On the maximum size of some \((k,r)\)-arcs in PG\((2,q)\) (Q2467737)

A \((k,r)\)-arcin PG\((2,q)\) is a set of \(k\) points, such that some \(r\), but no \(r+1\) of them, are collinear. The maximum size of a \((k,r)\)-arc in PG\((2,q)\) is denoted by \(m_r(2,q)\). \textit{S. Ball} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. (2) 54, No.~3, 581--593 (1996; Zbl 0904.51002)] proved that in PG\((2,q)\), \(q\) prime, \(m_r(2,q)\leq (r-1)q+r-(q+1)/2\) for \(r\geq (q+3)/2\). For \(r=(q+3)/2\), this bound is sharp. In this article, it is proven that \(m_r(2,q)\leq (r-1)q+r-(q+3)/2\), for \(r>(q+3)/2\) and \(q=17,19,23,29\). As an application of these results, the results are interpreted for linear codes in relation with the Griesmer lower bound. The Griesmer bound states a lower bound \(g_q(k,d)\) on the length of a linear \([n,k,d]\)-code over the finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\) of order \(q\). The results presented here imply that there do not exist linear codes (meeting the Griesmer bound) with parameters \([(r-1)q+r-(q+1)/2,3,(r-1)q-(q+1)/2]_q\), for \((q+3)/2<r<q\) and \(q=7,11,13,17,19,23,29\).