A common characterization of ovoids, non-singular quadrics and non-singular Hermitian varieties in \(\text{PG} (d,n)\) (Q1971665)

Let \(\text{PG}(d,q)\) be the \(d\)-dimensional projective space over the finite field of \(q\) elements, \(d\geq 2\). Let \(\mathcal O\) be a set of points of \(\text{PG}(d,q)\). A \textit{tangent} to \(\mathcal O\) is a line being either contained in \(\mathcal O\) or having exactly one point in common with \(\mathcal O\). If the union of the tangents through a point \(P\in\mathcal O\) is a hyperplane \(H_P\), then \(H_P\) is called the \textit{tangent hyperplane} to \(\mathcal O\) at \(P\). A supertangent hyperplane is a tangent hyperplane \(H_P\) such that for any point \(Q\in H_P\cap\mathcal O\), there exists the tangent hyperplane to \(\mathcal O\) at \(Q\). The author gives the following characterization of Hermitian varieties and elliptic and hyperbolic quadrics in terms of supertangent hyperplanes: Theorem: Let \(\mathcal O\) be a set of points of \(\text{PG}(d,q)\), \(d\geq 2\) such that there exists a supertangent hyperplane to \(\mathcal O\) and such that every non-tangent hyperplane has the same number \(s\) of points in common with \(\mathcal O\). Then \(\mathcal O\) is a hyperbolic quadric, an elliptic quadric, an ovoid, a non-singular Hermitian variety or a Hermitian arc.