Derivable nets and 3-dimensional projective spaces. II: The structure (Q2640872)

The paper is a continuation of part I of this paper in Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 58, 245-253 (1988; Zbl 0686.51002). In that article a projective 3-space \({\mathbb{P}}\) with a distinguished line \({\mathcal N}\) was constructed for a given derivable net \({\mathbb{N}}\), such that \({\mathbb{N}}\) is isomorphic to some incidence structure defined over (\({\mathbb{P}},{\mathcal N})\). In terms of this representation the author determines the full collineation group of a derivable net \({\mathbb{N}}\) (it is isomorphic to the line stabilizer of \({\mathcal N}\) in Col(\({\mathbb{P}})\), where \({\mathbb{P}}\) is the corresponding projective space), of the subgroup of translations, and of some other more important subgroups of Aut(\({\mathbb{N}}).\) A representation given in Part I assigns to points of a derivable net \({\mathbb{N}}\) lines of the corresponding space \({\mathbb{P}}\). Then \({\mathbb{P}}\) can be coordinatized by a skew field \({\mathcal K}\) and points of \({\mathbb{N}}\) are represented by vectors of \({\mathcal K}^ 4\), considered as a vector space over the center of \({\mathcal K}\). Following this way, the author gives an analytical description of the groups introduced before and determines completely the structure of the underlying net \({\mathbb{N}}\). In particular, lines and Baer subplanes of \({\mathbb{N}}\) are translates in \({\mathcal K}^ 4\) of vector subspaces with relatively simple equations. In the case \({\mathbb{N}}\) is finite this result yields that \({\mathbb{N}}\) corresponds to a regulus in \({\mathbb{P}}\).