Small complete arcs in André planes of square order (Q5905440)

A \(k\)-arc in a finite projective plane of order \(q\) is a set of \(k\) points no three of which are collinear. If \(q\) is odd, a \(k\)-arc can have at most \(q+1\) points and a \((q+1)\)-arc is called an oval. If \(q\) is even, a \(k\)-arc can have at most \(q+2\) points and a \((q+2)\)-arc is called a hyperoval. A \(k\)-arc is called complete if it is not contained in a \((k+1)\)-arc. The Lunelli-Sce bound asserts that a complete \(k\)-arc must satisfy \(q\leq (k(k-3)/2)+1\) if \(k\) is even and \(q\leq (k(k-3)/2)-1\) if \(k\) is odd. Asymptotically, the Lunelli-Sce bound asserts that, for a complete \(k\)-arc, \(k\) must be at least of the order of \(\sqrt{2q}\). In Galois-planes the smallest known complete \(k\)-arcs have \(k\)-values which are, asymptotically, of the order of \(C\cdot q^{3/4}\). The main results of the present paper are: Theorem 1: There is a constant \(C\) and an André plane \(A(q)\) of odd square order \(q=s^ 2\) \((q>q_ 0(C))\) such that in \(A(q)\) there exists a complete \(k\)-arc with \(k<C\sqrt{q}\log^ 2_ 2 q\). Theorem 2: There is a constant \(C\) such that for all \(q>x>\sqrt{q} \log_ 2q\) there is an André plane \(A(q)\) of odd square order \(q=s^ 2\) such that in \(A(q)\) there exists a complete \(k\)-arc with \(x<k<C x \log_ 2 q\).