An essay on self-dual generalized quadrangles (Q420641)

This essay exposes the state of the art on the set of absolute points of a duality of a finite generalized quadrangle. The only known finite self-dual generalized quadrangles are the \(T_2({\mathcal O})\)'s constructed by J. Tits where \(\mathcal O\) is any translation oval of \(PG(2,q),\) \ \(q\) even. The authors first recall some results on the sets of absolute points of certain dualities of \(T_2({\mathcal O})\) and then, using some results on the associated incidence matrix, study the number of absolute points for a general duality of \(T_2({\mathcal O})\).