Generalized conference matrices and projective planes (Q2643843)

In this paper, the author studies the relationship between generalized conference matrices and finite projective planes of Lenz-Barlotti class at least I.2 (i.e., planes with at least one non-incident transitive point-line pair). In fact, such planes are equivalent to generalized conference matrices of index 1. A conference matrix of index one over a multiplicative group \(G\) (not containing the element \(0\)) of order \(n\) is an \((n+2)\times(n+2)\) matrix with entries in \(G\cup\{0\}\) with \(0\)'s only on the main diagonal and such that for any two rows, the set of products of the elements in the same column (except on the diagonal) equals \(G\). This correspondence is then used to prove that in a projective plane of odd order \(n\), every abelian group of \(n-1\) homologies contains a unique involution. Also, the author proves that, if a projective plane of even order is \((p,L)\)-transitive, with \(p\notin L\), and \((p',pp')\)-transitive, with \(p\in L\), and if the group of \((p.L)\)-homologies is abelian, then the group of \((p',pp')\)-elations is elementary abelian (in particular, the order of the plane is a prime power).