Orbits of the class \(\mathcal{O}_6\) of lines external to the twisted cubic in \(\mathrm{PG}(3, q)\) (Q6042142)

A twisted cubic is a normal rational curve \(\mathcal{C}\) in the \(3\)-dimensional projective space \(\mathrm{PG}(3, q)\), represented in standard form as \[\mathcal{C} = \{(t^3, t^2, t, 1) : t \in \mathbb{F}_q\} \cup \{(1, 0, 0, 0)\}.\] It exhibits numerous properties and finds a wide range of applications, including finite geometry, coding theory, and cryptography. The classification of the orbits of lines in \(\mathrm{PG}(3, q)\) under the action of the stabilizer \(G_q\simeq\mathrm{PGL}(2,q)\) of the twisted cubic has been the subject of investigation by several authors, serving different purposes and employing diverse methods. An overview of the relevant works, their interconnections and references for some applications can be found in the introduction of the paper under review, along with the cited references. However, the classification is not yet complete as lines external to the twisted cubic that are not its chords or axes and do not lie in its osculating planes (the class \(\mathcal{O}_6\) of lines) have proven resistant to all attempts at classification so far. In the paper under review, the authors make progress on this problem by adopting an approach based on the analysis of the stabilizer of a line from \(\mathcal{O}_6\). Their (partial) classification includes approximately one-half and one-third of all lines in \(\mathcal{O}_6\) for \(q\) even and \(q \equiv 0 \pmod{3}\), respectively.