Small point sets that meet all generators of \(Q(2n,p)\), \(p>3\) prime (Q1826949)

Let \(Q(2n,q)\) be the non-singular parabolic quadric in \(PG(2n,q)\). An ovoid of \(Q(2n,q)\) is a set of points of \(Q(2n,q)\) intersecting every generator of \(Q(2n,q)\) in exactly one point. A blocking set of \(Q(2n,q)\) is a set of points of \(Q(2n,q)\) intersecting every generator of \(Q(2n,q)\) in at least one point. It has been shown by Ball, Govaerts and Storme that every ovoid of \(Q(4,q)\), \(q\) prime, is a 3-dimensional elliptic quadric. A result of \textit{Christine M. O'Keefe} and \textit{J. A. Thas} [Eur. J. Comb. 16, No. 1, 87--92 (1995; Zbl 0819.51005)] then implies that \(Q(6,q)\), \(q>3\) prime, does not contain ovoids. The authors prove in this article that the smallest blocking sets of \(Q(6,q)\), \(q>3\) prime, are truncated cones \(PQ^-(3,q)\setminus \{P\}\), with \(P\) a point of \(Q(6,q)\) and with \(Q^-(3,q)\) a 3-dimensional elliptic quadric in the tangent hyperplane to \(Q(6,q)\) in \(P\). It then follows from results of De Beule and Storme that the smallest blocking sets of \(Q(2n,q)\), \(q>3\) prime, \(n>3\), are equal to truncated cones \(S_{n-3}Q^-(3,q)\), with \(S_{n-3}\) an \((n-3)\)-dimensional space contained in \(Q(2n,q)\), and with \(Q^-(3,q)\) a 3-dimensional elliptic quadric contained in the polar space of \(Q(2n,q)\) in \(S_{n-3}\).