Maximal \(\tau\)-critical linear hypergraphs (Q5936093)

Hypergraph \(H\) is linear, if its any two edges have at most one point in common. A point set \(T\) is a cover if it intersects every edge. The minimum cardinality \(\tau(H)\) of a cover is the covering number. A hypergraph is \(\tau\)-critical if the deletion of any edge decreases its covering number. This paper, using finite affine geometries, gives a (constructive) lower bound for the maximum size of \(\tau\)-critical linear hypergraphs.