A characterization of translation hyperovals (Q1372628)

A hyperoval \(Q\) in a finite projective plane \({\mathcal P} = (P,\mathfrak L)\) of even order \(q\) is a set of \(q+2\) points in \(P\) no \(3\) of which are collinear, and a \textit{regular} hyperoval is a conic together with its nucleus (the common intersection of all tangents of the conic). A set of \(3\) distinct points \(x_{\nu} \in P \setminus Q\) is said to be \(Q\)-regular, if for each \(p \in Q\) at least one of the lines \(px_{\nu}\) is a secant of \(Q\), and a secant \(S\) of \(Q\) is \textit{strongly regular} (with respect to \(Q\)), if for each pair of distinct points \(x,y \in S \setminus Q\) there is a third point \(z \in S \setminus Q\) such that \(\{x,y,z\}\) is \(Q\)-regular. Theorem. Let \(\mathcal P\) be a translation plane of order \(q = 2^d \geq 8\) with translation axis \(S\). A hyperoval \(Q\) in \(\mathcal P\) is a translation hyperoval if and only if \(S\) is a strongly regular secant of \(Q\). Corollary. If \(Q\) is a regular hyperoval, then only the lines through the nucleus of \(Q\) are strongly regular.