A note on finite self-polar generalized hexagons and partial quadrangles (Q1380340)

The paper provides a new, elegant and almost elementary proof for the fact that if a thick finite generalized hexagon of order \(s\) is self-polar, then \(\sqrt{3s}\) is an integer. The first proof of this result, due to \textit{U. Ott} [Geom. Dedicata 11, 341-345 (1981; Zbl 0465.51008)], uses Hecke algebras. It strengthens a result by \textit{P. J. Cameron, J. A. Thas} and \textit{S. E. Payne} [Geom. Dedicata 5, 525-528 (1976; Zbl 0349.05018)] which says that in the above situation either \(\sqrt s\) or \(\sqrt{3s}\) is a square. To prove this they looked at a certain matrix \(A\) related to the polarity. Calculating the eigenvalues and the trace of this matrix essentialy proves the result. The idea of the paper under review is to look also at the matrix \(A^3\). This yields an additional equation which then proves the result. The author shows that the same idea can also be applied to self-polar partial quadrangle. The new proof presented in this paper will also appear in the author's fourthcoming book on generalized polygons [Generalized Polygons, Birkhäuser, 1998].