A \(t\pmod p\) result on weighted multiple \((n-k)\)-blocking sets in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) (Q1022872)

Blocking sets are very important objects of investigation in finite geometry. Recall that a \(t\)-fold \((n-k)\)-blocking set in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) is a set \(B\) of points of \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) meeting every \(k\) dimensional subspace in at least \(t\) points. In this paper the authors prove some nice theorems on the intersection \(\bmod{\,p}\) of minimal weighted \(t\)-fold blocking sets with subspaces and use these results to provide insight on the structure of the sets themselves. {\parindent5mm Let \(q=p^h\). The main theorems are as follows: \begin{itemize}\item[1.] a minimal weighted \(t\)-fold blocking set \(B\) in \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) with \(|B|=tq+t+k\) and \(t+k<(q+3)/2\), \(k\geq 2\) is met by every line in \(t\pmod p\) points; \item[2.] a minimal weighted \(t\)-fold blockings set \(B\) in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) of size \(|B|=tq+t+k\) with \(t+k\leq (q-1)/2\) intersects every hyperplane in \(t\pmod{p}\) points; \item[3.] a minimal weighted \(t\)-fold \((n-k)\)-blocking set in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) of size \(|B|=tq^{n-k}+t+k'\) with \(t+k'\leq (q^{n-k}-1)/2\) meets every \(k\)-dimensional subspace in \(t\pmod{p}\) points. \end{itemize}} The aforementioned theorems are then used to provide bounds on the size of \(t\)-fold blocking sets; in particular, let \(B\) be a a minimal weighted \(t\)-fold \(1\)-blocking set in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) with \(|B|=tq+t+k\) and \(t+k\leq (q-1)/2\) and assume \(e\) to be the largest integer such that any hyperplane intersects \(B\) in \(t\pmod{p^e}\) points. Then, \[ |B| \geq tq+{{q^{n-1}+p^e}\over{q^{n-2}(p^e+1)}}-{{t}\over{q^{n-2}}}. \] Furthermore, it is also shown that when \(B\) is a minimal \(t\)-fold \((n-k)\)-blocking set in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) with \(|B|=tq^{n-k}+t+k'\) with \(t+k'\leq (q^{n-k}-1)/2\) which meets every \(k\)-dimensional space in \(t\pmod{E}\) points, where \(E=p^e\) and \(e\) is as above, \[ tq^{n-k}+{{q^{n-k}}\over{E+1}}-1\leq|B|\leq tq^{n-k}+{{2tq^{n-k}}\over{E}}. \] Finally, these results are used to characterize small minimal \(t\)-fold blocking sets for \(q\) square: let \(B\) be a minimal \(t\)-fold \((n-k)\)-blocking set in \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\), \(q\) square of size at most \(|B|\leq tq^{n-k}+2tq^{n-k-1}\sqrt{q}<tq^{n-k}+q^{(n-k-1)/3}\). Then \(B\) is a union of \(t\) pairwise disjoint cones with vertex an \(m_i\)-dimensional space, base \(\mathrm{PG}(2(n-k-m_i-1),\sqrt{q})\) and \(-1\leq m_i\leq n-k-1\) for \(i=1,\ldots,t\). For \(t\geq 2\), we have \(k\geq n/2\). If \(B\) contains at least one \((n-k)\)-dimensional space \(\mathrm{PG}(n-k,q)\), then \(k>n/2\).