No label defined (Q4389905)

Line-geometry in a three-dimensional projective space \(P\) may be viewed formally as a set \(L\), whose element are the lines, together with a binary relation ``\(-\)'' on \(L\), where \(A-B\) stands for ``\(A\) intersects \(B\)''. \textit{W. Benz} [`Geometrische Transformationen', Mannheim: B. I. Wissenschaftsverlag (1992; Zbl 0754.51005)] coined the term ``Plücker space'' for this approach. In [Demonstr. Math. 21, 1071-1087 (1988; Zbl 0676.51009)], the author gave a system of nine axioms describing the line geometry in a 3-space in terms of \((L,-)\). The present paper contains two additional axioms: Firstly, commutativity of the ground field of \(P\) is shown to be equivalent to the well-known Pappos-Galluci theorem (also called Dandelin's theorem) on generators of a ruled quadric. This has been pointed out already by [\textit{B. Segre}, `Lectures on modern geometry', Ed. Cremonese (1961; Zbl 0095.14802)] or, in a generalized form, by [\textit{A. Herzer}, Elem. Math. 27, 52-56 (1972; Zbl 0235.50014)]. Secondly, it is shown that in the pappian case the (commutative) ground field of \(P\) is quadratically closed if, and only if, any four skew lines have a transversal. Cf. the well-known result that in a pappian 3-space \(P\) there are elliptic congruences of lines if, and only if, the ground field of \(P\) is not quadratically closed.