On the geometry of commuting polarities (Q875041)

Let \({\mathcal H} = {\mathcal H}(2,q^2)\) be the Hermitian curve of PG\((2,q^2) \), \(q\) odd, defined by \(x_{0}x_{2}^q - 2x_{1}^{q+1} + x_{2}x_{0}^q = 0 \). For any \((q+1)\)-st root of unity \(a\) in GF\((q^2)\) consider the non-singular conic \({\mathcal C}_{a}\) defined by \(x_{0}x_{2} - a x_{1}^2 = 0 \). Then every \({\mathcal C}_{a}\) commutes with \(\mathcal H\) and for \(a \neq b \) the intersection \({\mathcal C}_{a} \cap {\mathcal C}_{b}\) consists of two points. Consider \[ {\mathcal Q}_{a} := {\mathcal C}_{a} \cap {\mathcal H} = \{ (1,t,at^2)\mid t \in \text{GF}(q^2)^*,\;t^{q-1} = a \} \cup \{ (1,0,0), (0,0,1)\} \] and \({\mathcal K} := \bigcup_{a} {\mathcal Q}_{a} = \{ (1,t,t^{q+1})\mid t \in \text{GF}(q^2) \} \cup \{ (0,0,1)\}\). Via the injective map \(\Phi : {\mathcal K} \to \text{ PG}(3,q^2) : (1,t,t^{q +1}) \mapsto (1,t,t^q,t^{q+1}), (0,0,1) \mapsto (0,0,0,1)\) the set \( \mathcal K\) corresponds to an elliptic quadric \({\mathcal Q}^-(3,q)\) of PG \((3,q)\). It is shown that the converse is true as well. In the same spirit it is shown that \(\mathcal K\) corresponds to a regular symplectic spread of PG\((3,q)\), and vice versa.