On Pappus configurations in Hall planes (Q2132445)

A Pappus configuration in a projective plane consists of two lines \(\ell_{1}\), \(\ell_{2}\) and a total of six points \(A_{i},B_{i},C_{i}\in \ell_{i}\), \(i=1,2\). The configuration is called closed if the three points \(A_{1}B_{2}\cap A_{2}B_{1}\), \(B_{1}C_{2}\cap B_{2}C_{1}\), \(C_{1}A_{2}\cap C_{2}A_{1}\) are collinear. It is well known that all Pappus configurations are closed if and only if the plane can be coordinatized by a field. Such planes are called Pappian. The authors discuss weaker versions of the Pappus configuration. Indeed, they consider the situations when for two lines with three arbitrary points on \(\ell_{1}\) and \(i\in\{0,\dots,3\}\) points on \(\ell_{2}\) there exist \(3-i\) points on \(\ell_{2}\) such that the Pappus configuration closes. Whether this is true or not is called the \(3+i\)-question. Of course, the \(3+3\)-question is affirmed exactly for Pappian planes. The authors consider these questions for Hall planes. The order of a Hall plane is \(q^{2}\) with a prime power \(q\). There are \(\sim q^{8}\) choices of the four points in the \(3+1\)-question. The authors show that the \(3+1\)-question is affirmed with at most \(O(q^{7})\) exceptions if the two lines are both taken from one of the two distinct orbits under the collineation group of the plane. For the \(3+0\)-question, this is true without exceptions, and also there is one more case, when the lines are chosen from different orbits in a specified manner. Finally, the \(2+0\)-question (defined in the obvious way) is unconditionally affirmed. Computer experiments show that the \(3+1\)-question is affirmed for all planes of order less than \(25\) and some more. The \(3+2\)-question is answered negatively for all non-Pappian planes of order less than \(25\). Actually, the authors couldn't find a single example other than Pappian planes.