Orthogonal polar spaces and unitals (Q378457)

Let \(F\) be a commutative field, and let \(K\) be either a separable quadratic extension of \(F\) or a quaternion field over \(F\). If \(K\) is commutative, let \(\sigma\) be the generator of the Galois group, and if \(K\) is a quaternion field, let \(\sigma\) be the standard involution. The author shows that the affine part of the unital associated with a non-degenerate trace-valued \(\sigma\)-Hermitian form \(k\) of Witt index 1 in a 3-dimensional vector space over \(K\) can be naturally identified with the affine part of an orthogonal polar space associated with a certain quadratic form on the \(F\)-vector space \(K^ 2 \times F\). He uses this connection to prove that the automorphism group of the unital is the group \(P\Gamma U(k)\).