A characterization of some minihypers in a finite projective geometry PG(t,4) (Q804949)

An \(\{f,m;t,q\}\)-minihyper is a set F of f points in PG(t,q) such that F meets every hyperplane in at least m points and at least one hyperplane in exactly m points. The case \(f=v_{\alpha +1}+v_{\beta +1}+v_{\gamma +1},\) \(m=v_{\alpha}+v_{\beta}+v_{\gamma}\) seems to be of particular interest (where \(v_ 1\) is the number of points of \(PG(1-1,q))\) because a complete classification in this case implies a classification of certain \((m,k,d;q)\)-codes meeting the Griesmer bound, where \(d=q^{k-1}-q^{\alpha}-q^{\beta}-q^{\gamma},\alpha\), \(\beta\), \(\gamma\) as above. The paper under review treats the case \(q=4\) completing the classification of the first author and \textit{M. Deza} [Bull. Inst. Math., Acad. Sin. 16, No.4, 321-338 (1988; Zbl 0663.05015)] who did \(q\geq 5\). The result is no surprise: an \(\{f,m;t,q\}\)-minihyper with f and m as above and \(0\leq \alpha <\beta =\gamma <t\) or \(0\leq \alpha =\beta <\gamma <t\), \(\gamma \neq \alpha +1,\) is a union of 3 disjoint projective subspaces of respective dimensions \(\alpha-1\), \(\beta-1\) and \(\gamma-1\) (and so does not exist if \(\beta+\gamma\geq t\).