Translation ovoids over skew fields (Q2638518)

An ovoid \(\Omega\) in an n-dimensional projective space over a skew field F is called a translation ovoid, if for each point \(p\in \Omega\) the group of all elations preserving \(\Omega\) and having the tangent hyperplane in p as their axes acts transitively on \(\Omega\setminus \{p\}\). Apart from giving some examples of translation ovoids over quaternion skew fields, the author extends Tits' characterization of translation ovoids over commutative fields to her setting, showing that translation ovoids exist if and only if char F\(=2\) admits a commutative subfield L with \((n-1)[F:L]\leq [L:L^ 2].\) For \(n\geq 3\), the Möbius planes on these ovoids are of Hering type VII.2, if and only if \(\Omega\) is a quadric over a commutative field. Hence the Möbius planes arising from translation ovoids over proper skew fields provide us with new examples for ovoidal Möbius planes of Hering type VII.1. The paper is dedicated to Professor H. Salzmann on the occasion of his 60th birthday.