Classification of spreads of \(PG(3,4)\setminus PG(3,2)\) (Q1261005): Difference between revisions

A spread of \(PG(3,q^ 2)\backslash PG(3,q)\) is a partition of the set of points outside a fixed Baer subspace \(PG(3,q)\) of \(PG(3,q^ 2)\) by lines. \textit{A. Blokhuis} and \textit{K. Metsch} [ibid., 187-191 (1993; see the paper above)] prove that such a spread does not exist whenever \(q>2\), but \textit{D. M. Mesner} [Can. J. Math. 19, 273-280 (1967; Zbl 0152.385)] constructs an example for \(q=2\). The paper under review classifies all possible spreads of \(PG(3,4)\backslash PG(3,2)\). It is shown that there are three classes of projectively distinct spreads. Two classes (of size 120, still for a fixed Baer subspace \(PG(3,2))\) consist of lines which all are invariant under the (corresponding) Baer involution; every element of the other class (of size 560) contains exactly one pair of lines which are mapped to each other by the Baer involution.