A characterization of the classical unital (Q1337109)

A unital in the Desarguesian plane of order \(q^2\), \(PG (2, q^2)\), is a set \(U\) of \(q^3 + 1\) points of \(PG (2, q^2)\) such that every line of the plane meets \(U\) in 1 or \(q + 1\) points. A line is a tangent line or a secant line of \(U\) if it contains 1 or \(q + 1\) points of \(U\) respectively. An example of a unital in \(PG (2, q^2)\) is given by the set of absolute points of a unitary polarity. This is called the classical unital (or Hermitian curve). In 1976, \textit{F. Buekenhout} [Geom. Dedicata 5, 189-194 (1976; Zbl 0336.50014)] proved the existence of unitals in all translation planes of dimension 2 over their kernel and provided two constructions. Those arising from Theorem 4 are called Buekenhout unitals and those from \(\S 4\), Remark 4 are now called Buekenhout-Metz unitals. In \(PG (2, q^2)\) these three families and their duals provide the only known examples. A Baer subplane of \(PG (2, q^2)\) is a subplane of order \(q\). Lines of \(PG (2, q^2)\) meet a Baer subplane in 1 or \(q + 1\) points. The set of \(q + 1\) points forming the intersection of a line with a Baer subplane is called a Baer subline. Many characterizations of unitals are given in terms of Baer sublines. One such result, given in this paper is: Theorem 1.3: Let \({\mathcal P}\) be a derivable translation plane of order \(q^2\), \(q > 2\), of dimension at most 2 over its kernel. Let \(U\) be a unital of \({\mathcal P}\) that is secant to the translation line \(\ell_\infty\) of \({\mathcal P}\). If all Baer sublines having a point on \(\ell_\infty\) intersect \(U\) in 0, 1, 2 or \(q + 1\) points then \(U\) is a Buekenhout unital with respect to \(\ell_\infty\). A major new result is: Theorem 1.4: If \(U\) is a Buekenhout unital in \(PG (2, q^2)\) then \(U\) is classical. These two results combine to give the characterization of the title: Theorem 1.5: Let \(U\) be a unital in \(PG (2, q^2)\) with secant line \(\ell\). If every Baer subline with a point on \(\ell\) meets \(U\) in 0, 1, 2 or \(q + 1\) points then \(U\) is classical. The proofs make use of the Bruck-Bose representation of translation planes and some clever counting arguments.