Mixed partitions of PG(3,q)

A mixed partition of PG(2n−1,q²) is a partition of the points of PG(2n−1,q²) into (n−1)-spaces and Baer subspaces of dimension 2n−1. In (Bruck and Bose, J. Algebra 1 (1964) 85) it is shown that such a mixed partition of PG(2n−1,q²) can be used to construct a (2n−1)-spread of PG(4n−1,q) and hence a translation plane of order q²ⁿ. In this paper, we provide several new examples of such mixed partitions in the case when n=2.     

Error bounds for least squares approximation by polynomials

Let f ε Cⁿ⁺¹[−1, 1] and let H[f](x) be the nth degree weighted least squares polynomial approximation to f with respect to the orthonormal polynomials q_k associated with a distribution dα on [−1, 1]. It is shown that if q_n+1/q_n max(q_n+1(1)/q_n(1), −q_n+1(−1)/q_n(−1)), then f − H[f] f^{n + 1} · q_n+1/q_{n + 1}^{(n + 1)}, where · denotes the supremum norm. Furthermore, it is shown that in the case of Jacobi polynomials with distribution (1 − t)^α (1 + t)^β dt, α, β > −1, the condition on q_n+1/q_n is satisfied when either max(α,β) −1/2 or −1 < α = β < −1/2.     

Lower bounds for the cardinality of minimal blocking sets in projective spaces

In this paper new lower bounds for the cardinality of minimal m-blocking sets are determined. Let r₂(q) be the number such that q+r₂(q)+1 is the cardinality of the smallest non-trivial line-blocking set in a plane of order q. If B is a minimal m-blocking set in PG(n,q) that contains at most q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)·(∑_i=2m−n′^m−1qⁱ) points for an integer n′ satisfying mn′2m, then the dimension of B is at most n′. If the dimension of B is n′, then the following holds. The cardinality of B equals q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)(∑_i=2m−n′^m−1qⁱ). For n′=m the set B is an m-dimensional subspace and for n′=m+1 the set B is a cone with an (m−2)-dimensional vertex over a non-trivial line-blocking set of cardinality q+r₂(q)+1 in a plane skew to the vertex. This result is due to Heim (Mitt. Math. Semin. Giessen 226 (1996), 4–82). For n′>m+1 and q not a prime the number q is a square and for q16 the set B is a Baer cone. If q is odd and |B|<q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+r₂(q)(q^m−1+q^m−2), it follows from this result that the subspace generated by B has dimension at most m+1. Furthermore we prove that in this case, if , then B is an m-dimensional subspace or a cone with an (m−2)-dimensional vertex over a non-trivial line-blocking set of cardinality q+r₂(q)+1 in a plane skew to the vertex. For q=p^3h, p7 and q not a square we show this assertion for |B|q^m+q^m−1+…+q+1+q^2/3·(q^m−1+…+1).     

On generalized Hadamard matrices of minimum rank

Generalized Hadamard matrices of order qⁿ⁻¹ (q—a prime power, n2) over GF(q) are related to symmetric nets in affine 2-(qⁿ,qⁿ⁻¹,(qⁿ⁻¹−1)/(q−1)) designs invariant under an elementary abelian group of order q acting semi-regularly on points and blocks. The rank of any such matrix over GF(q) is greater than or equal to n−1. It is proved that a matrix of minimum q-rank is unique up to a monomial equivalence, and the related symmetric net is a classical net in the n-dimensional affine geometry AG(n,q).     

Special point sets inPG(n,q) and the structure of sets with the maximal number of nuclei

The structure of _{n– 1}-sets inPG(n, q) with more thanq – 1 nuclei is investigated. It is shown that classification of these sets with the maximal numberq ^{n– 1}-q ^{n– 2} of nuclei is equivalent to the classification of (q + l)-sets inPG(2,q) havingq –1 nuclei.Dedicated to Professer Walter Benz for his 60^th birthday     

Baer subgeometry partitions

For any odd integern 3 and prime powerq, it is known thatPG(n–1, q²) can be partitioned into pairwise disjoint subgeometries isomorphic toPG(n–1, q) by taking point orbits under an appropriate subgroup of a Singer cycle ofPG(n–1, q²). In this paper, we construct Baer subgeometry partitions of these spaces which do not arise in the classical manner. We further illustrate some of the connections between Baer subgeometry partitions and several other areas of combinatorial interest, most notably projective sets and flagtransitive translation planes.     

Matroids with No (q+2)-Point-Line Minors

It is known that a geometry with rankrand no minor isomorphic to the (q+2)-point line has at most (q^r−1)/(q−1) points, with strictly fewer points ifr>3 andqis not a prime power. Forqnot a prime power andr>3, we show thatq^r−1−1 is an upper bound. Forqa prime power andr>3, we show that any rank-rgeometry with at leastq^r−1points and no (q+2)-point-line minor is representable overGF(q). We strengthen these bounds toq^r−1−(q^r−2−1)/(q−1)−1 andq^r−1−(q^r−2−1)/(q−1) respectively whenqis odd. We give an application to unique representability and a new proof of Tutte's theorem: A matroid is binary if and only if the 4-point line is not a minor.     

Nonexistence of [n, 5, d]q Codes Attaining the Griesmer Bound for q4 ?2q2 ?2q+1 ≤ d≤ q4?2q2 ?q

We prove that there does not exist a [q⁴+q³−q²−3q−1, 5, q⁴−2q²−2q+1]_q code over the finite field for q≥ 5. Using this, we prove that there does not exist a [g_q(5, d), 5, d]_q code with q⁴ −2q² −2q +1 ≤ d ≤ q⁴ −2q² −q for q≥ 5, where g_q(k,d) denotes the Griesmer bound.MSC 2000: 94B65, 94B05, 51E20, 05B25     

On codes with covering radius 1 and minimum distance 2

We show that a code C of length n over an alphabet Q of size q with minimum distance 2 and covering radius 1 satisfies |C| ≥ qⁿ⁻¹/(n − 1). For the special case n = q = 4 the smallest known example has |C| = 31. We give a construction for such a code C with |C| = 28.     

Laplacians on quotients of Cauchy-Riemann complexes and Szegö map for L-harmonic forms

We compute the spectra of the Tanaka type Laplacians on the Rumin complex Q, a quotient of the tangential Cauchy-Riemann complex on the unit sphere S²ⁿ⁻¹ in ⁿ. We prove that Szegö map is a unitary operator from a subspace of (p, q −1)-forms on the sphere defined by the operators and the normal vector field onto the space of L²-harmonic (p, q)-forms on the unit ball. Our results generalize earlier result of Folland.     

A new graphic characterization of non singular quadrics of PG(r,q)

LetK be ak-set of class [0, 1,m,n]₁ of anr-dimensional projective Galois space PG(r, q) of orderq. We prove that: Ifr = 2s (s 2),k = _2s–1 and if through each point ofK there are exactlyq ^2(s–1) tangent lines and at most _2s–3 n-secant lines, thenK is a non singular quadric of PG(2s,q). Ifr = 2s–1 (s2),k=_2(s–1) +q ^s–1 and if at each point ofK there are exactlyq ^2s–3 –q ^s–2 tangents and at most _2(s–2)+q ^s–2 n-secant lines, thenK is a hyperbolic quadric of PG(2s–1,q).     

Normal Spreads

In Dedicata 16 (1984), pp. 291–313, the representation of Desarguesian spreads of the projective space PG(2t – 1, q) into the Grassmannian of the subspaces of rank t of PG(2t – 1, q) has been studied. Using a similar idea, we prove here that a normal spread of PG(rt – 1,q) is represented on the Grassmannian of the subspaces of rank t of PG(rt – 1, q) by a cap V _{r, t} of PG(r ^t – 1, q), which is the GF(q)-scroll of a Segre variety product of t projective spaces of dimension (r – 1), and that the collineation group of PG(r ^t – 1, q) stabilizing V _{r, t} acts 2-transitively on V _{r, t} . In particular, we prove that V _{3, 2} is the union of q ² – q + 1 disjoint Veronese surfaces, and that a Hermitan curve of PG(2, q ²) is represented by a hyperplane section U of V _{3, 2}. For q 0,2 (mod 3) the algebraic variety U is the unitary ovoid of the hyperbolic quadric Q ⁺ (7, q) constructed by W. M. Kantor in Canad. J. Math., 5 (1982), 1195–1207. Finally we study a class of blocking sets, called linear, proving that many of the known examples of blocking sets are of this type, and we construct an example in PG(3, q ²). Moreover, a new example of minimal blocking set of the Desarguesian projective plane, which is linear, has been constructed by P. Polito and O. Polverino.     

Cyclic Difference Packing and Covering Arrays

Let n and k be positive integers. Let C_q be a cyclic group of order q. A cyclic difference packing (covering) array, or a CDPA(k, n; q) (CDCA(k, n; q)), is a k × n array (a_ij) with entries a_ij (0 ≤ i ≤ k−1, 0 ≤ j ≤ n−1) from C_q such that, for any two rows t and h (0 ≤ t < h ≤ k−1), every element of C_q occurs in the difference list at most (at least) once. When q is even, then n ≤ q−1 if a CDPA(k, n; q) with k ≥ 3 exists, and n ≥ q+1 if a CDCA(k, n; q) with k ≥ 3 exists. It is proved that a CDCA(4, q+1; q) exists for any even positive integers, and so does a CDPA(4, q−1; q) or a CDPA(4, q−2; q). The result is established, for the most part, by means of a result on cyclic difference matrices with one hole, which is of interest in its own right.     

The Fine Structure of the n-Widths of H-Spaces in Lq(−1, 1)

The n-widths of the unit ball A_p of the Hardy space H^p in L_q( −1, 1) are determined asymptotically. It is shown that for 1 ≤ q < p ≤∞ there exist constants k₁ and k₂ such that [formula]≤ d_n(A_p, L_q(−1, 1)),dⁿ(A_p, L_q(−1, 1)), δ_n(A_p, L_q(−1, 1))[formula]where d_n, dⁿ, and δ_n denote the Kolmogorov, Gel′fand and linear n-widths, respectively. This result is an improvement of estimates previously obtained by Burchard and Höllig and by the author.     

On Semi-Pseudo-Ovoids

In this paper we introduce semi-pseudo-ovoids, as generalizations of the semi-ovals and semi-ovoids. Examples of these objects are particular classes of SPG-reguli and some classes of m-systems of polar spaces. As an application it is proved that the axioms of pseudo-ovoid O(n,2n,q) in PG(4n−1,q) can be considerably weakened and further a useful and elegant characterization of SPG-reguli with the polar property is given.Research Assistant of the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen)     

Ovoids and spreads of finite classical polar spaces

LetP be a finite classical polar space of rankr, r2. An ovoidO ofP is a pointset ofP, which has exactly one point in common with every totally isotropic subspace of rankr. It is proved that the polar spaceW _n (q) arising from a symplectic polarity ofPG(n, q), n odd andn > 3, that the polar spaceQ(2n, q) arising from a non-singular quadric inPG(2n, q), n > 2 andq even, that the polar space Q^–(2n + 1,q) arising from a non-singular elliptic quadric inPG(2n + 1,q), n > 1, and that the polar spaceH(n,q ²) arising from a non-singular Hermitian variety inPG(n, q ²)n even andn > 2, have no ovoids.LetS be a generalized hexagon of ordern (1). IfV is a pointset of order n³ + 1 ofS, such that every two points are at distance 6, thenV is called an ovoid ofS. IfH(q) is the classical generalized hexagon arising fromG ₂ (q), then it is proved thatH(q) has an ovoid iffQ(6, q) has an ovoid. There follows thatQ(6, q), q=3^2h+1, has an ovoid, and thatH(q), q even, has no ovoid.A regular system of orderm onH(3,q ²) is a subsetK of the lineset ofH(3,q ²), such that through every point ofH(3,q ²) there arem (> 0) lines ofK. B. Segre shows that, ifK exists, thenm=q + 1 or (q + l)/2.If m=(q + l)/2,K is called a hemisystem. The last part of the paper gives a very short proof of Segre's result. Finally it is shown how to construct the 4-(11, 5, 1) design out of the hemisystem with 56 lines (q=3).     

On an infinite series of Abel occurring in the theory of interpolation

The purpose of this paper is to show that for a certain class of functions f which are analytic in the complex plane possibly minus (−∞, −1], the Abel series f(0) + Σ_{n = 1}^∞ f⁽ⁿ⁾(nβ) z(z − nβ)^{n − 1}/n! is convergent for all β>0. Its sum is an entire function of exponential type and can be evaluated in terms of f. Furthermore, it is shown that the Abel series of f for small β>0 approximates f uniformly in half-planes of the form Re(z) − 1 + δ, δ>0. At the end of the paper some special cases are discussed.     

Linear spaces withn + n + 2lines

It is shown that every non-degenerate linear space withn² + n + 2lines,n ≥ 6, hasv n² + 1 − epoints, whereeis the unique positive real number withn =½e(e + 1). For values ofnfor whicheis an integer, it is shown that the linear spaces withn² + 1 − epoints andn² + n + 2lines are related to symmetric divisible designs.     

Primitive polynomial with three coefficients prescribed

The authors proved in Fan and Han (Finite Field Appl., in press) that, for any given (a₁,a₂,a₃)F_q³, there exists a primitive polynomial f(x)=xⁿ−σ₁xⁿ⁻¹++(−1)ⁿσ_n over F_q of degree n with the first three coefficients σ₁,σ₂,σ₃ prescribed as a₁,a₂,a₃ when n8. But the methods in Fan and Han (in press) are not effective for the case of n=7. Mills (Existence of primitive polynomials with three coefficients prescribed, J. Algebra Number Theory Appl., in press) resolves the n=7 case for finite fields of characteristic at least 5. In this paper, we deal with the remaining cases and prove that there exists a primitive polynomial of degree 7 over F_q with the first three coefficient prescribed where the characteristic of F_q is 2 or 3.