Width and dual width of subsets in polynomial association schemes

Abstract

The width of a subset C of the vertices of a distance-regular graph is the maximum distance which occurs between elements of C. Dually, the dual width of a subset in a cometric association scheme is the index of the "last" eigenspace in the Q-polynomial ordering to which the characteristic vector of C is not orthogonal. Elementary bounds are derived on these two new parameters. We show that any subset of minimal width is a completely regular code and that any subset of minimal dual width induces a cometric association scheme in the original. A variety of examples and applications are considered. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.