On the structure of finite elation Laguerre planes (Q1176188)

A Laguerre plane \({\mathcal L}=({\mathcal P},{\mathcal K},\parallel)\) consists of a set of points \({\mathcal P}\), a set of circles \({\mathcal K}\) and an equivalence relation \(\parallel\) on \({\mathcal P}\) (parallelism) such the following axioms hold: L1. Any three pairwise non-parallel points can be joined uniquely by a circle passing through these points. L2. To every circle \(K\) and for any two non-parallel points \(p,q\) where \(p\in K\) and \(q\not\in K\) there is precisely one circle \(L\) which is tangential to \(K\) at \(p\) and passes through \(q\). L3. Every parallel class intersects each circle in a unique point. L4. There are least two circles and each circle contains at least three points. An automorphism of a Laguerre plane \({\mathcal L}\) is a bijection of the point set maps circles onto circles. All automorphisms of \({\mathcal L}\) form a group \(\Gamma\). Let \(T\) be the kernel of the action of \(\Gamma\) on the set of parallel classes. In this paper the author investigates some properties of the kernel \(T\) of the automorphism group of a finite Laguerre plane and gives some characterization of ovoidal planes. Moreover he studies such finite Laguerre planes where \(T\) is transitive on the set of circles. For a finite Laguerre plane \({\mathcal L}\) the author defines: \(\Delta:=\{\tau\in T; \tau\text{ fixes no circle}\}\cup\{id\}\) and calls it the elation group of \({\mathcal L}\). In section 2 of this paper the author investigates finite elation Laguerre planes and determines the structure of the elation group \(\Delta\).