A characterization of certain elation Laguerre planes in terms of Kleinewillinghöfer types (Q968074)

Analogous to the Lenz-Barlotti classification of projective planes [cf. \textit{J. C. D. S. Yaqub}, Math. Z. 142, 281--292 (1975; Zbl 0289.50027)] and \textit{C. Hering}'s classification [Math. Z. 87, 252--262 (1965; Zbl 0126.16601)] of Möbius planes, the types referred to by the title were introduced by \textit{R. Kleinewillinghöfer} in her dissertation [Eine Klassifikation der Laguerre-Ebenen. Fachbereich Mathematik der Technischen Hochschule Darmstadt. 67 S. (1979; Zbl 0436.51007); see also Arch. Math. 34, 469--480 (1980; Zbl 0457.51010)]. In the paper under review, the author concentrates on \(4\)-dimensional (topological) Laguerre planes. He shows that Type~D characterizes the non-classical elation Laguerre planes in that class. This extends an analogous result on \(2\)-dimensional Laguerre planes [cf. \textit{B. Polster} and \textit{G. F. Steinke}, Result. Math. 46, No. 1--2, 103--122 (2004; Zbl 1065.51012)]. Thus the characterization is valid for the class of locally compact Laguerre planes of positive finite dimension. In a last section the author extends the result to the class of finite Laguerre planes (where at present no examples are known except the classical ones); and comments on the obstacles that hinder a generalization of the present characterization beyond the classes of finite or locally compact Laguerre planes of positive finite dimension.