Covers of generalized quadrangles. II: Kantor-Knuth covers and embedded ovoids (Q1995215)

Let \(\Gamma\) be a Kantor-Knuth translation generalized quadrangle. Then there is a subquadrangle \(\mathcal Q\) isomorphic to the parabolic quadrangle \(Q(4,q)\) which is a geometric hyperplane of \(\Gamma.\) Let \(x\) be a point of \(\Gamma\) non in \(\mathcal Q.\) Then \(x^{\perp} \cap \mathcal Q = O_x\) is easily seen to be an ovoid of \(\mathcal Q\), which we call a subtended ovoid (by \(x\)). Let \(L\) be any line of \(\Gamma\setminus\mathcal Q\) and denote by \(l\) the point \(L\cap\mathcal Q.\) Then each point of \(L\) different from \(l\) subtends an ovoid in \(\mathcal Q,\) and the set of all these ovoids is called the rosette \(R_L\) of ovoids determined by \(L.\) There is a natural bijection between the lines incident with \(x\) and the points of \(x^{\perp} \cap\mathcal Q.\) We define the geometry \(\mathcal E\) to have as points the subtended ovoids in \(\mathcal Q\), and as lines the rosettes \(R_L.\) Incidence is symmetrized containment. We also define a geometry \(\mathcal A,\) which is just the affine generalized quadrangle which arises when taking away the geometric hyperplane \(\mathcal Q\) of \(\Gamma.\) Note that there is a natural projection \[ \pi :\mathcal A \longrightarrow\mathcal E\] defined by \(\pi(x)=O_x\) for all points \(x\) and \(\pi(L)= R_L\) for all lines \(L.\) By the definition of \(\mathcal E,\) the map \(\pi\) is surjective on both points and lines. The authors prove that, if \(\gamma\) is a \(2\)-cover of \(\Gamma,\) then \(\gamma\) induces an automorphism \(\bar{\alpha}\) of \(\mathcal Q\) and there exist exactly two automorphisms of \(\tilde{\alpha}\) of \(\Gamma,\) which extend \(\bar{\alpha}\), such that \(\gamma=\pi\tilde{\alpha}\). In the second part of the paper, the authors study the embeddings of \(Q(4,q)\) as subquadrangle of \(\Gamma\) characterising the non-equivalent embedding. The Kantor-Knuth ovoids are initially defined as subtended ovoids \(O_x\) in parabolic quadrangles \(Q(4, q)\) which are \emph{full} subquadrangles in \(\Gamma,\) but a calculation shows that, if \(\Gamma\) is not classical, the \(\Aut(Q(4,q))\)-orbit of \(O_x\) contains much more elements than the number of ovoids obtained as subtended ovoids. By the characterization of the embedding of \(Q(4,q)\), the authors obtain an explanation of such a phenomenon. For Part I see [the authors, Glasg. Math. J. 60, No. 3, 585--601 (2018; Zbl 1391.05069)].