EIGENVALUES OF TRANSITION MATRICES OF

(2m, 2n)–GROUPS

DIEGO RATTAGGI

For a (2m, 2n)–group Γ, let M1 = M1 (Γ), M2 = M2 (Γ) be the two transi-

tion matrices as defined in [1]. They are (4mn × 4mn)–matrices with entries in
{0, 1} and not symmetric in general. M1 (M2 respectively) can be seen as ad-
jacency matrix of a directed (2m − 1)-regular graph (directed (2n − 1)-regular
graph, respectively). We compute the possible characteristic polynomials χ(M1 ),
χ(M2 ) and eigenvalues λi (M1 ), λi (M2 ) of M1 and M2 , where i = 1, . . . , 4mn and
(2m, 2n) ∈ {(2, 2), (2, 4), (4, 4)}. Moreover, we give conjectures for the general case
and for some specific constructions of Γ.
Following Mozes ([2]), we can also associate to a (2m, 2n)–group Γ two infinite
families of finite regular graphs (Xk (Γ))k∈N and (Yk (Γ))k∈N (see [3, Section 4.4] for
the definition). The graphs Xk (Γ) are 2n-regular, and the graphs Yk (Γ) are 2m-
(k) (k)
regular. We denote by MX the adjacency matrix of Xk (Γ). MX is a symmetric
(k)
(2m(2m − 1)k−1 × 2m(2m − 1)k−1 )-matrix. Similarly, let MY be the adjacency
k−1 k−1
matrix of Yk (Γ), a symmetric (2n(2n − 1) × 2n(2n − 1) )-matrix. We com-
(1) (1)
pare the characteristic polynomial χ(MY ) to χ(M1 ) and χ(MX ) to χ(M2 ), if
(2m, 2n) ∈ {(2, 2), (2, 4), (4, 4)}.
We use the following notation: f = [a0 , a1 , a2 , . . . , ak ] denotes the polynomial
f (λ) = a0 + a1 λ + a2 λ2 + . . . + ak λk .

1. (2, 2)–groups
Let Γ be a (2, 2)–group. There are only two possible characteristic polynomials
of M1 (and of M2 because of symmetry):

χ(M1 )
f1 = [1, −4, 6, −4, 1]
f2 = [1, 0, −2, 0, 1]

Their eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

λi (M1 ) mult. |λi (M1 )| mult.
f1 1 4 1 4
f2 1 2
−1 2 1 4

For any (2, 2)–group Γ, we have {χ(M1 ), χ(M2 )} ∈ {{f1 }, {f1, f2 }}.

Date: September 29, 2006.

1
2 DIEGO RATTAGGI

(1) (1)
The characteristic polynomials of MY (and of MX ) are:

(1)
χ(MY )
F1 = [4, −4, 1]
F2 = [−4, 0, 1]

Their eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

(1) (1)
λi (MY ) mult. |λi (MY )| mult.
F1 2 2 2 2
F2 2 1
−2 1 2 2

Proposition 1. Let Γ be a (2, 2)–group and j ∈ {1, 2}. Then χ(M1 ) = fj if and
(1) (1)
only if χ(MY ) = Fj , and χ(M2 ) = fj if and only if χ(MX ) = Fj .

2. (2, 4)–groups
Let Γ be a (2, 4)–group. Possible characteristic polynomials of M1 are:

χ(M1 )
f1 = [1, −8, 28, −56, 70, −56, 28, −8, 1]
f2 = [1, −4, 4, 4, −10, 4, 4, −4, 1]
f3 = [1, 0, −4, 0, 6, 0, −4, 0, 1]
f4 = [1, 0, 0, 0, −2, 0, 0, 0, 1]

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

λi (M1 ) mult. |λi (M1 )| mult.
f1 1 8 1 8
f2 1 6
−1 2 1 8
f3 1 4
−1 4 1 8
f4 1 2
−1 2
±i 2 1 8

Possible characteristic polynomials of M2 are:

χ(M2 )
g1 = [9, −24, 4, 40, −34, −8, 20, −8, 1]
g2 = [9, −12, −12, 20, −2, −4, 4, −4, 1]
g3 = [9, 0, −28, 0, 30, 0, −12, 0, 1]
 EIGENVALUES OF TRANSITION MATRICES OF (2m, 2n)–GROUPS 3

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

λi (M2 ) mult. |λi (M2 )| mult.
g1 3 2 3 2
1 4
−1 2 1 6
g2 √3 1 √3 1
± 3i 1 3 2
1 3
−1 2 1 5
g3 3 1
−3 1 3 2
1 3
−1 3 1 6

We have (χ(M1 ), χ(M2 )) ∈ {(f1 , g1 ), (f1 , g2 ), (f1 , g3 ), (f2 , g1 ), (f2 , g2 ), (f3 , g1 ),

(f3 , g3 ), (f4 , g1 )}.
(1)
The characteristic polynomials of MY are:

(1)
χ(MY )
F1 = [16, −32, 24, −8, 1]
F2 = [−16, 16, 0, −4, 1]
F3 = [16, 0, −8, 0, 1]
F4 = [0, 0, −4, 0, 1]

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

(1) (1)
λi (MY ) mult. |λi (MY )| mult.
F1 2 4 2 4
F2 2 3
−2 1 2 4
F3 2 2
−2 2 2 4
F4 2 1
−2 1 2 2
0 2 0 2
(1)
Possible characteristic polynomials of MX are:

(1)
χ(MX )
G1 = [16, −8, 1]
G2 = [0, −4, 1]
G3 = [−16, 0, 1]
4 DIEGO RATTAGGI

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

(1) (1)
λi (MX ) mult. |λi (MX )| mult.
G1 4 2 4 2
G2 4 1 4 1
0 1 0 1
G3 4 1
−4 1 4 2
(1)
Proposition 2. Let Γ be a (2, 4)–group. Then χ(M1 ) = fj if and only if χ(MY ) =
(1)
Fj , for any j ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4}. Moreover, χ(M2 ) = gj if and only if χ(MX ) = Gj , for
any j ∈ {1, 2, 3}.

3. (4, 4)–groups
Let Γ be a (4, 4)–group. Possible characteristic polynomials of M1 (and of M2
because of symmetry) are:

χ(M1 )
f1 = [81, −432, 648, 528, −2516, 1808, 2072, −3888, 1078, 2032, −1928, 304, 460, −336, 104, −16, 1]
f2 = [81, −324, 216, 780, −1332, −52, 1608, −1124, −266, 756, −472, 100, 108, −124, 56, −12, 1]
f3 = [81, −216, −72, 648, −372, −504, 616, −152, −138, 248, −184, 24, 44, −40, 24, −8, 1]
f4 = [81, −216, −36, 600, −492, −328, 740, −376, −154, 344, −220, 40, 52, −56, 28, −8, 1]
f5 = [81, −216, −216, 1032, −148, −1912, 1144, 1640, −1610, −520, 984, −104, −244, 88, 8, −8, 1]
f6 = [81, −108, −288, 420, 348, −604, −128, 372, −42, −68, 32, −20, −4, 12, 0, −4, 1]
f7 = [81, −108, −252, 372, 228, −428, −4, 148, −58, 28, −4, −4, 4, −4, 4, −4, 1]
f8 = [81, −108, −360, 516, 588, −956, −376, 820, −10, −260, 104, −52, −20, 44, −8, −4, 1]
f9 = [81, 0, −504, 0, 1324, 0, −1896, 0, 1590, 0, −776, 0, 204, 0, −24, 0, 1]
f10 = [81, 0, −396, 0, 772, 0, −756, 0, 390, 0, −116, 0, 36, 0, −12, 0, 1]
f11 = [81, 0, −360, 0, 588, 0, −376, 0, −10, 0, 104, 0, −20, 0, −8, 0, 1]
f12 = [81, 0, −324, −48, 468, 176, −252, −224, −26, 96, 68, 16, −12, −16, −4, 0, 1]

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

λi (M1 ) mult. |λi (M1 )| mult.
f1 3 4 3 4
1 8
−1 4 1 12
f2 √3 3 √3 3
± 3i 1 3 2
1 7
−1 4 1 11
f3 √3 2 √3 2
± 3i 2 3 4
1 6
−1 4 1 10
EIGENVALUES OF TRANSITION MATRICES OF (2m, 2n)–GROUPS 5

f4 3
√ 1 3 1
± √3i 1 √
1 ± 2i 2 3 6
1 5
−1 4 1 9
f5 3 3
−3 1 3 4
1 7
−1 5 1 12
f6 3
√ 1 3 1
±√ 3i 1 √
± 2±i 1 3 6
1 5
−1 4 1 9
f7 3
√ 1 3 1
± 3i√ 1 √
±1 ± 2i 1 3 6
1 5
−1 4 1 9
f8 3 2
−3
√ 1 √3 3
± 3i 1 3 2
1 6
−1 5 1 11
f9 3 2
−3 2 3 4
1 6
−1 6 1 12
f10 3 1
−3√ 1 √3 2
±1 ± 2i 1 3 4
1 5
−1 5 1 10
f11 3 1
−3
√ 1 √3 2
± 3i 2 3 4
1 5
−1 5 1 10
f12 3
√ 1 3 1
± 3i√ 1 √
−1 ± 2i 2 3 6
1 5
−1 4 1 9
6 DIEGO RATTAGGI

We have {χ(M1 ), χ(M2 )} ∈ {{f1 }, {f2 }, {f3 }, {f9 }, {f11 }, {f12 }, {f1 , f2 },
{f1 , f3 }, {f1 , f4 }, {f1 , f5 }, {f1 , f6 }, {f1 , f7 }, {f1 , f8 }, {f1 , f9 }, {f1 , f10 }, {f1 , f11 },
{f1 , f12 }, {f2 , f3 }, {f2 , f4 }, {f2 , f5 }, {f2 , f6 }, {f2 , f7 }, {f2 , f8 }, {f3 , f5 }, {f3 , f8 },
{f3 , f9 }, {f3 , f10 }, {f3 , f11 }, {f4 , f5 }, {f5 , f6 }, {f5 , f9 }, {f5 , f10 }, {f5 , f11 }, {f6 , f8 },
{f7 , f9 }, {f7 , f10 }, {f9 , f11 }}, i.e. there are 37 possibilities for {χ(M1 ), χ(M2 )}.
(1) (1)
Characteristic polynomials of MY (and of MX ) are:

(1)
χ(MY )
F1 = [256, −256, 96, −16, 1]
F2 = [0, −64, 48, −12, 1]
F3 = [0, 0, 16, −8, 1]
F4 = [0, −16, 20, −8, 1]
F5 = [−256, 128, 0, −8, 1]
F6 = [0, 32, −8, −4, 1]
F7 = [0, 16, −4, −4, 1]
F8 = [0, 64, −16, −4, 1]
F9 = [256, 0, −32, 0, 1]
F10 = [64, 0, −20, 0, 1]
F11 = [0, 0, −16, 0, 1]
F12 = [0, −16, −12, 0, 1]

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

(1) (1)
λi (MY ) mult. |λi (MY )| mult.
F1 4 4 4 4
F2 4 3 4 3
0 1 0 1
F3 4 2 4 2
0 2 0 2
F4 4 1 4 1
2 2 2 2
0 1 0 1
F5 4 3
−4 1 4 4
F6 4√ 1 4
√ 1
±2 2 1 2 2 2
0 1 0 1
F7 4 1 4 1
2 1
−2 1 2 2
0 1 0 1
F8 4 2
−4 1 4 3
0 1 0 1
 EIGENVALUES OF TRANSITION MATRICES OF (2m, 2n)–GROUPS 7

F9 4 2
−4 2 4 4
F10 4 1
−4 1 4 2
2 1
−2 1 2 2
F11 4 1
−4 1 4 2
0 2 0 2
F12 4 1 4 1
−2 2 2 2
0 1 0 1

Proposition 3. Let Γ be a (4, 4)–group and j ∈ {1, . . . , 12}. Then χ(M1 ) = fj if

(1) (1)
and only if χ(MY ) = Fj , and χ(M2 ) = fj if and only if χ(MX ) = Fj .
(2) (2)
Characteristic polynomials of MY (and of MX ) are:

(2)
χ(MY )
G1 = [16777216, −50331648, 69206016, −57671680, 32440320, −12976128, 3784704, −811008, 126720, −14080, 1056, −48, 1]
G2 = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, −16384, 28672, −21504, 8960, −2240, 336, −28, 1]
G3 = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4096, −6144, 3840, −1280, 240, −24, 1]
G4 = [0, 0, 0, −4096, 15360, −25344, 24128, −14592, 5808, −1520, 252, −24, 1]
G5 = [−16777216, 8388608, 4194304, −2621440, −327680, 327680, 0, −20480, 1280, 640, −64, −8, 1]
G6 = [0, 0, 0, −32768, 8192, 14336, −3584, −2304, 576, 160, −40, −4, 1]
G7 = [0, 0, 0, −4096, 1024, 3328, −832, −960, 240, 112, −28, −4, 1]
G8 = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 16384, −4096, −3072, 768, 192, −48, −4, 1]
G9 = [16777216, 0, −6291456, 0, 983040, 0, −81920, 0, 3840, 0, −96, 0, 1]
G10 = [0, 0, −16384, 0, 14336, 0, −4672, 0, 688, 0, −44, 0, 1]
G11 = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, −4096, 0, 768, 0, −48, 0, 1]
G12 = [0, 0, 0, −4096, −9216, −6912, −960, 1152, 432, −48, −36, 0, 1]
G13 = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4096, −2048, −256, 256, −16, −8, 1]
G14 = [0, 0, 0, 1024, 768, −768, −640, 192, 192, −16, −24, 0, 1]

The eigenvalues (with multiplicities) are:

(2) (2)
λi (MY ) mult. |λi (MY )| mult.
G1 4 12 4 12
G2 4 7 4 7
0 5 0 5
G3 4 6 4 6
0 6 0 6
G4 4 3 4 3
2 6 2 6
0 3 0 3
G5 4 7
−4 5 4 12
8 DIEGO RATTAGGI

G6 4 2
−4
√ 1 4
√ 3
±2 2 3 2 2 6
0 3 0 3
G7 4 2
−4 1 4 3
2 3
−2 3 2 6
0 3 0 3
G8 4 4
−4 3 4 7
0 5 0 5
G9 4 6
−4 6 4 12
G10 4 2
−4 2 4 4
2 3
−2 3 2 6
0 2 0 2
G11 4 3
−4 3 4 6
0 6 0 6
G12 4 3 4 3
−2 6 2 6
0 3 0 3
G13 4 4
−4 2 4 6
0 6 0 6
G14 4 1 4 1
2 3
−2 5 2 8
0 3 0 3
(1) (2)
We have (χ(MY ), χ(MY )) ∈ {(F1 , G1 ), (F2 , G2 ), (F3 , G3 ), (F4 , G4 ), (F5 , G5 ),
(F6 , G6 ), (F7 , G7 ), (F8 , G8 ), (F9 , G9 ), (F10 , G10 ), (F11 , G11 ), (F12 , G12 ), (F3 , G13 ),
(F7 , G14 ), (F12 , G14 )}.
(1) (2) (1) (2)
The are 40 possibilities for the set {(χ(MY ), χ(MY )), (χ(MX ), χ(MX ))}.
(3)
There are 18 possible characteristic polynomials H1 , . . . , H18 of MY (and of
(3)
MX ): We give their eigenvalues (with multiplicities):
(3) (3)
λi (MY ) mult. |λi (MY )| mult.
H1 4 36 4 36
H2 4 19 4 19
0 17 0 17
EIGENVALUES OF TRANSITION MATRICES OF (2m, 2n)–GROUPS 9

H3 4 18 4 18
0 18 0 18
H4 4 9 4 9
2 18 2 18
0 9 0 9
H5 4 19
−4 17 4 36
H6 4 5
−4
√ 4 4
√ 9
±2 2 9 2 2 18
0 9 0 9
H7 4 5
−4 4 4 9
2 9
−2 9 2 18
0 9 0 9
H8 4 10
−4 9 4 19
0 17 0 17
H9 4 18
−4 18 4 36
H10 4 5
−4 5 4 10
2 9
−2 9 2 18
0 8 0 8
H11 4 9
−4 9 4 18
0 18 0 18
H12 4 9 4 9
−2 18 2 18
0 9 0 9
H13 4 10
−4 8 4 18
0 18 0 18
H14 4 3 4 3
2 9
−2 15 2 24
0 9 0 9
H15 √4 1 √ 4 1
(3 + 13)/2 2 (3 + 13)/2 ≈ 3.30 2
√3 2 √ 3 2
(1 + 13)/2 2 (1 + 13)/2 ≈ 2.30 2
10 DIEGO RATTAGGI

2 5
−2
√ 13 √ 2 18
(1 − 13)/2 2 ( 13 − 1)/2 ≈ 1.30 2
−1
√ 2 √ 1 2
(3 − 13)/2 2 ( 13 − 3)/2 ≈ 0.30 2
0 5 0 5
H16 4 1 4 1
3 2
−3
√ 2 √3 4
± 7 2 7 4
2 6
−2 8 2 14
1 4
−1 4 1 8
0 5 0 5
H17 4 4
−4 4 4 8
2 9
−2 9 2 18
0 10 0 10
H18 4 17
−4 2 4 19
0 17 0 17

(1) (2) (3)

We have (χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MY )) ∈ {(F1 , G1 , H1 ), (F2 , G2 , H2 ), (F3 , G3 , H3 ),
(F4 , G4 , H4 ), (F5 , G5 , H5 ), (F6 , G6 , H6 ), (F7 , G7 , H7 ), (F8 , G8 , H8 ), (F9 , G9 , H9 ),
(F10 , G10 , H10 ), (F11 , G11 , H11 ), (F12 , G12 , H12 ), (F3 , G13 , H13 ), (F7 , G14 , H14 ), (F7 , G14 , H15 ),
(F12 , G14 , H16 ), (F10 , G10 , H17 ), (F2 , G2 , H18 )}.
(1) (2) (3) (1) (2) (3)
There are 41 possibilities for the set {(χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MY )), (χ(MX ), χ(MX ), χ(MX ))}.
See [3] for the definition of the local groups Ph and Pv . We observe that
(1) (2) (3)
(Ph , Pv ) = (D4 , A4 ) if and only if (χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MY )) = (F7 , G14 , H15 ).
(1) (2) (3)
Moreover, (Ph , Pv ) = (D4 , A4 ) implies that (χ(MX ), χ(MX ), χ(MX )) = (F10 , G10 , H17 )
(the other direction is not true). It follows (studying the eigenvalues in the tables
above, for example of H15 ) that Y1 (Γ), Y2 (Γ), Y3 (Γ) are Ramanujan graphs if Γ is
a (D4 , A4 )–group. However, Y4 (Γ) is not Ramanujan.
(1) (2) (3)
(Ph , Pv ) = (S4 , S4 ) if and only if (χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MY )) = (F12 , G14 , H16 )
(1) (2) (3)
if and only if (χ(MX ), χ(MX ), χ(MX )) = (F12 , G14 , H16 ). Therefore, if Γ is a
(S4 , S4 )–group, then X1 (Γ), X2 (Γ), X3 (Γ), Y1 (Γ), Y2 (Γ), Y3 (Γ) are Ramanujan
graphs. Also X4 (Γ), X5 (Γ) and Y4 (Γ), Y5 (Γ) are Ramanujan √ graphs by another
√
computation which shows that the crucial eigenvalue is (1+ 33)/2 ≈ 3.37 < 2 3 ≈
3.46.
(4) (4)
There are 19 characteristic polynomials for MY (and for MX ).
There are 41 possibilities for the set
(1) (2) (3) (4) (1) (2) (3) (4)
{(χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MY )), (χ(MX ), χ(MX ), χ(MX ), χ(MX ))}.
 EIGENVALUES OF TRANSITION MATRICES OF (2m, 2n)–GROUPS 11

4. (4, 6)–groups
(1) (1)
There are 53 polynomials χ(MY ) (of degree 6), 29 polynomials χ(MX ) (of
(1) (1)
degree 4), 583 possibilities for (χ(MY ), χ(MX )), and 710 possibilities for
(1) (2) (1) (2)
(χ(MY ), χ(MY ), χ(MX ), χ(MX )).
As in the previous sections, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the
(1)
characteristic polynomials of MY and of M1 . Similarly, there is a one-to-one
(1)
correspondence between the characteristic polynomials of MX and of M2 .
In the following, we restrict to (4, 6)–groups such that Ph ∈ {PSL2 (3), PGL2 (3)}
and Pv ∈ {PSL2 (5), PGL2 (5)}.
(1)
The characteristic polynomials of MY are:
(1) (1) (2) (3)
χ(MY ) r(MY ) r(MY ) r(MY )
F1 = [32, −44, −23, 48, −10, −4, 1] 3.37 3.37 3.37
F2 = [0, 64, 48, −16, −16, 0, 1] 2 3.24 3.45
F3 = [0, 128, 96, −16, −20, 0, 1] 2.83 3.24 3.51
F4 = [48, −80, 1, 44, −10, −4, 1] 3 3.24 3.42
F5 = [0, −64, 16, 32, −8, −4, 1] 2 3.24 3.46, 3.76
F6 = [0, 0, 0, −16, −12, 0, 1] 2 3 3.24

5. Conjectures
√
Conjecture 4. Let Γ be√a (2m, 2n)–group. Then |λi (M1 )| ∈ {2m − 1, 2m − 1, 1}
and |λi (M2 )| ∈ {2n − 1, 2n − 1, 1}.
Conjecture 5. Let (p, l) be a pair of odd distinct primes and let Γ = Γp,l (see [3]
for the definition), in particular (2m, 2n) = (p + 1, l + 1). Then the eigenvalues
(with multiplicities) of M1 are:

λi (M1 ) mult.
2m − 1 = p 1
1 2mn − 2n + 1 = (pl + p − l + 1)/2
−1 2mn − 2n = (pl + p − l − 1)/2
√ √
and |λi (M1 )| = 2m − 1 = p with multiplicity 4n − 2 = 2l.
The eigenvalues of M2 are (exchanging m and n (or p and l) above):

λi (M2 ) mult.
2n − 1 = l 1
1 2mn − 2m + 1 = (pl + l − p + 1)/2
−1 2mn − 2m = (pl + l − p − 1)/2
√ √
and |λi (M2 )| = 2n − 1 = l with multiplicity 4m − 2 = 2p.
If Γ = Fm × Fn , then M1 and M2 are symmetric and therefore all eigenvalues
are real.
Conjecture 6. Let Γ be the (2m, 2n)–group Fm × Fn . Then the eigenvalues of M1
are:
and the eigenvalues of M2 are:
12 DIEGO RATTAGGI

λi (M1 ) mult.
2m − 1 2n
1 2mn
−1 2mn − 2n

λi (M2 ) mult.
2n − 1 2m
1 2mn
−1 2mn − 2m

References
[1] Kimberley, Jason S.; Robertson, Guyan, Groups acting on products of trees, tiling systems
and analytic K-theory, New York J. Math. 8(2002), 111–131 (electronic).
[2] Mozes, Shahar, A zero entropy, mixing of all orders tiling system, Symbolic dynamics and
its applications (New Haven, CT, 1991), 319–325, Contemp. Math., 135, Amer. Math. Soc.,
Providence, RI, 1992.
[3] Rattaggi, Diego, Computations in groups acting on a product of trees: normal subgroup
structures and quaternion lattices, Ph.D. thesis, ETH Zürich, 2004.

ETH Zürich, Departement Mathematik, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland

E-mail address: rattaggi@math.ethz.ch