Irreducible collineation groups with two orbits forming an oval (Q2459499)

Let \(\pi\) be a finite projective plane of odd order \(n\) admitting an irreducible collineation group \(G\) of even order that stabilizes an oval \(\Omega\) and induces two orbits on \(\Omega\), on one of which it acts primitively. Then the authors show that this orbit is a conic in a \(G\)-invariant Desarguesian subplane of order \(q\). The examples of the above situation occur in Desarguesian planes of order \(n\in\{q^2,q^3\}\), in Figueroa planes of order \(n=q^3\), Hughes planes of order \(n=q^2\), and generalized Hughes planes of order \(n=q^2\in\{25,49\}\). The main ingredient of the proof is the construction of involutory generalized homologies. Once this is done, they can rely on old work of \textit{C.~Hering} [Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 49, 155--182 (1979; Zbl 0431.51002)].