Dimensional dual hyperovals associated with Steiner systems (Q1765603)

A family \(\mathcal S \) of \(d\)-dimensional subspaces of \(PG(n,q)\) is a \(d\)-dimensional dual hyperoval in \(PG(n,q)\) if it satisfies the following conditions: (1) any two distinct members of \(\mathcal S\) intersect in a point, (2) any three mutually distinct members of \(\mathcal S\) intersect in the empty set, (3) no proper subspace of \(PG(n,q)\) contains \(\mathcal S,\) and (4) \(| {\mathcal S}| =\frac{q^{d+1}-1}{q-1}+1.\) A remarkable class of \(d\)-dimensional dual hyperovals of \(PG(n,2),\) called characteristic, has been introduced and investigated in [\textit{M. Buratti} and \textit{A. Del Fra}, Adv. Geom. 2003, S254--S270 (2003; Zbl 1047.51001)], proving that: a) a characteristic \(d\)-dimensional dual hyperoval of \(PG(n,2)\) defines a Steiner quadruple system \(S(3,4,2^{d+1});\) b) there are two classes of characteristic \(d\)-dimensional dual hyperovals of \(PG(\frac{d+3}{2},2)\). In the present paper, the authors prove that, up to isomorphism, there are exactly two characteristic \(d\)-dimensional dual hyperovals in \(PG(\frac{d+3}{2},2).\)