Characterizing combinatorial geometries by numerical invariants (Q1970067)

If a combinatorial geometry (simple matroid/geometric lattice) of rank \(r\) on \((q^{r+1}-1)/(q-1)\) points has no line with less than \(q+1\) points, then it is a projective geometry. Similarly, every geometry on \(q^{r-1}\) points in which every line has \(q\) points and every plane has at least \(q^2\) points is an affine geometry. The main result of this paper is an analogous characterization of Dowling geometries of finite groups (or quasigroups, for \(r=3\)) in terms of cardinalities of flats of ranks at most 7 [see \textit{T. A. Dowling}, A class of geometric lattices based on finite groups, J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B 14, 61-86 (1973; Zbl 0247.05019)]. As a corollary, it is derived that affine geometries and Dowling geometries can be distinguished from other geometries by their Tutte polynomials.