On the nuclei of a pointset of a finite projective plane (Q1093895)

In a finite projective plane \(\Pi\) of order q, let K be a non-empty set of points; \(A\in K\) is called a nucleus of K if no line through A meets K in more than two points. Let N(K) denote the set of all nuclei of K. Question: determine the integer function n(q) so that \(N(K)=K\) when \(| N(K)| >n(q)\). In this paper, the case \(| K| >q+2\) is considered, and it is shown that n(q) equals the integer part of \((q+1)/2\) when K is a \((q+1)\)-set in PG(2,q). Further results are obtained about \((q+1)\)-sets K where \(K\setminus N(K)\) consists of collinear points.