Spreads admitting elliptic regularizations (Q1375945)

Let \(P\) be a 3-dimensional Pappian projective space and let \(S\) be a spread in \(P\), i.e. \(S\) is a collection of pairwise skew one-dimensional projective subspaces of \(P\) such that every point of \(P\) is contained in some element of \(S\). [For an introduction into the theory of spreads see, e.g., \textit{R. H. Bruck} and \textit{R. C. Bose}, J. Algebra 1, 85-102 (1964; Zbl 0117.37402).] A proper regulus \(R\) is the set of lines which meet three given mutually skew lines. The set \(\{ L\}\) consisting of a single line \(L\) is called an improper regulus. A collection \(\Sigma\) of (proper or improper) reguli contained in \(S\) is called a regularization of \(S\), if each line of \(S\) belongs either to exactly one regulus of \(\Sigma\) or to all reguli of \(\Sigma\), and \(\Sigma\) contains at most two improper reguli. If each proper regulus in \(\Sigma\) is replaced by its complementary regulus we get the complementary congruence \(S^c_\Sigma\) of \(S\) with respect to \(\Sigma\). If \(S^c_\Sigma\) is an elliptic linear congruence, then \(\Sigma\) is called an \textit{elliptic regulization} of \(S\). The author constructs topological spreads (i.e. spreads which are closed in the Grassmannian topology) in the 3-dimensional real projective space \(P_3R\) which admit exactly one elliptic and no other regulization. Such spreads \(S\) give rise to 4-dimensional topological locally compact translation planes \(P_S\). The group of automorphisms of \(S\) (i.e. collineations of \(P_S\) which fix some given point outside the translation line of \(P_S\)) is determined; in any case this group is a 2-dimensional Lie group. Thus, the collineation group of \(P_S\) is 6-dimensional. 4-dimensional translation planes admitting a 6-dimensional collineation group are studied by \textit{D. Betten} [see, e.g. Geom. Dedicata 58, No. 3, 259-289 (1995; Zbl 0843.51018), J. Geom. 55, No. 1-2, 31-56 (1996; Zbl 0849.51007) and Lect. Notes Pure Appl. Math. 190, 9-33 (1997; Zbl 0888.51012)].