Cyclic caps in PG(3,q)

This article investigates cyclic completek-caps in PG(3,q). Namely, the different types of completek-capsK in PG(3,q) stabilized by a cyclic projective groupG of orderk, acting regularly on the points ofK, are determined. We show that in PG(3,q),q even, the elliptic quadric is the only cyclic completek-cap. Forq odd, it is shown that besides the elliptic quadric, there also exist cyclick-caps containingk/2 points of two disjoint elliptic quadrics or two disjoint hyperbolic quadrics and that there exist cyclick-caps stabilized by a transitive cyclic groupG fixing precisely one point and one plane of PG(3,q). Concrete examples of such caps, found using AXIOM and CAYLEY, are presented.     

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).     

Proper 2-Covers of PG(3,q), q Even

A k-cover of =PG(3q) is a set S of lines of such that every point is on exactly k lines of S. S is proper if it contains no spread. The existence of proper k-covers of is necessary for the existence of maximal partial packings of q ²+q+1–k spreads of . Here we give the first construction of proper 2-packings of PG(3,q) with q even; for q odd these have been constructed by Ebert.     

A Characterization of the Complement of a Hyperbolic Quadric in PG (3, q), for q Odd

The incidence structure NQ⁺(3, q) has points the points not on a non-degenerate hyperbolic quadric Q⁺(3, q) in PG(3, q), and its lines are the lines of PG(3, q) not containing a point of Q⁺(3, q). It is easy to show that NQ⁺(3, q) is a partial linear space of order (q, q(q−1)/2). If q is odd, then moreover NQ⁺(3, q) satisfies the property that for each non-incident point line pair (x,L), there are either (q−1)/2 or (q+1)/2 points incident with L that are collinear with x. A partial linear space of order (s, t) satisfying this property is called a ((q−1)/2,(q+1)/2)-geometry. In this paper, we will prove the following characterization of NQ⁺(3,q). Let S be a ((q−1)/2,(q+1)/2)-geometry fully embedded in PG(n, q), for q odd and q>3. Then S = NQ⁺(3, q).     

Maximal partial spreads in PG (3, q)

We transfer the whole geometry of PG(3, q) over a non-singular quadric Q_4,q of PG(4, q) mapping suitably PG(3, q) over Q_4,q. More precisely the points of PG(3, q) are the lines of Q_4,q; the lines of PG(3, q) are the tangent cones of Q_4,q and the reguli of the hyperbolic quadrics hyperplane section of Q_4,q. A plane of PG(3, q) is the set of lines of Q_4,q meeting a fixed line of Q_4,q. We remark that this representation is valid also for a projective space over any field K and we apply the above representation to construct maximal partial spreads in PG(3, q). For q even we get new cardinalities for For q odd the cardinalities are partially known.     

The Classification of Projective Planes of Order q3 with Cone-Representations in PG (6, q)

The classification of cone-representations of projective planes of orderq ³ of index 3 and rank 4 (and so in PG(6,^q)) is completed. Any projective plane with a non-spread representation (being a cone-representation of the second kind) is a dual generalised Desarguesian translation plane, as found by Jha and Johnson, and conversely. Indeed, given any collineation of PG(2,^q) with no fixed points, there exists such a projective plane of order q³ , where q is a prime power, that has the second kind of cone-representation of index 3 and rank 4 in PG(6,q). An associated semifield plane of order q ³ is also constructed at most points of the plane. Although Jha and Johnson found this plane before, here we can show directly the geometrical connection between these two kinds of planes.     

Cameron-Liebler line classes in PG (3,q)

A Cameron-Liebler line class is a set L of lines in PG(3, q) for which there exists a number x such that |LS|=x for all spreads S. There are many equivalent properties: Theorem 1 lists eight. This paper classifies Cameron-Liebler line classes with x4 (with two exceptions). It is also shown that the study of Cameron-Liebler line classes is equivalent to the study of weighted sets of points in PG(3, q) with two weights on lines.     

On sizes of complete caps in projective spaces PG(n, q) and arcs in planes PG(2, q)

More than thirty new upper bounds on the smallest size t ₂(2, q) of a complete arc in the plane PG(2, q) are obtained for (169 ≤ q ≤ 839. New upper bounds on the smallest size t ₂(n, q) of the complete cap in the space PG(n, q) are given for n = 3 and 25 ≤ q ≤ 97, q odd; n = 4 and q = 7, 8, 11, 13, 17; n = 5 and q = 5, 7, 8, 9; n = 6 and q = 4, 8. The bounds are obtained by computer search for new small complete arcs and caps. New upper bounds on the largest size m ₂(n, q) of a complete cap in PG(n, q) are given for q = 4, n = 5, 6, and q = 3, n = 7, 8, 9. The new lower bound 534 ≤ m ₂(8, 3) is obtained by finding a complete 534-cap in PG(8, 3). Many new sizes of complete arcs and caps are obtained. The updated tables of upper bounds for t ₂(n, q), n ≥ 2, and of the spectrum of known sizes for complete caps are given. Interesting complete caps in PG(3, q) of large size are described. A proof of the construction of complete caps in PG(3, 2 ^h ) announced in previous papers is given; this is modified from a construction of Segre. In PG(2, q), for q = 17, δ = 4, and q = 19, 27, δ = 3, we give complete ${(\frac{1}{2}(q + 3) + \delta)}$ -arcs other than conics that share ${\frac{1}{2}(q + 3)}$ points with an irreducible conic. It is shown that they are unique up to collineation. In PG(2, q), ${{q \equiv 2}}$ (mod 3) odd, we propose new constructions of ${\frac{1}{2} (q + 7)}$ -arcs and show that they are complete for q ≤ 3701.     

Association schemes from the action of PGL(2, q) fixing a nonsingular conic in PG(2, q)

The group PGL(2,q) has an embedding into PGL(3,q) such that it acts as the group fixing a nonsingular conic in PG(2,q). This action affords a coherent configuration (q) on the set (q) of non-tangent lines of the conic. We show that the relations can be described by using the cross-ratio. Our results imply that the restrictions ₊(q) and ₋(q) of (q) to the set ₊(q) of secant (hyperbolic) lines and to the set ₋(q) of exterior (elliptic) lines, respectively, are both association schemes; moreover, we show that the elliptic scheme ₋(q) is pseudocyclic.We further show that the coherent configurations (q ²) with q even allow certain fusions. These provide a 4-class fusion of the hyperbolic scheme ₊(q ²), and 3-class fusions and 2-class fusions (strongly regular graphs) of both schemes ₊(q ²) and ₋(q ²). The fusion results for the hyperbolic case are known, but our approach here as well as our results in the elliptic case are new.     

A characterisation of tangent subplanes of PG(2, q 3)

In “Barwick and Jackson (Finite Fields Appl. 18:93–107 2012)”, the authors determine the representation of Order-q-subplanes s and order-q-sublines of PG(2, q ³) in the Bruck–Bose representation in PG(6, q). In particular, they showed that an Order-q-subplanes of PG(2, q ³) corresponds to a certain ruled surface in PG(6, q). In this article we show that the converse holds, namely that any ruled surface satisfying the required properties corresponds to a tangent Order-q-subplanes of PG(2, q ³).     

Blocking sets in PG(2, q n ) from cones of PG(2n, q)

Let Ω and be a subset of Σ = PG(2n−1,q) and a subset of PG(2n,q) respectively, with Σ ⊂ PG(2n,q) and . Denote by K the cone of vertex Ω and base and consider the point set B defined by

Caps in PG(n,q),q even,n⩾3

Letm′₂(3,q) be the largest value ofk(k<q ²+1) for which there exists a completek-cap in PG(3,q),q even. In this paper, the known upper bound onm′₂(3,q) is improved. We also describe a number of intervals, fork, for which there does not exist a completek-cap in PG(3,q),q even. These results are then used to improve the known upper bounds on the number of points of a cap in PG(n, q),q even,n?4.     

A spectrum result on minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes of PG(3, q), q odd

This article presents a spectrum result on minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes of PG(3, q), q odd. We prove that for every integer k in an interval of, roughly, size [q ²/4, 3q ²/4], there exists such a minimal blocking set of size k in PG(3, q), q odd. A similar result on the spectrum of minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes of PG(3, q), q even, was presented in Rößing and Storme (Eur J Combin 31:349–361, 2010). Since minimal blocking sets with respect to the planes in PG(3, q) are tangency sets, they define maximal partial 1-systems on the Klein quadric Q ⁺(5, q), so we get the same spectrum result for maximal partial 1-systems of lines on the Klein quadric Q ⁺(5, q), q odd.     

Partitioning the complement of a simplex in PG(e,qd+1) into copies of PG(d,q)

In some projective spaces the complement of a simplex can be partitioned into disjoint copies of a higher or lower dimensional projective space of a different order. More precisely, let d and e be positive integers with e 2. We exhibit an embedding of PG(d,q) in PG(e,q^d+1) and show that the complement of a simplex in PG(e,q^d+1) may be partitioned into disjoint copies of embedded PG(d,q)'s, Each embedded PG(d,q) spans PG(e,q^d+1) whenever d e. These results are also true for PG(d,F) and PG(e,K) for infinite fields for which deg_F K=d+1 and the field extension is normal, separable, and cyclic.This research was supported in part by Grant Number A8027, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

Commuting polarities and maximal partial ovoids of H(4,q2)

In PG(4,q²), q odd, let Q(4,q²) be a non‐singular quadric commuting with a non‐singular Hermitian variety H(4,q²). Then these varieties intersect in the set of points covered by the extended generators of a non‐singular quadric Q₀ in a Baer subgeometry Σ₀ of PG(4,q²). It is proved that any maximal partial ovoid of H(4,q²) intersecting Q₀ in an ovoid has size at least 2(q²+1). Further, given an ovoid O of Q₀, we construct maximal partial ovoids of H(4,q²) of size q³+1 whose set of points lies on the hyperbolic lines 〈P,X〉 where P is a fixed point of O and X varies in O\{P}. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 307–313, 2009     

On (q 2 + q + 2, q + 2)-arcs in the Projective Plane PG(2, q)

A (k,n)-arc in PG(2,q) is usually defined to be a set of k points in the plane such that some line meets in n points but such that no line meets in more than n points. There is an extensive literature on the topic of (k,n)-arcs. Here we keep the same definition but allow to be a multiset, that is, permit to contain multiple points. The case k=q ²+q+2 is of interest because it is the first value of k for which a (k,n)-arc must be a multiset. The problem of classifying (q ²+q+2,q+2)-arcs is of importance in coding theory, since it is equivalent to classifying 3-dimensional q-ary error-correcting codes of length q ²+q+2 and minimum distance q ². Indeed, it was the coding theory problem which provided the initial motivation for our study. It turns out that such arcs are surprisingly rich in geometric structure. Here we construct several families of (q ²+q+2,q+2)-arcs as well as obtain some bounds and non-existence results. A complete classification of such arcs seems to be a difficult problem.     

The determination of ovoids of PG(3,q) containing a pointed conic

It is shown that if a plane of PG(3,q),q even, meets an ovoid in a pointed conic, then eitherq=4 and the ovoid is an elliptic quadric, orq=8 and the ovoid is a Tits ovoid.     

On the Internal Nuclei of Sets in PG(n,q), q is Odd

In PG(2,q) it is well known that if k is close to q, then any k-arc is contained in a conic. The internal nuclei of a point set form an arc. In this article it is proved that for q odd the above bound on the number of points could be lowered to (or even less), if the arc is obtained as the set of internal nuclei of some point set of proper size. Using this result the internal nuclei of point sets of size q + 1 will be studied in higher dimensional spaces, and an application will be presented to so-called threshold schemes.     

Unitals of PG(2,q2) Containing Conics

A unital in PG(2, q²) is a set of points such that each line meets in 1 or points. The well‐known example is the classical unital consisting of all absolute points of a unitary polarity of PG(2, q²). Unitals other than the classical one also exist in PG(2, q²) for every . Actually, all known unitals are of Buekenhout–Metz type [see F. Buekenhout, Geom Dedicata 5 (1976), 189–194, R. Metz, Geom Dedicata 8 (1979), 125–126.], and they can be obtained by a construction due to F. Buekenhout, (Geom Dedicata 5 (1976), 189–194).. The unitals constructed by R. D. Baker and G. L. Ebert (J Combin Theory Ser A 60 (1992), 67–84), and independently by J. W. P. Hirschfeld and T. Sz?nyi (Discrete Math 97 (1991), 229–242), are the union of q conics. Our Theorem  1.1 shows that this geometric property characterizes the Baker–Ebert–Hirschfeld–Sz?nyi unitals. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Combin. Designs 21: 101–111, 2013     

Multiple Blocking Sets in PG(n, q), n > 3

This article discusses minimal s-fold blocking sets B in PG (n, q), q = p^h, p prime, q > 661, n > 3, of size |B| > sq + c ^p q ^2/3 - (s - 1) (s - 2)/2 (s > min (c ^p q ^1/6, q ^1/4/2)). It is shown that these s-fold blocking sets contain the disjoint union of a collection of s lines and/or Baer subplanes. To obtain these results, we extend results of Blokhuis–Storme–Szönyi on s-fold blocking sets in PG(2, q) to s-fold blocking sets having points to which a multiplicity is given. Then the results in PG(n, q), n 3, are obtained using projection arguments. The results of this article also improve results of Hamada and Helleseth on codes meeting the Griesmer bound.