Cyclic arcs in \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) (Q1312996)

A \(k\)-arc \(K\) in a projective plane \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) over the finite field \(\mathrm{GF}(q\)) is a set of \(k\) points, no three of which are collinear. A \(k\)-arc is called complete if it is not contained in a \((k+1)\)-arc. In this paper, the different types of complete \(k\)-arcs \(K\), fixed by a cyclic transitive projective group \(G\le \mathrm{PGL}(2,q)\), of order \(k\), are determined. The authors show that there are essentially three types of such arcs. Either (a): \(K\) is a conic in \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\), \(q\) odd, or (b): \(K\) is a \(k\)-arc in an affine plane \(\mathrm{AG}(2,q)\), \(q\equiv -1\pmod 4\), having \(k/2\) points in common with 2 concentric ellipses, or (c): \(K\) is a \(k\)-arc fixed by a cyclic group \(G\) which is a subgroup of a cyclic Singer group \(S\) of \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\). The arcs of type (b) constitute a new discovered class of \(k\)-arcs. Finally, the authors give concrete examples of arcs of type (b) and (c).