Jeremy F. Alm ; David A. Andrews ; Michael Levet - Comer Schemes, Relation Algebras, and the Flexible Atom Conjecture

fi:12328 - Fundamenta Informaticae, December 27, 2025, Volume 195, Issues 1-4: Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science 2024 - https://doi.org/10.46298/fi.12328
Comer Schemes, Relation Algebras, and the Flexible Atom ConjectureArticle

Authors: Jeremy F. Alm ; David A. Andrews ; Michael Levet

    In this paper, we consider relational structures arising from Comer's finite field construction, where the cosets need not be sum free. These Comer schemes generalize the notion of a Ramsey scheme and may be of independent interest. As an application, we give the first finite representation of $34_{65}$. This leaves $33_{65}$ as the only remaining relation algebra in the family $N_{65}$ with a flexible atom that is not known to be finitely representable. Motivated by this, we complement our upper bounds with some lower bounds. Using a SAT solver, we show that $33_{65}$ is not finitely representable on fewer than $24$ points, and that $33_{65}$ does not admit a cyclic group representation on fewer than $120$ points. We also employ a SAT solver to show that $34_{65}$ is not representable on fewer than $24$ points.

    Fundamenta Informaticae final journal version; previous conference version appeared in RAMiCS 2023


    Volume: Volume 195, Issues 1-4: Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science 2024
    Published on: December 27, 2025
    Accepted on: December 11, 2024
    Submitted on: September 26, 2023
    Keywords: Logic, Combinatorics, Number Theory, 03G15