The maximum size of the intersection of two ovoids (Q1003639)

An \textit{ovoid} of \(PG(3,q)\), for \(q>2\), is a set of \(q^2+1\) points with no three collinear. \textit{B. Segre} [Ann. Mat. Pura Appl., IV. Ser. 48, 1--96 (1959; Zbl 0093.33604)] proved that two distinct ovoids of \(PG(3,q)\) share at most \(\frac{1}{2}(q^2+q+2)\) points. In the paper under review the author gives an elegant, yet elementary, counting argument that improves this bound for even \(q\). Namely, it is shown for \(q\) even that this intersection size is at most \(\frac{1}{2}q^2+1\). This bound is sharp, as illustrated by an example of Tim Penttila for \(q=8\) with two distinct Tits ovoids.