A class of \(((p^ n-p^ m)(p^ n-1)\), \(p^ n-p^ m)\)-arcs in \(PG(2,p^ n)\) (Q794270)

One of the outstanding, intruiguing problems in the geometry over finite fields is the determination of the maximum number \(m_ n(2,q)\) of a (k;n)-arc in PG(2,q); that is, what is the largest value of k such that there exists a k-set with some n but no \(n+1\) points on a line. For any n, it is immediate that \(m_ 2(n,q)\leq(n-1)q+n\) and equality holds for \(n=q\) or \(q+1.\) For \(n<q\) it is necessary that \(n| q\) for equality to hold. It was shown by \textit{R. F. Denniston} [J. Comb. Theory 6, 317-319 (1969; Zbl 0165.236)] that this condition is sufficient for q even. A recent result of \textit{R. Hill} [Rend. Semin. Mat. Brescia 7, 367-383 (1984)] is that for \(n\leq 2q/3\) we have \(m_ n(2,q)\leq(n-1)q+q-n,\) which is better than the above for \(n>{1\over2}q.\) Here a construction is given for a (k;n)-arc with \(k=(n-1)q+q-n\) in the case that \(q=p^ h\) and \(n=p^ h-p^ m.\) Although \(n\leq 2q/3\) only for \(m=h-1\) and \(p=2\) or 3, it is conjectured that the constructed arcs are always optimal.