On \(q\)-clan geometry, \(q=2^ e\) (Q1330768)

This is the common review of the underlying paper and the paper below by the third author, ibid., 427-438 (1994): Consider the field \(F = \text{GF} (q)\), \(q=2^ e\), and a collection \({\mathbf C} = \{A_ t : t \in F\}\) of matrices of the form \(A_ t = {x_ t\;y_ t \choose 0\;z_ t}\). One calls \({\mathbf C}\) a \(q\)-clan if \(A_ t - A_ s\) is anisotropic whenever \(s \neq t\). From any \(q\)-clan \({\mathbf C}\) one obtains an associated generalized quadrangle \(GQ({\mathbf C})\) with order \((q^ 2,q)\) via a standard construction; other objects associated with \({\mathbf C}\) are certain ovals in \(\text{PG} (2,q)\), flocks of a quadratic cone in \(\text{PG} (3,q)\), line spreads of \(\text{PG} (3,q)\) and translation planes of dimension 2 over their kernel. A new infinite family of \(q\)-clans was some time ago announced by \textit{W. Cherowitzo}, \textit{T. Penttila}, \textit{I. Pinneri} and \textit{G. Royle} [``Flocks and ovals'', in preparation]; the associated objects were all named ``Subiaco''. In the two papers under review, the collineation groups of the Subiaco GQ's are studied in considerable detail. In particular, the groups are completely determined if either \(e\) is odd, \(e \geq 5\) (Payne) or (in a special case of the general construction) if \(e=2r\), \(r\) odd and not divisible by 5 (Bader, Lunardon and Payne).