Finite geometries, varieties and codes (Q1126833)

This article presents some of the most important theorems in finite projective spaces. By presenting these theorems, the author wishes to give the reader an idea of the research presently done on problems in finite projective spaces, an idea of the techniques used for solving these problems, and to give links with other fields of research. Firstly, the author starts by talking about substructures which are embedded in finite projective spaces. Starting from the definitions of these substructures, researchers want to find new results regarding these substructures. The author explains this by discussing arcs, Hermitian arcs (also called unitals), and \((k;m)\)-arcs in \(PG(2,q)\). He then continues his presentation by studying classical substructures in projective spaces of arbitrary dimension \(PG(n,q)\), \(n \geq 3\). Here, he focusses on the non-singular Hermitian varieties, and on the sets of type \((1,m,q+1)\). These latter sets are the sets intersecting the lines of \(PG(n,q)\) into \(1,m\) or \(q+1\) points. In his discussion of substructures of \(PG(n,q)\), \(n \geq 3\), he makes the link to objects which are defined by certain properties, but which at first sight, by looking at the definition, are not embedded in a projective space. In this case, the projective space must be constructed from the properties of the object. Here, he stresses the examples of the inversive planes or Möbius planes of order \(n\), also called \(3-(n^3+1,n+1,1)\) designs, the polar spaces of rank \(r\), and the Shult spaces. It is also known that there is a close connection between the study of substructures of finite projective spaces, and coding theory. A great number of results on one topic have equivalent formulations in the other topic. This is demonstrated by what people often call the ``classical example''. Namely, the equivalence between linear mximum distance separable codes in coding theory and the \(k\)-arcs in finite projective spaces \(PG(n,q)\). Here, the interchange between these equivalent structures has led to numerous results, but what this example of close connection between substructures of finite projective spaces and coding theory makes even more interesting, is that a great majority of results on arcs and MDS codes were obtained by associating an algebraic curve (for arcs in \(PG(2,q)\)) and an algebraic hypersurface (for arcs in \(PG(n,q)\), \(n>2\)) to an arc. This meant that theorems coming from algebraic geometry could be used for obtaining new results on arcs and on MDS codes. This latter idea of associating an algebraic curve to an arc in \(PG(2,q)\), which originates to Beniamino Segre, has led researchers to associate algebraic curves to blocking sets in \(PG(2,q)\), \((k;m)\)-arcs, and to caps in affine spaces. These associated algebraic curves all are used to obtain new results on these substructures. This shows the goal of this paper: explaining known techniques and results with the goal to extend these techniques to other substructures.