The six semifield planes associated with a semifield flock

In 1965 Knuth (J. Algebra 2 (1965) 182) noticed that a finite semifield was determined by a 3-cube array (a_ijk) and that any permutation of the indices would give another semifield. In this article we explain the geometrical significance of these permutations. It is known that a pair of functions (f,g) where f and g are functions from GF(q) to GF(q) with the property that f and g are linear over some subfield and g(x)²+4xf(x) is a non-square for all x∈GF(q)∗, q odd, give rise to certain semifields, one of which is commutative of rank 2 over its middle nucleus, one of which arises from a semifield flock of the quadratic cone, and another that comes from a translation ovoid of Q(4,q). We show that there are in fact six non-isotopic semifields that can be constructed from such a pair of functions, which will give rise to six non-isomorphic semifield planes, unless (f,g) are of linear type or of Dickson-Kantor-Knuth type. These six semifields fall into two sets of three semifields related by Knuth operations.     

Symplectic semifield spreads of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PG</Emphasis>(5, <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>) and the veronese surface

In this paper we show that starting from a symplectic semifield spread S{\mathcal{S}} of PG(5, q), q odd, another symplectic semifield spread of PG(5, q) can be obtained, called the symplectic dual of S{\mathcal{S}}, and we prove that the symplectic dual of a Desarguesian spread of PG(5, q) is the symplectic semifield spread arising from a generalized twisted field. Also, we construct a new symplectic semifield spread of PG(5, q) (q = s ², s odd), we describe the associated commutative semifield and deal with the isotopy issue for this example. Finally, we determine the nuclei of the commutative pre-semifields constructed by Zha et al. (Finite Fields Appl 15(2):125–133, 2009).     

Near-MDS codes arising from algebraic curves

Every elliptic quartic Γ₄ of PG(3,q) with nGF(q)-rational points provides a near-MDS code C of length n and dimension 4 such that the collineation group of Γ₄ is isomorphic to the automorphism group of C. In this paper we assume that GF(q) has characteristic p>3. We classify the linear collineation groups of PG(3,q) which can preserve an elliptic quartic of PG(3,q). Also, we prove for q?113 that if the j-invariant of Γ₄ does not disappear, then C cannot be extended in a natural way by adding a point of PG(3,q) to Γ₄.     

Complete Spans on Hermitian Varieties

Let L be a general linear complex in PG(3, q) for any prime power q. We show that when GF(q) is extended to GF(q ²), the extended lines of L cover a non-singular Hermitian surface H ? H(3, q ²) of PG(3, q ²). We prove that if Sis any symplectic spread PG(3, q), then the extended lines of this spread form a complete (q ² + 1)-span of H. Several other examples of complete spans of H for small values of q are also discussed. Finally, we discuss extensions to higher dimensions, showing in particular that a similar construction produces complete (q ³ + 1)-spans of the Hermitian variety H(5, q ²).     

A Hamada type characterization of the classical geometric designs

The dimension of a combinatorial design ${{\mathcal D}}$ over a finite field F = GF(q) was defined in (Tonchev, Des Codes Cryptogr 17:121–128, 1999) as the minimum dimension of a linear code over F that contains the blocks of ${{\mathcal D}}$ as supports of nonzero codewords. There it was proved that, for any prime power q and any integer n ≥ 2, the dimension over F of a design ${{\mathcal D}}$ that has the same parameters as the complement of a classical point-hyperplane design PG _n-1(n, q) or AG _n-1(n, q) is greater than or equal to n + 1, with equality if and only if ${{\mathcal D}}$ is isomorphic to the complement of the classical design. It is the aim of the present paper to generalize this Hamada type characterization of the classical point-hyperplane designs in terms of associated codes over F = GF(q) to a characterization of all classical geometric designs PG _d (n, q), where 1 ≤ d ≤ n ? 1, in terms of associated codes defined over some extension field E?=?GF(q ^t ) of F. In the affine case, we conjecture an analogous result and reduce this to a purely geometric conjecture concerning the embedding of simple designs with the parameters of AG _d (n, q) into PG(n, q). We settle this problem in the affirmative and thus obtain a Hamada type characterization of AG _d (n, q) for d = 1 and for d > (n ? 2)/2.     

On an Isomorphism Problem of Some Dual Hyperovals in PG(2d + 1, q) with q even

Let q = 2^l with l≥ 1 and d ≥ 2. We prove that any automorphism of the d-dimensional dual hyperoval over GF(q), constructed in [3] for any (d + 1)-dimensional GF(q)-vector subspace V in GF(qⁿ) with n≥ d + 1 and for any generator σ of the Galois group of GF(qⁿ) over GF(q), always fixes the special member X(∞). Moreover, we prove that, in case V = GF(q^d+1), two dual hyperovals and in PG(2d + 1,q), where σ and τ are generators of the Galois group of GF(q^d+1) over GF(q), are isomorphic if and only if (1) σ = τ or (2) σ τ = id. Therefore, we have proved that, even in the case q > 2, there exist non isomorphic d-dimensional dual hyperovals in PG(2d + 1,q) for d ≥ 3.     

A remark on symplectic spreads

We first note that each element of a symplectic spread of PG(2n − 1, 2 ^r ) either intersects a suitable nonsingular quadric in a subspace of dimension n − 2 or is contained in it, then we prove that this property characterises symplectic spreads of PG(2n − 1, 2 ^r ). As an application, we show that a translation plane of order q ⁿ , q even, with kernel containing GF(q), is defined by a symplectic spread if and only if it contains a maximal arc of the type constructed by Thas (Europ J Combin 1:189–192, 1980).     

Blocking sets and semifields

We find a relationship between semifield spreads of PG(3,q), small Rédei minimal blocking sets of PG(2,q²), disjoint from a Baer subline of a Rédei line, and translation ovoids of the hermitian surface H(3,q²).     

Crooked binomials

A function f : GF(2 ^r ) → GF(2 ^r ) is called crooked if the sets {f(x) + f(x + a)|x ∈ GF(2 ^r )} is an affine hyperplane for any nonzero a ∈ GF(2 ^r ). We prove that a crooked binomial function f(x) = x ^d + ux ^e defined on GF(2 ^r ) satisfies that both exponents d, e have 2-weights at most 2.      

Factorization of Q(h(T)(x)) over a finite field where Q(x) is irreducible and h(T)(x) is linear—I

Let GF(q) be the finite field of order q, let Q(x) be an irreducible polynomial in GF(q)(x), and let h(T)(x) be a linear polynomial in GF(q)[x], where T:x→x^q. We use properties of the linear operator h(T) to give conditions for Q(h(T)(x)) to have a root of arbitrary degree k over GF(q), and we describe how to count the irreducible factors of Q(h(T)(x)) of degree k over GF(q). In addition we compare our results with those Ore which count the number of irreducible factors belonging to a linear polynomial having index k.     

Recent results on designs with classical parameters

We report on recent results concerning designs with the same parameters as the classical geometric designs PG _d (n, q) formed by the points and d-dimensional subspaces of the n-dimensional projective space PG(n, q) over the field GF(q) with q elements, where 1 ???d ???n?1. The corresponding case of designs with the same parameters as the classical geometric designs AG _d (n, q) formed by the points and d-dimensional subspaces of the n-dimensional affine space AG(n, q) will also be discussed, albeit in less detail.     

k-Arcs,Hyperovals, Partial Flocks and Flocks

Some recent results on k-arcs and hyperovals of PG(2,q),on partial flocks and flocks of quadratic cones of PG(3,q),and on line spreads in PG(3,q) are surveyed. Also,there is an appendix on how to use Veronese varieties as toolsin proving theorems.     

On the diophantine equation y2 = 4qn + 4q + 1

It is known that a certain class of [n, k] codes over GF(q) is related to the diophantine equation y² = 4qⁿ + 4q + 1 (1). In Parts I and II of this paper, two different, and in a certain sense complementary, methods of approach to (1) are discussed and some results concerning (1) are given as applications. A typical result is that the only solutions to (1) are (y, n) = (5, 1), (7, 2), (11, 3) when q = 3 and (y, n) = (2q + 1, 2) when q = 3^f, f >- 2.     

Elementary proofs of two fundamental theorems of B. Segre without using the Hasse-Weil theorem

An interesting bound on the number of points of a plane algebraic curve C of PG(2, q) is obtained, without using the deep theorem of Hasse-Weil. This bound is used to prove a well-known theorem by Segre on complete k arcs in PG(2, q), q even.     

Singular (k,n − k) boundary value problems between conjugate and right focal

For 1 ⩽k⩽n − 1 and 0 ⩽q⩽k − 1, solutions are obtained for the boundary value problem, (−1)^n−k = f(x,y), y⁽ⁱ⁾=0, 0⩽i⩽k − 1, and y⁽ⁱ⁾ = 0, q⩽j⩽n − k + q − 1, where f(x,y) is singular at y = 0. An application is made of a fixed point theorem for operators that are decreasing with respect to a cone.     

On the Geometry of Hermitian Matrices of Order Three Over Finite Fields

Some geometry of Hermitian matrices of order three over GF(q²) is studied. The variety coming from rank 2 matrices is a cubic hypersurface M₇³of PG(8,q ) whose singular points form a variety H corresponding to all rank 1 Hermitian matrices. BesideM₇³ turns out to be the secant variety of H. We also define the Hermitian embedding of the point-set of PG(2, q²) whose image is exactly the variety H. It is a cap and it is proved that PGL(3, q²) is a subgroup of all linear automorphisms of H. Further, the Hermitian lifting of a collineation of PG(2, q²) is defined. By looking at the point orbits of such lifting of a Singer cycle of PG(2, q²) new mixed partitions of PG(8,q ) into caps and linear subspaces are given.     

On Maximal Partial Spreads in PG(n, q)

In this paper we construct maximal partial spreads in PG(3, q) which are a log q factor larger than the best known lower bound. For n ≥ 5 we also construct maximal partial spreads in PG(n, q) of each size between cnq ^{n ? 2} log q and c′ q ^{n ? 1}.     

Bilinear flocks

A flock in PG(3, q) is a set of q planes which do not contain the vertex of a cone and have the property that the intersections of the planes of the flock with the cone partition the points of the cone except for the vertex. In this paper, we examine flocks, called bilinear flocks, where the planes of the flock pass through at least one of two distinct lines, called supporting lines in PG(3, q). We classify and provide examples of cones that admit bilinear flocks whose supporting lines intersect in PG(3, q). We also examine bilinear flocks whose supporting lines are skew, providing an example and also showing that this situation can not occur under certain conditions.     

Blocking Sets and Derivable Partial Spreads

We prove that a GF(q)-linear Rédei blocking set of size q ^t + q ^t–1 + ··· + q + 1 of PG(2,q ^t) defines a derivable partial spread of PG(2t – 1, q). Using such a relationship, we are able to prove that there are at least two inequivalent Rédei minimal blocking sets of size q ^t + q ^t–1 + ··· + q + 1 in PG(2,q ^t), if t 4.     

Quadratic residues and character sums over fields of square order

The modified Jacobsthal sum Σ_{x ∈ GF^?(q²)}χ(x^{2(q ? 1)} + α) is estimated yielding a classification of the α in GF(q²) for which ξ + α is always a non-square (or a non-zero square) for all $\text{1}\text{2}\text{(q + 1)}\text{th}$ roots of unity ξ. The motivation is that this provides every member of a new family of projective planes constructed by M. J. Ganley.