2\) in [\textit{E. E. Shult}, Combinatorics, Part 3, Proc. Adv. Study Inst., Breukelen, 130-161 (1974; Zbl 0308.20038) and \textit{F. Buekenhout} and \textit{X. Hubaut}, J. Algebra 45, 391-434 (1977; Zbl 0351.05021)]. The locally-\(GQ(3, 1)\) graphs are described in [\textit{A. Blokhuis} and \textit{A. E. Brouwer}, J. Graph Theory 13, No. 2, 229-244 (1989; Zbl 0722.05054)]. In the present paper, we describe the locally-\(GQ(3, 3)\) graphs. It is well known that there exist exactly two nonisomorphic graphs in \(GQ(3, 3)\). One of them contains a regular pair of points and is denoted by \(W(3)\); and every pair of points in the other is antiregular, the graph contains an ovoid and is denoted by \(Q_4(3)\) [see \textit{S. E. Payne} and \textit{J. A. Thas}, Finite generalized quadrangles (1984; Zbl 0551.05027)]. Theorem: Let \(\Gamma\) be a connected locally-\(GQ(3,3)\) graph. Then \(\Gamma\) is a strongly regular graph with parameters \((176,40,12,8)\) (in particular, \(\Gamma(a)\simeq W(3)\) for every vertex \(a\) in \(\Gamma\)). Existence of a graph with such parameters is well known; it is a graph of rank 3 of the group \(U_5(2)\). The question of uniqueness of this graph remains open. We describe a proof scheme of the theorem. In \S 1 we obtain some auxiliary results. In \S 2 we describe the local subgraphs of a \(GQ(3, 3)\) graph. In \S 3 we study the case in which \(\Gamma(a)\simeq W(3)\) for some vertex \(a\). Finally, in \S 4 we prove the nonexistence of locally-\(Q_4(3)\) graphs.