Summary: Lifts of graph and map automorphisms can be described in terms of voltage assignments that are, in a sense, compatible with the automorphisms. We show that compatibility of ordinary voltage assignments in Abelian groups is related to orthogonality in certain $Z$ mathcalZ -modules. For cyclic groups, compatibility turns out to be equivalent with the existence of eigenvectors of certain matrices that are naturally associated with graph automorphisms. This allows for a great simplification in characterizing compatible voltage assignments and has applications in constructions of highly symmetric graphs and maps.

graph, map, covering, voltage assignment, orthogonality, eigenvectors, automorphism