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.     

Classification of maximal caps in PG(3,5) different from elliptic quadrics

Ak-cap in PG(3,q) is a set of k points, no three of which are collinear. A k-cap is calledcomplete if it is not contained in a (k+1)-cap. The maximum valuem ₂(3, q) ofk for which there exists a k-cap in PG(3,q) is q²+1. Letm ₂(3, q) denote the size of the second largest complete k-cap in PG(3,q). This number is only known for the smallest values of q, namely for q=2, 3,4 (cf. [2], pp. 96–97 and [3], p. 303). In this paper we show thatm ₂(3,5)=20. We also prove that there are, up to isomorphism, only two complete 20-caps in PG(3,5) and determine their collineation groups.In memoriam Giuseppe TalliniWork done within the activity of GNSAGA of CNR and supported by MURST.     

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.     

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 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.     

Types of superregular matrices and the number of n‐arcs and complete n‐arcs in PG (r,q)

Based on the classification of superregular matrices, the numbers of non‐equivalent n‐arcs and complete n‐arcs in PG(r, q) are determined (i) for 4 ≤ q ≤ 19, 2 ≤ r ≤ q ? 2 and arbitrary n, (ii) for 23 ≤ q ≤ 32, r = 2 and n ≥ q ? 8<$>. The equivalence classes over both PGL (k, q) and PΓL(k, q) are considered throughout the examinations and computations. For the classification, an n‐arc is represented by the systematic generator matrix of the corresponding MDS code, without the identity matrix part of it. A rectangular matrix like this is superregular, i.e., it has only non‐singular square submatrices. Four types of superregular matrices are studied and the non‐equivalent superregular matrices of different types are stored in databases. Some particular results on t(r, q) and m′(r, q)—the smallest and the second largest size for complete arcs in PG(r, q)—are also reported, stating that m′(2, 31) = 22, m′(2, 32) = 24, t(3, 23) = 10, and m′(3, 23) = 16. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 14: 363–390, 2006     

Small point sets of PG(n, q 3) intersecting each k-subspace in 1 mod q points

The main result of this paper is that point sets of PG(n, q ³), q = p ^h , p ≥ 7 prime, of size less than 3(q ^3(n?k) + 1)/2 intersecting each k-space in 1 modulo q points (these are always small minimal blocking sets with respect to k-spaces) are linear blocking sets. As a consequence, we get that minimal blocking sets of PG(n, p ³), p ≥ 7 prime, of size less than 3(p ^3(n?k) + 1)/2 with respect to k-spaces are linear. We also give a classification of small linear blocking sets of PG(n, q ³) which meet every (n ? 2)-space in 1 modulo q points.     

On a set of lines of PG(3, q) corresponding to a maximal cap contained in the Klein quadric of PG (5, q)

The problem is considered of constructing a maximal set of lines, with no three in a pencil, in the finite projective geometry PG(3, q) of three dimensions over GF(q). (A pencil is the set of q+1 lines in a plane and passing through a point.) It is found that an orbit of lines of a Singer cycle of PG(3, q) gives a set of size q ³ + q ² + q + 1 which is definitely maximal in the case of q odd. A (q ³ + q ² + q + 1)-cap contained in the hyperbolic (or Klein) quadric of PG(5, q) also comes from the construction. (A k-cap is a set of k points with no three in a line.) This is generalized to give direct constructions of caps in quadrics in PG(5, q). For q odd and greater than 3 these appear to be the largest caps known in PG(5, q). In particular it is shown how to construct directly a large cap contained in the Klein quadric, given an ovoid skew to an elliptic quadric of PG(3, q). Sometimes the cap is also contained in an elliptic quadric of PG(5, q) and this leads to a set of q ³ + q ² + q + 1 lines of PG(3,q ²) contained in the non-singular Hermitian surface such that no three lines pass through a point. These constructions can often be applied to real and complex spaces.     

Conics and caps

In this article, we begin with arcs in PG(2, q ⁿ ) and show that they correspond to caps in PG(2n, q) via the André/Bruck?CBose representation of PG(2, q ⁿ ) in PG(2n, q). In particular, we show that a conic of PG(2, q ⁿ ) that meets ?_?? in x points corresponds to a (q ⁿ ?+?1 ? x)-cap in PG(2n, q). If x?=?0, this cap is the intersection of n quadrics. If x?=?1 or 2, this cap is contained in the intersection of n quadrics and we discuss ways of extending these caps. We also investigate the structure of the n quadrics.     

Some big sets of mutually disjoint subgeometries of PG(d, q t )

In PG(d, q ^t ) we construct a set ? of mutually disjoint subgeometries isomorphic to PG(d, q) almost partitioning the point set of PG(d, q ^t ) such that there is a group of collineations of PG(d, q ^t ) operating simultaneously as a Singer cycle on all elements of ?. In PG(t?1,q ^t ) we construct big subsets ? of ? whose elements are far away from each other in the following sense:

u

? If P ₁, P ₂ ∈ ? _k , then no point of P ₁ lies on ak-dimensional subspace of P ₂.

For example, we get a set ofq - 1 subplanes of orderq of PG(2,q ³) such that no point of one subplane lies on a line of another subplane, and such that no three points of three different subplanes are collinear.     

Double k-sets in symplectic generalized quadrangles

In classical projective geometry, a double six of lines consists of 12 lines ? ₁, ? ₂, . . . , ? ₆, m ₁, m ₂, . . . , m ₆ such that the ? _i are pairwise skew, the m _i are pairwise skew, and ? _i meets m _j if and only if i ≠ j. In the 1960s Hirschfeld studied this configuration in finite projective spaces PG(3, q) showing they exist for almost all values of q, with a couple of exceptions when q is too small. We will be considering double-k sets in the symplectic geometry W(q), which is constructed from PG(3, q) using an alternating bilinear form. This geometry is an example of a generalized quadrangle, which means it has the nice property that if we take any line ? and any point P not on ?, then there is exactly one line through P meeting ?. We will discuss all of this in detail, including all of the basic definitions needed to understand the problem, and give a result classifying which values of k and q allow us to construct a double k-set of lines in W(q).     

Linear independence in finite spaces

The maximum number m ₂(n, q) of points in PG(n, q), n2, such that no three are collinear is known precisely for (n, q)=(n,2), (2,q), (3,q), (4, 3), (5,3). In this paper an improved upper bound of order q ^n–1 –1/2q ^n–2 is obtained for q even when n4 and q>2. A necessary preliminary is an improved upper bound for m₂(3, q), the maximum size of a k-cap not contained in an ovoid. It is shown that and that m₂(3, 4)=14.     

On multiple caps in finite projective spaces

In this paper, we consider new results on (k, n)-caps with n > 2. We provide a lower bound on the size of such caps. Furthermore, we generalize two product constructions for (k, 2)-caps to caps with larger n. We give explicit constructions for good caps with small n. In particular, we determine the largest size of a (k, 3)-cap in PG(3, 5), which turns out to be 44. The results on caps in PG(3, 5) provide a solution to four of the eight open instances of the main coding theory problem for q = 5 and k = 4.     

On sets of type (q + 1, n)2 in finite three-dimensional projective spaces

It is proved that a k–set of type (q + 1, n)₂ in PG(3, q) either is a plane or it has size k ≥ (q + 1)² and a characterization of some sets of size (q + 1)² is given.     

Projective k-arcs and 2-level secret-sharing schemes

Motivated by applications to 2-level secret sharing schemes, we investigate k-arcs contained in a (q + 1)-arc Γ of PG(3, q), q even, which have only a small number of focuses on a real axis of Γ. Doing so, we also investigate hyperfocused and sharply focused arcs contained in a translation oval of PG(2, q).     

Cyclic Arcs in PG(2, q)

B.C. Kestenband [9], J.C. Fisher, J.W.P. Hirschfeld, and J.A. Thas [3], E. Boros, and T. Szönyi [1] constructed complete (q ² ? q + l)-arcs in PG(2, q ²), q ≥ 3. One of the interesting properties of these arcs is the fact that they are fixed by a cyclic protective group of order q ² ? q + 1. We investigate the following problem: What are the complete k-arcs in PG(2, q) which are fixed by a cyclic projective group of order k? This article shows that there are essentially three types of those arcs, one of which is the conic in PG(2, q), q odd. For the other two types, concrete examples are given which shows that these types also occur.     

On the relation of Cesàro summability to generalized (F α, q) summability

Standard special cases of the sequence-to-functionF (a, q)-transform of Meir4 admit of a more general, essentially more refined, characterization as theF ^k (a, q)-transform of the sequel, adapted from one of Faulhaber’s.1 The theorem proved,viz., that (F _{a, q} ^k) summability for sequences, corresponding to the latter transform, includes Cesàro summability of a positive integer order with a certain rapidity, applies to the standard special cases of (F _{α, q}) and (F _{a, q} ^k) summabilities which are, in famiiar notation, summabilities(E _p), (T _α), (S _β), (V _a) and (B _{α, γ}) whose further special case (B_{1, 1}) is Borel summability. The special cases of (V_1/2) and Borel summabilities go back to Hyslop.3     

On arcs sharing the maximum number of points with ovals in cyclic affine planes of odd order

The sporadic complete 12‐arc in PG(2, 13) contains eight points from a conic. In PG(2,q) with q>13 odd, all known complete k‐arcs sharing exactly ½(q+3) points with a conic 𝒞 have size at most ½(q+3)+2, with only two exceptions, both due to Pellegrino, which are complete (½(q+3)+3) arcs, one in PG(2, 19) and another in PG(2, 43). Here, three further exceptions are exhibited, namely a complete (½(q+3)+4)‐arc in PG(2, 17), and two complete (½(q+3)+3)‐arcs, one in PG(2, 27) and another in PG(2, 59). The main result is Theorem 6.1 which shows the existence of a (½(q^r+3)+3)‐arc in PG(2,q^r) with r odd and q≡3 (mod 4) sharing ½(q^r+3) points with a conic, whenever PG(2,q) has a (½(q^r+3)+3)‐arc sharing ½(q^r+3) points with a conic. A survey of results for smaller q obtained with the use of the MAGMA package is also presented. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 25–47, 2010     

Bicovering arcs and small complete caps from elliptic curves

Bicovering arcs in Galois affine planes of odd order are a powerful tool for the construction of complete caps in spaces of arbitrarily higher dimensions. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the arcs contained in elliptic cubic curves are bicovering. As a result, bicovering k-arcs in AG(2,q) of size k≤q/3 are obtained, provided that q?1 has a prime divisor m with 7<m<(1/8)q ^1/4. Such arcs produce complete caps of size kq ^(N?2)/2 in affine spaces of dimension N≡0(mod4). When q=p ^h with p prime and h≤8, these caps are the smallest known complete caps in AG(N,q), N≡0(mod4).     

Proof of a conjecture of Segre and Bartocci on monomial hyperovals in projective planes

The existence of certain monomial hyperovals D(x ^k ) in the finite Desarguesian projective plane PG(2, q), q even, is related to the existence of points on certain projective plane curves g _k (x, y, z). Segre showed that some values of k (k?=?6 and 2 ⁱ ) give rise to hyperovals in PG(2, q) for infinitely many q. Segre and Bartocci conjectured that these are the only values of k with this property. We prove this conjecture through the absolute irreducibility of the curves g _k .