Semipartial geometries and generalized quadrangles of order \((r,r^2)\) (Q1281129)

Let \(\mathcal S\) be a generalized quadrangle of order \((r,r^2)\) with a subquadrangle \({\mathcal S}'\) of order \(r\) and let a point \(P\) belong \({\mathcal S}-{\mathcal S}'\). Then the set of points of \({\mathcal S}'\) which are collinear with \(P\) form an ovoid of \({\mathcal S}'\), which is said to be ovoid subtended by \(P\). The ovoids of \({\mathcal S}'\), subtended by the points of \({\mathcal S}-{\mathcal S}'\) are said to be subtended. A rosette with a base point \(X\) of a generalized quadrangle \(\mathcal S\) of order \((s,t)\) is a set of ovoids \(\mathcal R\) with pairwise intersection \(\{X\}\) and such that \(\{O-\{X\}:O \in {\mathcal R}\}\) is a partition of the points of \({\mathcal S}\) not collinear with \(X\). It follows that a rosette \({\mathcal R}\) has \(s\) ovoids. If \(\mathcal S\) is a GQ of order \((r,r^2)\) with a subquadrangle \({\mathcal S}'\) of order \(r\), then every line of \({\mathcal S}\) is either a line of \({\mathcal S}'\) or is a tangent line to \({\mathcal S}'\). Given a tangent line \(l\) to \({\mathcal S}'\), the set of \(r\) ovoids subtended by points of \(l\) not in \({\mathcal S}'\) form a rosette of \({\mathcal S}'\), which is said to be rosette subtended by \(l\). It is proved that every subtended ovoid is subtended by at most two points. If ovoid \(O\) is subtended by two points \(X,X'\) then the size of the intersection of \(O\) with any other subtended ovoid \(O_Y\) is determined: if \(Y\) collinear \(X\) or \(X'\), then \(| O\cap O_Y| =1\) and if \(Y\) not collinear \(X\) and \(X'\), then \(| O\cap O_Y| =r+1\). An ovoid \(O\) subtended by two points is said to be doubly subtended. Every subtended ovoid of \({\mathcal S}'\) is doubly subtended if and only if \(\Aut({\mathcal S})\) contains an involution, which fixes \({\mathcal S}'\) pointwise. Theorem 2.5. Let \({\mathcal S}\) be a GQ of order \((r,r^2)\) containing a subGQ \({\mathcal S}'\) of order \(r\) such that every subtended ovoid of \({\mathcal S}'\) is doubly subtended. Then the incidence structure \(\mathcal T\) with subtended ovoids of \({\mathcal S}'\) as points, subtended rosettes of \({\mathcal S}'\) as lines, is a semipartial geometry with parameters \(s=r-1\), \(t=r^2\), \(\alpha=2\), \(\mu=2r(r-1)\).