A Class of Buekenhout Unitals in the Hall Plane

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

A Class of Buekenhout Unitals in the Hall Plane A class of Buekenhout unitals in the Hall plane S. G. Barwick Abstract Let U be the classical unital in PG(2;q2) secant to `1. By deriving PG(2;q2) with respect to a derivation set disjoint from U we obtain a new unital U 0 in the Hall plane of order q2. We show that this unital contains O'Nan configurations and is not isomorphic to the known unitals of the Hall plane, hence it forms a new class of unitals in the Hall plane. 1 Introduction A unital is a 2-(q3 +1;q+1; 1) design. A unital embedded in a projective plane of order q2 is a set U of q3 + 1 points such that every line of the plane meets U in 1 or q + 1 points. A line is a tangent line or a secant line of U if it contains 1 or q +1pointsofU respectively. A point of U lies on 1 tangent and q2 secant lines of U. A point not in U lies on q + 1 tangent lines and q2 − q secant lines of U. An example of a unital in PG(2;q2), the Desarguesian projective plane of order q2,istheclassical unital which consists of the absolute points and non-absolute lines of a unitary polarity. It is well known that the classical unital contains no O'Nan configurations, a configuration of four distinct lines meeting in six distinct points (a quadrilateral). In 1976 Buekenhout [4] proved the existence of unitals in all translation planes of dimension at most 2 over their kernel. 2 2 Let U be the classical unital in PG(2;q ) secant to `1.WederivePG(2;q )with respect to a derivation set disjoint from U.LetU 0 be the set of points of H(q2), Received by the editors November 1994 Communicated by J. Thas AMS Mathematics Subject Classification : 51E20. Keywords : Unitals, derivation, Hall planes. Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. 3 (1996), 113{124 114 S. G. Barwick the Hall plane of order q2, that corresponds to the point set of U. We prove the following results about U 0. A class of Buekenhout unitals in the Hall plane 115 0 0 2 Theorem 1 The set U forms a Buekenhout unital with respect to `1 in H(q ). Theorem 2 The unital U 0 contains no O'Nan configurations with two or three 0 0 vertices on `1.IfU contains an O'Nan configuration l1;l2;l3;l4 with one vertex 0 0 0 T = l1 \ l2 on `1, then the lines l1 = l1 \ U and l2 = l2 \ U are disjoint in PG(4;q). Theorem 3 If q>5, the unital U 0 contains O'Nan configurations. If H is a 0 0 0 point of U n `1 and l a secant of U through H that meets the classical derivation set, then there is an O'Nan configuration of U 0 that contains H and l. The only unitals previously investigated in the Hall plane is a class of Buekenhout 2 unitals found by Gr¨uning [5] by deriving PG(2;q ) with respect to U \`1.Weshow that the class of unitals U 0 is not isomorphic to Gr¨uning's unital and so forms a new class of unitals in H(q2). In [2] the Buekenhout and Buekenhout-Metz unitals of the Hall plane are studied. 2 Background Results We will make use of the Andr´e [1] and Bruck and Bose [3] representation of a translation plane P of dimension 2 over its kernel in PG(4;q). The results of this section are discussed in [6, Section 17.7]. Let Σ1 be a hyperplane of PG(4;q)and S aspreadofΣ1. The affine plane Pn`1 can be represented by the affine space PG(4;q) nΣ1 as follows: the points of Pn`1 are the points of PG(4;q) nΣ1,the lines of Pn`1 are the planes of PG(4;q)thatmeetΣ1 in a line of S and incidence is the natural inclusion. We complete the representation to a projective space by letting points of `1 correspond to lines of the spread S.NotethatP is Desarguesian if and only if the spread S is regular. We use the phrase a subspace of PG(4;q)nΣ1 to mean a subspace of PG(4;q) that is not contained in Σ1. Under this representation, Baer subplanes of P secant to `1 (that is, meeting `1 in q + 1 points) correspond to planes of PG(4;q) that are not contained in Σ1 and do not contain a line of the spread S. Baer sublines of P meeting `1 in a point T correspond to lines of PG(4;q) that meet Σ1 in a point of t, the line of S that corresponds to T . A Baer subplane tangent to `1 at T corresponds to a ruled cubic surface of PG(4;q)thatconsistsofq + 1 lines of PG(4;q)nΣ1, each incident with the line t of S and such that no two are contained in a plane about t,[9]. 2 Let U be the classical unital in PG(2;q ) secant to `1. Buekenhout [4] showed that the set of points U in PG(4;q) corresponding to U forms a non-singular quadric that meets the underlying spread in a regulus. If U is a unital of a translation plane P of dimension at most 2 over its kernel and U corresponds to a non-singular quadric of PG(4;q) that contains a regulus of the underlying spread, then U is called a Buekenhout unital with respect to `1. Note that the classical unital is Buekenhout with respect to any secant line. 2 2 Let PG(2;q ) be the Desarguesian plane of order q and let D = fT0;:::Tqg be 2 a derivation set of `1. Deriving PG(2;q ) with respect to D gives the Hall plane of order q2, H(q2)(see[8]).TheaffinepointsofH(q2) are the affine points of PG(2;q2). TheaffinelinesofH(q2) are the lines of PG(2;q2) not meeting D together with the 116 S. G. Barwick Baer subplanes of PG(2;q2)thatcontainD. The line at infinity of H(q2) consists 0 2 of the points of `1nD and q +1newpoints,D = fR0;:::;Rqg.IfwederiveH(q ) with respect to D0,wegetPG(2;q2). The Hall plane contains other derivation sets 0 0 2 of `1,wecallD the classical derivation set of H(q ). Let Σ1 be a hyperplane of PG(4;q)andletS be the regular spread of Σ1 that 2 generates PG(2;q ). Let R = ft0;:::;tqg be the regulus of S that corresponds to D. The spread S0 obtained from S by replacing the regulus R with its complementary 0 0 0 2 regulus R = fr0;:::;rqg (that is, S = SnR[R) generates the Hall plane H(q ). We use the following notation throughout this paper: we denote the lines at 2 2 0 infinity of PG(2;q )andH(q )by`1 and `1 respectively; if D is the derivation set used to derive PG(2;q2)togiveH(q2), then we denote by D0 the classical derivation 0 2 set of `1;inPG(4;q), we denote the spreads of Σ1 that generate PG(2;q )and 2 0 H(q )byS and S respectively. If T is a point of `1, we denote the corresponding line of the spread in PG(4;q)byt.LetU be the non-singular quadric of PG(4;q) that corresponds to U and U 0. 3 The Buekenhout unital 2 Let U be the classical unital in PG(2;q ) that is secant to `1. Derive the plane using a derivation set D that is disjoint from U.LetU 0 be the set of points in H(q2) that corresponds to the point set of U. Theorem 1 The set U 0 forms a unital in H(q2). Proof The set U 0 contains q3 +1 pointsof H(q2). We show that every line of H(q2) meets U 0 in either 1 or q +1 points, from which it follows that U 0 is a unital. Clearly 0 0 `1 meets U in q +1pointssince`1 meets U in q +1points. 2 0 Let l be a line of H(q )thatmeets`1 in the point T .IfT is not in the derivation set D0, then the points of l lie on a line of PG(2;q2)andsol contains 1 or q +1 points of U. Hence l contains 1 or q +1pointsofU 0. Suppose T is in the derivation set D0,thenT=2 U 0.LetU be the non-singular quadric of PG(4;q) that corresponds to U,thenU also corresponds to U 0.Letα be the plane that corresponds to the line l,soα \ Σ1 = t, the line of the spread corresponding to T .Nowα meets U in either a point, a line, a conic or two lines. If α \U contains a line, then t contains a point of U which is a contradiction as T=2 U 0.Thusα meets U in either 1 or q +1 pointsandsol meets U 0 in either 1 or q +1points.Notethatifl is secant to U 0, then the q +1pointsl \ U 0 are not collinear in PG(2;q2); they form a conic in the Baer subplane that corresponds to l and a (q +1)-arcofPG(2;q2). 2 The proof of this theorem shows in fact that U 0 is a Buekenhout unital with 0 2 0 respect to `1 in H(q ).
Recommended publications
  • Pedal Sets of Unitals in Projective Planes of Order 9 and 16
    SARAJEVO JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICS Vol.7 (20) (2011), 255{264 PEDAL SETS OF UNITALS IN PROJECTIVE PLANES OF ORDER 9 AND 16 VEDRAN KRCADINACˇ AND KSENIJA SMOLJAK Dedicated to the memory of Professor Svetozar Kurepa Abstract. Let U be a unital in a projective plane P. Given a point P 2 P n U, the points F 2 U such that FP is tangent to U are the feet of P , and the set of all such points is the pedal set of P . In this paper we study pedal sets of unitals embedded in projective planes of order 9 and 16. 1. Introduction A finite projective plane of order q can be defined as a block design with parameters (q2 + q + 1; q + 1; 1); that is, a finite incidence structure with q2 + q + 1 points, q + 1 points on every line, and a unique line through every pair of points. Similarly, a unital of order q is a (q3 +1; q +1; 1) block design. For more on finite projective planes we refer to the book [10], and for unitals to [2]. The most interesting unitals are the ones embedded in a projective plane P of order q2. In this setting a unital U is a set of q3 + 1 points of P with the property that every line of P meets U either in one point, or in q + 1 points. In the first case the line is tangent to U, and in the second case it is secant. The set of all tangents is a unital in the dual plane P∗, called the dual unital and denoted by U ∗.
    [Show full text]
  • Novem~Er 1963
    • ,UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA Department of Statistics Chapel Hill" N. C. THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSLATION PLANES FROM PROJECTIVE SPACES by R. H. Bruck, University of Wisconsin and R. C. Bose, University of North Carolina Novem~er 1963 National Science Foundation Grant No. GP 16-60 and AF-AFOSR-Grant Noo 84-63 Can eve.ry (non-Desarguest.. an) projee.,tJVe p~' ~ imbedded (in some natural, g~anet.ric ff.hion) in af1J8sarguesian) projective space? The Ite,titn is ne...WI~.ut .. ,trnp.. · ortant, for, if the answer is yes, tfo entirely SEijifia'Wt fields of re- search can be united~ 1his paper ;p~1des. conceptually simple geometric construction 1vh1dti',Y1elds an affirmative answer for a broad class of pla.uer. A plane 1t is given by the construction precisely when 1t is a translation p1ar1e with a coordinatizing :right Veblen-Wedderburn system which is finite-dimensional over its left-operator skew­ field. The condition is satisfied by all known translation planes, including all finite translation p1aneso This research was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant No. GP 16-60 and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grant No. 84-63. Institute of Statistics Mimeo Series No. 378 THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSLATION PLANES • FROM PROJECTIVE SPACES by l R. H. Bruck, University of Wisconsin and R. C. Bose, University of North Carolina1 --------~--------------------------------.---------------------------------------- 1. Introduction. One might say, with some justice, that projective geometry, in so far as present day research is concerned, has split into two qUite separate fields. On the one hand, the researcher into the foundations of geometry tends to regard Desarguesian spaces as completely known.
    [Show full text]
  • Enumeration of Nonsingular Buekenhout Unitals
    Enumeration of Nonsingular Buekenhout Unitals R. D. Baker, G. L. Ebert,∗ and K. L. Wantz August 25, 2009 Abstract The only known enumeration of Buekenhout unitals occurs in the Desarguesian plane PG(2, q2). In this paper we develop general tech- niques for enumerating the nonsingular Buekenhout unitals embedded in any two-dimensional translation plane, and apply these techniques to obtain such an enumeration in the regular nearfield planes, the odd-order Hall planes, and the flag-transitive affine planes. We also provide some computer data for small-order Andr´eplanes of index two and give partial results toward an enumeration in this case. 1 Introduction A unital is any 2–(n3 + 1, n + 1, 1) design, for some integer n > 2. We often refer to n as the order of the unital, even though this use of order is not the standard one used in design theory. The classical example is a Hermitian curve in the square-order Desarguesian plane PG(2, q2), where we take n = q and the blocks become the intersections of the Hermitian curve with its “secant” lines. This example is often called the classical unital. In general, a unital with n3 + 1 points which is contained in a projective plane of order n2 is called an embedded unital in that plane. While most unitals are not embedded (see [23], [7]), the embedded ones are certainly of most interest to finite geometers. There is currently no example of a square-order ∗Research partially supported by NSA grant H98230-09-1-0074 1 projective plane which has been proven not to contain a unital, at least as far as we know.
    [Show full text]
  • On N-Covers of PG (3,Q)
    30.3, q2 ON n-COVERS OF PG(3,q) AND RELATED STRUCTURES by Martin Glen Oxenham, B.Sc.(Hons.) (Adelaide) Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Adelaide Department of Pure Mathematics Novembel 1991 M'illumina d'immenso. Giuseppe Ungarettr, TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 SIGNED STATEMENT 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 11 CHAPTER l: PRELIMINARIES 12' 1.1 Finite lncidence Structures 12 1.2 Finite Linear Spaces 14 1.3 Finite Affine and Projective Spaces 16 1.4 k-Caps, Ovaloids and Ovoids in PG(n,q) 21 1.5 Finite Nets and Net Replacement 23 1.6 Hall Triple Systems and Finite Sperner Spaces 25 1.7 Blocking Sets of Finite Affine and Projective Planes 28 1.8 Spreads, Packings and Switching Sets in PG(n,q) 30 1.9 Phlcker Coordinates and the Klein Correspondence 34 1.10 Line Complexes of PG(3,q) 39 1.11 Generalised Quadrangles 43 1.12 Designs 46 CHAPTER ll: n-COVERS OF PG(3,q) 49 2.1 n-Covers of PG(3,q) 49 2.2 General Linear Complexes and Symplectic Spreads of PG(3,q) 52 2.3 Construction Techniques for Proper n-Covers of PG(3,q) 62 Page CHAPTER lll: REGULAR PARTIAL PACKINGS OF PG(3,q) AND PROPER n-COVERS OF PG(3,2) 80 3.1 The Uniqueness of the Proper 2-Cover of PG(3,2) 80 3.2 On a Representation of the Proper 2-Cover of PG(3,q) and a Classical Group lsomorphism 91 3.3 Regular Partial Packings of PG(3,q) and Blocking Sets of PG(2,q2) 98 3.4 On the Classification of the Proper n-Covers of PG(3,2), n ) 3 108 CHAPTER lV: QUASI-n-MULTIPLE DESIGNS AND n-COVERS OF PG(3,q) 124 4.1 Quasi-n-Multiple SpernerDesigns 124 4.2
    [Show full text]
  • A Non-Classical Unital of Order Four with Many Translations
    A non-classical unital of order four with many translations Theo Grundhofer¨ ∗ Markus J. Stroppely Hendrik Van Maldeghemz x Abstract We give a general construction for unitals of order q admitting an action of SU(2; q). The construction covers the classical hermitian unitals, Gruning’s¨ unitals in Hall planes and at least one unital of order four where the translation centers fill precisely one block. For the latter unital, we determine the full group of automorphisms and show that there are no group-preserving embeddings into (dual) translation planes of order 16. Mathematics Subject Classification: 51A10 51E21 05E20 Keywords: Design, unital, automorphism, translation, hermitian unital Introduction Let U = (U; ) be a unital of order q, and let Γ B Aut(U). For each point c U we B 2 consider the group Γ[c] of translations with center c, i.e., the set of all automorphisms of U fixing each block through c. We say that c is a translation center of U if Γ[c] is transitive on the set of points different from c on any block through c. The main result of [9] states that the unital U is classical (i.e., isomorphic to the hermi- tian unital corresponding to the field extension Fq2 =Fq) if it has non-collinear translation centers. Unitals with precisely one translation center seem to exist in abundance (we indicate several quite different classes of examples in Section 5 below). If there are two translation centers c and c0 then the orbit of c0 under Γ[c] fills the complement of c in the block joining c with c0.
    [Show full text]
  • Pappus Configurations in Finite Hall Affine Planes
    PAPPUS CONFIGURATIONS IN FINITE HALL AFFINE PLANES by Lorinda A.M. Leshock A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Summer 2020 © 2020 Lorinda A.M. Leshock All Rights Reserved PAPPUS CONFIGURATIONS IN FINITE HALL AFFINE PLANES by Lorinda A.M. Leshock Approved: Louis Rossi, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences Approved: John A. Pelesko, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Approved: Douglas J. Doren, Ph.D. Interim Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education and Dean of the Graduate College I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: Felix Lazebnik, Ph.D. Professor in charge of dissertation I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: Robert Coulter, Ph.D. Member of dissertation committee I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: Jason Williford, Ph.D. Member of dissertation committee I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
    [Show full text]
  • On Projective Planes by CAFER C¸ALIS¸KAN
    On Projective Planes by CAFER C¸ALIS¸KAN A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida May 2010 Copyright by CAFER C¸ALIS¸KAN 2010 ii Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor Spyros S. Magliveras. Without his expertise, never-ending support and guidance I could not have written this thesis. I also thank the members of my committee – Professors Ron C. Mullin, Lee Klingler and Rainer Steinwandt – who were more than generous with their expertise and precious time. A very special thanks goes to Heinrich Niederhausen, who has supported me in many ways. I would also like to use this opportunity to thank the faculty members and my colleagues at the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Florida Atlantic University. I would like to thank my family for all the support they provided and in particular, I must acknowledge my dearest, Burcu. Without her love and understanding, I would not have finished this manuscript. Boca Raton, Florida Cafer C¸alıs¸kan March 30th; 2010 iv Abstract Author: CAFER C¸ALIS¸KAN Title: On Projective Planes Institution: Florida Atlantic University Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Spyros S. Magliveras Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year: 2010 This work was motivated by the well-known question: “Does there exist a non- desarguesian projective plane of prime order?” For a prime p < 11, there is only the pap- pian plane of order p. Hence, such planes are indeed desarguesian.
    [Show full text]
  • PSL(3,Q) and PSU(3,Q) on PROJECTIVE PLANES of ORDER Q4
    1 G. ERIC MOORHOUSE PSL(3,q) AND PSU(3,q) ON PROJECTIVE PLANES OF ORDER q4 ABSTRACT.Letq = pm be an odd prime power. 4 ∼ We show that a projective plane Π of order q admitting a collineation group G = 2 PSL(3,q)orPSU(3,q), has a G-invariant Desarguesian subplane Π0 of order q or q re- spectively, and that G contains involutory homologies of Π (with possible exceptions for q = 3, 5 or11). 2 ∼ We also show that a projective plane Π of order q admitting a collineation group G = PSL(2,q)orPGL(2,q), has a G-invariant (q + 1)-arc or dual thereof, for most reasonably small odd q. Most of ourtools and techniques areknown, except seemingly forourresults con- cerning an abelian planar collineation group P of a projective plane Π. These results are applied here in each of the above situations for P aSylowp-subgroup of G, and presumably they will enjoy broader application. 1. RESULTS Let q = pm be a prime power, m ≥ 1, throughout. It is well known that a projective plane ∼ which admits G = PSL(3,q) as a collineation group is necessarily Desarguesian. (Indeed, aSylowp-subgroup of G suffices; see Dembowski [4]). Forplanes of order q2 or q3,the following characterizations 1.1,2 are known. 1.1 THEOREM (Unkelbach, Dembowski, L¨uneburg). If Π is a projective plane of order 2 ∼ q admitting a collineation group G = PSL(3,q),thenΠ is either Desarguesian or a generalized Hughes plane. Conversely, any Desarguesian or generalized Hughes plane of order q2, save the exceptional Hughes plane of order 72,admitsPSL(3,q) as a collineation group.
    [Show full text]
  • (K,2)- Arcs of the Hall Plane of Order 9
    Volume 6, Issue 10, October 2016 ISSN: 2277 128X International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering Research Paper Available online at: www.ijarcsse.com On the Complete (k,2)- Arcs of the Hall Plane of Order 9 Süheyla Ekmekçi, Ayşe Bayar1, 2, Elif Altıntaş, Ziya Akça Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Science and Arts, Department of Mathematics-Computer, Eskişehir-Turkey Abstract— We investigate the complete (k,2)- arcs with the quadrangles which do not generate the Fano planes in the projective plane over a Hall system S of order 9. PS2 Keywords— Near field, Projective plane, (k,2)-arcs I. INTRODUCTION In a finite projective plane (not necessarily Desarguesian) a set K of kk( 3) points such that no three points of K are collinear (on a line) is called a k-arc. If the plane has order p then kp2 , however the maximum value of k can only be achieved if p is even. In a plane of order p , a (p+1)-arc is called an oval and, if p is even, a (p+2)-arc is called a hyperoval. A general reference for ovals is Hirschfeld [8]. There are known plenty of examples of arcs in projective planes; see [2,3]. There are four known non-isomorphic projective planes of order 9. The known four distinct projective planes of order 9 are extensively studied by Room Kirkpatrick [5]. These are Desarguesian plane, the left nearfield plane, the right nearfield plane and Hughes plane. The last three planes of order 9 are called "miniquaternion planes" because they can be coordinatized by the miniquaternion near field.
    [Show full text]
  • Gábor Mészáros Configurations in Non-Desarguesian Planes Master's
    Eotv¨ os¨ Lorand´ University Faculty of Science Gabor´ Mesz´ aros´ Mathematician MSc Configurations in Non-Desarguesian Planes Master's Thesis supervisor: Tamas´ Szonyi,} Professor Budapest, 2011. Contents 1. Introduction 4 2 Desarguesian Planes 6 2.1 Basic Definitions . 6 2.2 Planes Coordinatized with Fields and Skewfields . 7 2.3 Desargues Theorem and Desarguesian Planes . 9 3 Nondesarguesian Planes 12 3.1 An Elementary Method . 12 3.2 Affine Planes Built on Nearfields . 15 3.3 Hall Planes . 17 4 Configurations in Desarguesian and Nondesarguesian Planes 20 4.1 Arcs, Ovals, Blocking Sets . 20 4.2 Configurations in PG(2; q)........................ 23 4.2.1 Arcs and Ovals . 23 4.2.2 Blocking Sets . 24 4.3 Configurations in Hall Planes . 26 4.3.1 Ovals in Hall(q2)......................... 26 4.3.2 Blocking Sets in DAG(2; q2)................... 33 4.4 Configurations in Planes Built on Nearfields . 34 2 Bevezet´es A projekt´ıv s´ıkok absztrakt tanulm´anyoz´asaa XIX. sz´azad els}ofel´eben, J.-V. Pon- celet ´esK. von Staudt munk´ass´ag´aval vette kezdet´et. A geometria axiomatikus megalapoz´asa a m´ult sz´azad elej´en, t¨obb neves matematikus, k¨oztuk¨ G. Fano, D. Hilbert ´esM. Hall k¨ozrem}uk¨od´es´evel szuletett¨ meg. Szint´enez id}ot´ajt fektett´ekle a s´ıkok algebrai eszk¨oz¨okkel val´otanulm´anyoz´as´anak ´esa g¨orbeelm´eletnek az alapjait. Ezen alapokon sz´amos napjainkban is n´epszer}umatematikai terulet¨ (p´eld´aul lgebrai geometria) nyugszik. Az algebrai megk¨ozel´ıt´esseg´ıts´eg´evel lehet}ov´ev´alt a s´ıkok behat´obb tanulm´anyo- z´asa ´esoszt´alyoz´asa.
    [Show full text]
  • A Characterization of the Hall Planes of Odd Order
    BULL. AUSTRAL. MATH. SOC. MOS 50D35 VOL. 6 (1972), 407-415. A characterization of the Hall planes of odd order P.B. Klrkpatrlck The Hall projective planes of odd order are characterized in terms of their translations, collineations which fix all the points of a Baer subplane, and involutory homologies. 1. Introduction Let II be a projective plane, lm a line of II and n a Baer subplane of II such that I is a line of II . We call II a oo o generalized Hall plane with respect to l^, RQ if (1) II is a translation plane with respect to lm , and (2) II has a group of collineations which is transitive on the points of lm not in II , and fixes every point in II . The object of this paper is to prove: THEOREM. A projective plane R is a Hall plane of odd order if and only if (a) II is a finite generalized Hall plane with respect to some line lm and Baer subplane II containing lm , and (b) each point of M = {M \ M 6 l^ and M € nQ} is the centre of an involutory homology with axis in II . The necessity of conditions (a) and (b) was proved by Hughes [63 Received lU December 1971- 407 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.14, on 26 Sep 2021 at 09:37:12, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S000497270004466X 408 P.B. Kirkpatrick in 1959- All finite planes with involutory homologies have odd order.
    [Show full text]
  • On Translation Planes Which Admit Solvable Autotopism Groups Having a Large Slope Orbit
    Can. J. Math., Vol. XXXVI, No. 5, 1984, pp. 769-782 ON TRANSLATION PLANES WHICH ADMIT SOLVABLE AUTOTOPISM GROUPS HAVING A LARGE SLOPE ORBIT VIKRAM JHA 0. Introduction. Our main object is to prove the following result. r 2 THEOREM C. Let A be an affine translation plane of order q ^ q such that /QO, the line at infinity, coincides with the translation axis of A. Suppose G is a solvable autotopism group of A that leaves invariant a set A of q + 1 slopes and acts transitively on l^ \ A. Then the order of A is q2. An autotopism group of any affine plane A is a collineation group G that fixes at least two of the affine lines of A; if in fact the fixed elements of G form a subplane of A we call G a planar group. When A in the theorem is a Hall plane [4, p. 187], or a generalized Hall plane ([13]), G can be chosen to be a planar group. But there are also many planes, which satisfy the hypothesis of the theorem, in which it is impossible to choose G to be a planar group; for instance deriving a Walker plane [19], or a suitably chosen semifield plane [9, Section 4], leads to such examples. However, when q is a prime, then the only known possibilities for A in Theorem C are the Hall planes, the derived Walker planes (when q = — 1 mod 6) and the recently discovered Cohen-Ganley planes [1], which exist whenever q = ±2 mod 5. The main corollary of Theorem C may be described in terms of spreads in projective spaces.
    [Show full text]