Distance regularity in buildings and structure constants in Hecke algebras

Abstract

In this paper we define generalised spheres in buildings using the simplicial structure and Weyl distance in the building, and we derive an explicit formula for the cardinality of these spheres. We prove a generalised notion of distance regularity in buildings, and develop a combinatorial formula for the cardinalities of intersections of generalised spheres. Motivated by the classical study of algebras associated to distance regular graphs we investigate the algebras and modules of Hecke operators arising from our generalised distance regularity, and prove isomorphisms between these algebras and more well known parabolic Hecke algebras. We conclude with applications of our main results to non-negativity of structure constants in parabolic Hecke algebras, commutativity of algebras of Hecke operators, double coset combinatorics in groups with $BN$-pairs, and random walks on the simplices of buildings.