On the Ree curve (Q2421335)

The Ree groups \(R(q)\) are a family of simple groups introduced by \textit{R. Ree} in [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 66, 508--510 (1960; Zbl 0104.24801)], for each value of \(q = 3q_0^2, q_0 = 3^s > 1\). The group \(R(q)\) is often called \(_2G^2(q)\). In the present paper, the authors consider three examples of algebraic curves defined over a field \(\mathbb{F}_q\) of order \(q\). They are Deligne-Lusztig varieties associated to a connected reductive algebraic simple group of type, respectively, \(_2A^2(q)\) for a square \(q\); \(_2B^2(q)\) for \(q = 2q_0^2, q_0 = 2^s > 1\); and \(_2G^2(q)\) for \(q = 3q_0^2, q_0 = 3^s > 1\). These examples are important, for instance, because the number of \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-rational points of these curves attains the upper bound of that number in terms of the genus of the curve. Examples of the three families are the Hermitian, the Suzuki and the Ree curve. These three curves are characterized by their number of \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-rational points, their genus and their automorphism group over \(\mathbb{F}_q\). Moreover, for the Hermitian and the Suzuki curve, the automorphism group can be neglected since the two other parameters suffice to characterize the curve. Then, the aim of the paper is to study whether also the Ree curve is characterized by its number of \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-rational points and its genus. In these terms, the Ree curve is characterized by the following data: (i) the number of \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-rational points is \(q^3 + 1\); (ii) the genus is \(\frac{3}{2} q_0(q - 1)(q + q_0 + 1)\); and (iii) the automorphism group is the Ree group \(_2G^2(q)\). So, the goal is to start with conditions (i) and (ii) and study how to drop or replace condition (iii). The main result of the paper is Theorem 4.6 which can be summarized as follows. Let \(\mathcal{X}\) be a curve over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) for \(q = 3q_0^2, q_0 = 3^s > 1\), satisfying conditions (i) and (ii). Then, for \(q_0 \geq 9\), \(\mathcal{X}\) is the Ree curve if and only if it satisfies condition (iii)', which states that there exists an \(\mathbb{F}_q\)-rational point of \(\mathcal{X}\), \(P_0\), such that \(q + q_0q\) and \(q + 2q_0q\) are non-gaps at \(P_0\).