Complete \((k,4)\)-arcs from quintic curves (Q1685539)

Let \(k,s\geq 2\) be integers. A \textit{\((k,s)\)-arc} \(\mathcal K\) in the projective plane \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) over the finite field \(\mathrm{GF}(q)\) with \(q\) elements is a set of \(k\) points such that no line in \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) meets \(\mathcal K\) in more than \(s\) points; it is called \textit{complete} if for every point \(P\in \mathrm{PG}(2,q)\setminus \mathcal K\) there is a line through \(P\) meeting \(\mathcal K\) in exactly \(s\) points. Basic examples of such objects are related to the set of rational points of plane curves; see e.g. \textit{M. Giulietti} et al. [Des. Codes Cryptography 25, No. 3, 237--246 (2002; Zbl 1024.51009)]. For a fixed \(q\), the game is to construct families of complete \((k,s)\)-arcs. The case \(s=2\) is plenty of such constructions; see e.g. \textit{J. W. P. Hirschfeld}'s book [Projective geometries over finite fields. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press (1998; Zbl 0899.51002)]. For \(s=3\), see e.g. \textit{M. Giulietti} and \textit{F. Pasticci} [Finite Fields Appl. 13, No. 4, 988--1000 (2007; Zbl 1168.94010)]. In the paper under review, the authors construct families of complete \((k,4)\)-arcs \(\mathcal K\) (or equivalently, linear nonextendible codes of lenght \(k\), dimension \(3\) and singleton defect \(2\)). The frame of their constructions are plane curves of affine equation \(y=x^t\) with \(t=4,5\); one of the main feature of these arcs is that \(k\) can be roughly speaking equal to \(q^{25/27}<q\). For \(P\in \mathrm{PG}(2,q)\setminus \mathcal K\), curves \({\mathcal H}_P\) in \({\mathbb P}^4\) (describing the collinearity of \(4\) points of \(\mathcal K\) and \(P\)) are defined, the key point being then the fact that \({\mathcal H}_P\) has an absolutely irreducible component over \(\mathrm{GF}(q)\) and hence one can apply the Hasse-Weil theorem to deduce the completeness property of \(\mathcal K\).