Constructions of Commutative Automorphic Loops

Abstract

A loop whose inner mappings are automorphisms is an automorphic loop (or A-loop). We characterize commutative (A-)loops with middle nucleus of index 2 and solve the isomorphism problem. Using this characterization and certain central extensions based on trilinear forms, we construct several classes of commutative A-loops of order a power of 2. We initiate the classification of commutative A-loops of small orders and also of order p 3, where p is a prime.