Pencils of translation ovals in translation planes (Q1336238)

Let \({\mathcal T}\) be a translation plane of even order \(q\) with translation line \(I_ \infty\). An oval \({\mathcal O}\) in \({\mathcal T}\) is called a translation oval if \(I_ \infty\) is a tangent at a point \(a\) and if the stabilizer of \({\mathcal O}\) in the translation group acts transitively on \({\mathcal O}\setminus\{a\}\). An \(i\)-pencil (\(0\leq i\leq 2\)) is a collection of \(i\) lines and \(q+1-i\) translation ovals through a point \(u\) which partition the set of points different from \(u\) which are not in \(I_ \infty\). Pencils in \({\mathcal T}\) can be used to construct new translation planes since pencils correspond to certain spreads. The authors characterize 2-pencils in \(\text{PG} (2,q)\) and describe certain group transitive 1-pencils. The authors leave the investigation of 0-pencils to a forthcoming paper.