Multivariate P- and/or Q-polynomial association schemes

Abstract

The classification problem of $P$- and $Q$-polynomial association schemes has been one of the central problems in algebraic combinatorics. Generalizing the concept of $P$- and $Q$-polynomial association schemes to multivariate cases, namely to consider higher rank $P$- and $Q$-polynomial association schemes, has been tried by some authors, but it seems that so far there were neither very well-established definition nor results. Very recently, Bernard, Cramp\'{e}, d'Andecy, Vinet, and Zaimi [arXiv:2212.10824], defined bivariate $P$-polynomial association schemes, as well as bivariate $Q$-polynomial association schemes. In this paper, we study these concepts and propose a new modified definition concerning a general monomial order, which is more general and more natural and also easy to handle. We prove that there are many interesting families of examples of multivariate $P$- and/or $Q$-polynomial association schemes.