Classification of spreads of Tits quadrangles of order 64 (Q6099001)

Spreads of Tits quadrangles \(T_2(\mathcal{O})\) where \(\mathcal{O}\) is an oval of \(\mathrm{PG}(2,q)\) with \(q\leq 32\) even were completely determined by \textit{M. R. Brown} et al. [Innov. Incidence Geom. 6--7, 111--126 (2008; Zbl 1175.51003)]. In the paper under review, the authors consider the next case of even order, \(q=64\). Using a computer and MAGMA, they show in the course of their classification that no new spreads arise, that is, all spreads of Tits quadrangles in order 64 were previously known. The authors use the correspondences between spreads of Tits quadrangles and other geometric objects such as generalised fans of ovals, flocks of quadratic cones, flock quadrangles, 64-clans and herds of ovals in \(\mathrm{PG}(2, 64)\). They further utilise the classification of hyperovals in \(\mathrm{PG}(2, 64)\) by \textit{P. Vandendriessche} [Electron. J. Comb. 26, No. 2, Research Paper P2.35, 12 p. (2019; Zbl 1423.51008)]. Up to equivalence, there are exactly four such hyperovals, from which exactly 19 distinct ovals in \(\mathrm{PG}(2, 64)\) are obtained. Going through the list of these ovals, it is shown that the ovals in a generalized fan in \(\mathrm{PG}(2, 64)\) are all conics or all pointed conics. The present authors [Finite Fields Appl. 81, Article ID 102035, 13 p (2022; Zbl 1487.51006)] previously obtained that there are, up to equivalence, exactly three flocks of the quadratic cone in \(\mathrm{PG}(3,64)\), the linear flock, the Subiaco flock and the Adelaide flock. These flocks are used to analyse how many inequivalent spreads of \(T_2(\mathcal{O})\) are obtained if \(\mathcal{O}\) is represented by an o-polynomial belonging to the set of o-polynomials defining the ovals in the herd associated with the 64-clans corresponding to the three flocks or the set of their inverses.