42-arcs in \(\mathrm{PG}(2, q)\) left invariant by \(\mathrm{PSL}(2, 7)\) (Q420616)

A \(k\)-arc in the projective desarguesian plane \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) (\(q=p^r\), \(p\) prime) is a set of points no three of which are collinear. If \(p\neq 7\) and \(q^3\equiv 1 \pmod 7\), there is a unique conjugate class of subgroups of \(\mathrm{PGL}(4,q)\) isomorphic to \(\mathrm{PGL}(2,7).\) For such a subgroup \(\Gamma,\) there is a unique orbit \(\Omega\) of size \(42\) such that the stabilizer in \(\Gamma\) of a point of \(\Omega\) is a cyclic group of order \(4\). The authors, using a computational approach, prove that \(\Omega\) is a \(42\)-arc when \(q\geq 53\) and \(q\neq 37^3,11^6,5^6,3^6\). Moreover, for \(q=53\), they prove that \(\Omega\) is complete, i.e. not contained in a larger arc.