On hyperovals in small projective planes (Q1904259)

A hyperoval is a set of \(q + 2\) points in a projective plane of even order such that no three points are collinear. Each hyperoval in \(PG (2,q)\) is associated with a permutation polynomial called an \(o\)-polynomial. The authors describe computer searches for hyperovals in planes of ``small'' order. Actually they investigate cases where \(q = 64\), 128, and 256. They assume in advance the existence of a group \({\mathcal G}\) of automorphisms which stabilizes the plane so that the hyperoval is a union of orbits of \({\mathcal G}\). For each point \(P\), they define the height of \(P\) to be the number of quadrangles containing \(P\) for which the diagonal line is a secant and the set of heights to be the profile of the hyperoval. The hyperovals are classified according to their profiles.