Subregular spreads and blocking sets (Q480435)

Let \(q>2\) be a prime power and let \(\mathrm{PG}(n,q)\) denote the \(n\)-dimensional projective space over the Galois field \(\mathrm{GF}(q)\) of order \(q\). A spread of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q)\) is a partition into \(q^2+1\) pairwise disjoint lines; it is called regular if it contains the regulus generated by any three lines of the spreed. The set of lines of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q)\) which meet every line of a given regulus \(R\) is also a regulus \(R'\), the so-called opposite regulus of \(R\). For \(S\), a regular spread of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q)\) and \(R\) a regulus such that \(S\supseteq R\), the set \(S':=(S\setminus R)\cup R'\) is also a spread of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q)\), and we say that it is derived from \(S\) reversing the regulus \(R\). Any spread obtained from a regular spread by a sequence of such regulus reversing is said to be subregular. A plane \(\alpha\cong \mathrm{PG}(2,q^2)\) of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q^2)\) is an indicator plane of \(S\) if \(\alpha\cap \mathrm{PG}(3,q)=L\), a line in \(S\); the indicator set of \(S\) in \(\alpha\) is \(I_\alpha(S)=\{M^*\cap\alpha: M\in S\setminus\{L\}\}\), where \(M^*\) stands for the unique line of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q^2)\) containing \(M\). A blocking set \(B\) in \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) is a set of points which intersects every line; it is of Rédei type if \(|B\setminus L|=q\) for some line \(L\) and it has rank three if it is contained in three nonconcurrent lines. For more details see e.g. [\textit{G. Lunardon}, Geom. Dedicata 75, No. 3, 245--261 (1999; Zbl 0944.51004)] and a paper of \textit{A. Blokhuis} et. al. [``Blocking sets in projective spaces'', in: Current research topics in Galois geometry. Commack, NY: Nova Science Publishers. 57--80 (2010)] The main result of the paper shows that any subregular spread of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q)\) has an indicator set which defines a minimal rank three blocking set in \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q^2)\) of Rédei type. The authors also present two examples; the first one is related to a remarkable rank 3 small blocking set of \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q^2)\) with \(q\) odd which is due to Megyesi, cf. [\textit{L. Rédei}, Lacunary polynomials over finite fields. Basel-Stuttgart: Birkhäuser Verlag (1970; Zbl 0229.12019)]. The second example has the same configuration as the indicator set of a regular nearfield of dimension 2 over its kernel but the number of its directions is bigger; cf. [\textit{L. Bader}, Geom. Dedicata 27, No. 2, 213--218 (1988; Zbl 0659.51006)].