Abstract
Given v, t, and m, does there exist a partial Steiner triple system of order v with t triples whose triples can be ordered so that any m consecutive triples are pairwise disjoint? Given v, t, and m 1, m 2, . . . , m s with \({t = \sum_{i=1}^s m_i}\) , does there exist a partial Steiner triple system with t triples whose triples can be partitioned into partial parallel classes of sizes m 1, . . . , m s ? An affirmative answer to the first question gives an affirmative answer to the second when m i ≤ m for each \({i \in \{1,2,\ldots,s\}}\) . These questions arise in the analysis of erasure codes for disk arrays and that of codes for unipolar communication, respectively. A complete solution for the first problem is given when m is at most \({\frac{1}{3}\left(v-(9v)^{2/3}\right)+{O}\left(v^{1/3}\right)}\) .
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This is one of several papers published together in Designs, Codes and Cryptography on the special topic: “Combinatorics–A Special Issue Dedicated to the 65th Birthday of Richard Wilson”.
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Colbourn, C.J., Horsley, D. & Wang, C. Trails of triples in partial triple systems. Des. Codes Cryptogr. 65, 199–212 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10623-011-9521-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10623-011-9521-1
Keywords
- Steiner triple system
- Resolvable triple system
- Kirkman triple system
- Hanani triple system
- Kirkman signal set