Characterizations of spaces related to metasymplectic spaces (Q1823466)

The author proves three characterization theorems for incidence structures related to metasymplectic spaces, where in his axioms there are only involved points and lines. In order to formulate these theorems we need the following definitions. Let P be a set of ``points'' and \({\mathcal L}\subset {\mathcal P}(P)\) be a set of ``lines'' such that: \(\forall x\in P:\) \(| \{L\in {\mathcal L}|\) \(x\in L\}| \geq 2\); \(\forall L\in {\mathcal L}:\) \(| L| \geq 2\). For \(x,y\in P\) let \(x\sim y:\) \(\Leftrightarrow\) \(x=y\) or \(\exists L\in {\mathcal L}:\) \(x,y\in L\); \(x^{\perp}:=\{y\in P|\) \(y\sim x\}\). For \(U\subset P\) let \(U^{\perp}:=\cap \{u^{\perp}|\) \(u\in U\}\), \([U]:=\{L\in {\mathcal L}|\) \(U\subset L\}\). \(X\subset P\) is called a subspace, if \(\forall x,y\in X\) with \(x\neq y\), \(\cup [x,y]\subset X\). A subspace S is called singular, if \(\forall x,y\in S:\) \(x\sim y.\) Let \({\mathcal S}\) be the set of all singular subspaces. The incidence structure (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is called \(\gamma\)-space, if: 1. \(\forall p\in P\), \(\forall L\in {\mathcal L}\) with \(| p^{\perp}\cap L| \geq 2\), \(L\subset p^{\perp}\). 2. Any unrefineable chain of singular subspaces has finite length (rank(P,\({\mathcal L})\) is the smallest length of an unrefineable chain). Let \(p=p_ 0,p_ 1,...,p_ k=q\in P\) such that \(p_{i-1}\sim p_ i\) for \(i\in \{1,2,...,k\}\); then \((p=p_ 0,p_ 1,...,p_ k=q)\) is called a path from p to q and a geodesic, if k is the smallest possible value. In this last case let \(d(p,q):=k\) and d is a metric, if (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is connected. A subspace X is called convex (2- convex), if all points belonging to any geodesic (geodesic of length 2) connecting two points of X, belong to X. A \(\gamma\)-space (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is a polar space, if (PS1) \(\forall p\in P\), \(\forall L\in {\mathcal L}:\) \(p^{\perp}\cap L\neq \emptyset\) and (PS2) \(\forall p\in P:\) \(p^{\perp}\neq P\) are valid. The polar spaces (P,\({\mathcal L})\) with rank (P,\({\mathcal L})\geq 3\) coincide with the polar geometries, studied by T. D. Veldkamp in 1959; they are the nullspaces of a polarity of a projective space. Let (P,L) be a \(\gamma\)-space. \(E\in {\mathcal S}\) is called a plane, if rank E\(=2\), and 2- convex polar subspaces are called symplecta. (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is a metasymplectic space, if (M1) The intersection \(S_ 1\cap S_ 2\) of two distinct symplecta \(S_ 1\), \(S_ 2\) is empty, a point, a line or a plane. (M2) A symplecton is a polar space of rank 3. (M3) For \(x\in P\) let \(x^*\) be the set of all symplecta containing x, for each plane E with \(x\in E\) let \(E^*:=\{S\in x^*|\) \(E\subset S\}\) and let \({\mathcal L}^*:=\{E^*|\) E plane with \(x\in E\}\). Then \((x^*,{\mathcal L}^*)\) is a polar space of rank 3. Now we can formulate Theorem 1: Let (P,\({\mathcal L})\) be a connected \(\gamma\)-space satisfying the following axioms: (F1) \(\forall L\in {\mathcal L}\) \(\exists a,b\in L^{\perp}\) with \(a\nsim b.\) (F2) \(\forall x,y\in P\) with \(x\nsim y\) either \(| x^{\perp}\cap y^{\perp}| \leq 1\) or \(x^{\perp}\cap y^{\perp}\) is a non- degenerated polar space of rank \(\geq 2.\) (F3) Let \(y\in P\) and \(\{x_ 0,x_ 1,x_ 2,x_ 3,x_ 4\}\subset y^{\perp}\) with \(x_ i\sim x_{i+1}\) and \(x_ i\nsim x_{i+2}\) for all \(i\in \{0,1,2,3,4\} mod 5.\) Then \(\exists i\in {\mathbb{Z}}_ 5\) such that \(\exists u\in L\in [x_{i+2},x_{i+3} \) with \(x_ i\sim u\). (F4)] Let \(x,y\in P\) with \(x\nsim y\) and \(x^{\perp}\cap y^{\perp}\) is a polar space and let S be the 2-convex closure of \(\{\) x,y\(\}\) ; then \(\forall z\in P\setminus S\), \(z^{\perp}\cap S\), is empty or a line. Then (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is a polar space or a metasymplectic space. If one replaces (F4) by the weaker statement \(``(F4')\) For every symplecton S and \(\forall z\in P\setminus S\), \(z^{\perp}\cap S\) is either empty or contains a line'', then Theorem 2 tells us that (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is one of the following geometries: (i) a non-degenerated polar space of rank at least 3, (ii) the polar Grassmann space \(C_{n,2}\), (iii) a metasymplectic space, (iv) the Grassmann space \(A_{n,2}.\) Finally in Theorem 3 the author replaces (F4) by \((F4^*) \) If A, B, C are three symplecta which intersect at lines and share a point in common, then they share a line in common, and (F5) All lines of \({\mathcal L}\) are thick, i.e. \(\forall L\in {\mathcal L}:\) \(| L| \geq 3.\) Then (P,\({\mathcal L})\) is either a non-degenerated polar space of finite rank or a certain diagram geometry.