Degree 8 maximal arcs in PG\((2,2^{h}\)), \(h\) odd (Q1865396)

A maximal arc of degree \(n\) in \(PG(2,q)\) is a set of points intersecting every line in 0 or \(n\) points. A well-known construction method for maximal arcs in \(PG(2,q)\), \(q\) even, is the method of \textit{R. H. F. Denniston} [J. Comb. Theory 6, 317-319 (1969; Zbl 0167.49106)] which uses conics from a pencil of conics containing one line, called, in this article, the line at infinity. Recently, \textit{R. Mathon} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 97, 353-368 (2002; Zbl 1010.51009)] generalized this construction method of Denniston, leading to new examples of maximal arcs in \(PG(2,q)\), \(q\) even. This article studies the construction method of Mathon to find geometric and algebraic methods for proving that the maximal arcs are not of Denniston type, or to prove that the methods give new examples of maximal arcs. One of the methods involves the use of lines at infinity related to these maximal arcs. The article ends with the construction of maximal arcs of degree 8 in all projective planes \(PG(2,2^h)\), \( h \geq 5\) odd.