Minimal covers of the Klein quadric (Q5940306)

A \(t\)-cover of a quadric \(\mathcal{Q}\) in some finite projective space is a set \(\mathcal{C}\) of \(t\)-dimensional subspaces lying on \(\mathcal{Q}\) such that each point of \(\mathcal{Q}\) belongs to at least one member of \(\mathcal{C}\). Similarly, a partial \(t\)-spread \(\mathcal{L}\) of \(\mathcal{Q}\) is a set of \(t\)-dimensional subspaces lying on \(\mathcal{Q}\) that are mutually disjoint. A partial \(t\)-spread covering all the points of \(\mathcal{Q}\), if one such exists, is called a \(t\)-spread of \(\mathcal{Q}\). A 2-cover of the Klein quadric \({\mathcal{Q}}^+(5,q)\) corresponds via Plücker coordinates to a set of points and planes in \(PG(3,q)\) so that every line of \(PG(3,q)\) either passes through one of these points or lies on one of these planes. It is in this setting that the authors characterize the smallest possible 2-covers of \({\mathcal{Q}}^+(5,q)\). Namely, it is shown that the size of a minimum 2-cover is \(q^2+q\), and an explicit description of the points and planes of \(PG(3,q)\) corresponding to such a minimum 2-cover is given. The argument consists of clever and involved counting. Working directly in \(PG(5,q)\), the authors also show that a line cover of \({\mathcal{Q}}^+(5,q)\) must have cardinality at least \(q^3+2q+1\), and any such minimum line cover must be one of three types. It is shown by example that all three types of minimum line covers occur, one of which occurs only for \(q=2\). The final section of the paper shows that a partial line spread of \({\mathcal{Q}}^+(5,q)\) has cardinality at most \(q^3+q\), and if such a partial line spread exists, then the uncovered points of \({\mathcal{Q}}^+(5,q)\) form a 3-dimensional elliptic quadric. It is not known if such a maximum partial line spread exists. The largest known partial line spread of \({\mathcal{Q}}^+(5,q)\) has size \(q^3+2\).