Pseudo-ovals, elation Laguerre planes, and translation generalized quadrangles (Q1591723)

Generalizing the notion of a topological oval, \textit{R. Löwen} [Math. Z. 216, No. 3, 347-369 (1994; Zbl 0806.51009)] introduced (dual) pseudo-ovals. An \(n\)-dimensional \(F\)-pseudo-oval where \(F\) is skew-field is a set \({\mathcal O}\) of \(n\)-dimensional subspaces of a vector space \(F^{3n}\) such that for each \(p \in {\mathcal O}\) there is a \(2n\)-dimensional vector subspace \(t_p\) (`tangent') such that the set \(\pi_p = \{t_p\}\cup \bigcup \{p\vee q\mid q \in {\mathcal O}\), \(q \neq p \}\) induces a planar spread on the factor space \(F^{3n}/p\). Dualizing one obtains a dual pseudo-oval as a collection of \(2n\)-dimensional subspaces of \(F^{3n}\). In a topological setting Löwen showed that \(n=1,2\) and that a topological \(n\)-dimensional dual pseudo-oval is equivalent to a \(2n\)-dimensional elation Laguerre plane. The author considers abstract (dual) pseudo-ovals, elation Laguerre planes, that is, Laguerre planes that admit an automorphism group \(E\) which fixes all parallel classes and which acts regularly on the set of circles, and planar translation generalized quadrangles and clarifies the relations between them. He shows that the kernel of an elation Laguerre plane, that is, the ring of all endomorphisms of the group \(E\) that fix each point-stabilizer \(E_x\), is a skew field. Furthermore, elation Laguerre planes with \(3n\)-dimensional elation group over the kernel \(K\) correspond to \(n\)-dimensional dual \(K\)-pseudo-ovals. Similarly, a planar translation generalized quadrangle which admits a strongly antiregular translation center and has a \(3n\)-dimensional translation group over the kernel \(K\) corresponds to an \(n\)-dimensional \(K\)-pseudo-oval. This extends and unifies results obtained previously by R. Löwen (loc.cit.), the reviewer [Monatsh. Math. 111, No. 3, 207-231 (1991; Zbl 0746.51008); J. Geom. 41, No. 1-2, 162-179 (1991; Zbl 0737.51003)]; the author [Arch. Math. 67, No. 3, 253-264 (1996; Zbl 0856.51004)].