Scattered spaces with respect to a spread in \(\text{PG}(n,q)\) (Q1580277)

A scattered subspace PG\((m,q)\) of PG\((n-1,q)\) with respect to a \((t-1)\)-spread \(S\) is a subspace intersecting every spread element in at most one point. By a well-known result of \textit{B. Segre} [Ann. Mat. Pura Appl. 64, 1-76 (1964; Zbl 0128.15002)], a \((t-1)\)-spread exists in PG\((n-1,q)\) if and only if \(t\) divides \(n\). These scattered subspaces with respect to a spread are introduced by the authors, and in this paper they prove essentially that the theory (especially in the case of normal spreads) has a lot of applications. The authors prove that the dimension \(m\) of a maximum scattered subspace with respect to a \((t-1)\)-spread \(S\) is bounded: \(\lceil (rt-t)/2\rceil \leq m \leq rt-t-1\). Moreover for an \((rt-t-1)\)-dimensional subspace \(W\) of PG\((rt-1,q)\), \(r \geq 2\), there exists a scattering \((t-1)\)-spread \(S\) with respect to \(W\). Assume \(r=2\), and that the spread \(S\) is a normal \((t-1)\)-spread, then they prove that one can always find a \((t-1)\)-dimensional scattered subspace with respect to \(S\). Normal line-spreads in PG\((2r-1,q)\) can even be characterized by scattered spaces. Indeed, the authors prove that if \(W\) is a maximum scattered \(m\)-space in PG\((2r-1,q)\), then \(m \geq r+1\) and equality holds if \(S\) is a normal spread. Actually a scattered \((rt/2-1)\)-space with respect to a normal \((t-1)\)-spread of PG\((2r-1,q)\) yields a two-intersection set in PG\((r-1,q^t)\), and hence a two-weight code and a strongly regular graph. See [\textit{A. R. Calderbank} and \textit{W. M. Kantor}, Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 18, 97-122 (1986; Zbl 0582.94019)] for definitions and examples. The two-intersection set has known parameters but in a forthcoming paper [On two-intersection sets, to appear in J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A], the authors prove that the sets are new. Finally they prove that a scattered subspace of PG\((rt-1,q)\) with respect to a normal \((t-1)\)-spread yields a multiple blocking set in PG\((r-1,q^t)\).