A new family of (q^4+1)-tight sets with an automorphism group F₄(q)

Combinatorial aspects of finite geometries (05B25) Polar geometry, symplectic spaces, orthogonal spaces (51A50) Combinatorial structures in finite projective spaces (51E20)

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Let \(\mathcal{P}_r\) be a finite classical polar space of rank \(r\) over the finite field \(\mathbb{F}_q\). A generator is a maximal set of pairwise collinear points of \(\mathcal{P}_r\). Every generator is always a projective space of dimension \(r-1\). Given a generator \(G\) and a point \(P\) not contained in \(G\), \(G \cap P^{\perp}\) is the point set of a projective space of dimension \(r-2\).\N\NLet \(\theta_{r-2} = q^{r-2} + \dots + q + 1\). Given \(i\) pairwise disjoint generators \(G_1,\dots, G_i\) of \(\mathcal{P}\), it follows that the set \(G := \bigcup_{j=1}^i G_j\) has the following properties:\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(i)] \(|G \cap P^{\perp}| = q^{r-1} + i \theta_{r-2}\) for all \(P \in\mathcal{P}_r\) with \(P \in G\).\N\N\item[(ii)] \(|G \cap P^{\perp}| = i \theta_{r-2}\) for all \(P \in\mathcal{P}_r\) with \(P \notin G\).\N\end{itemize}\N\NAn \(i\)-tight set is a set \(M\) that has the same parameters as the set \(G\). That is, \(M\) is an \(i\)-tight set if\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(i)] \(|M \cap P^{\perp}| = q^{r-1} + i \theta_{r-2}\) for all \(P \in\mathcal{P}_r\) with \(P \in M\), and\N\N\item[(ii)] \(|M \cap P^{\perp}| = i \theta_{r-2}\) for all \(P \in\mathcal{P}_r\) such that \(P \notin M\).\N\end{itemize}\N\NThe two main questions about tight sets are the following:\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[(1)] For which values of \(i\) do \(i\)-tight sets exist in \(\mathcal{P}_r\)?\N\N\item[(2)] Characterize all \(i\)-tight sets for a given \(i\) in \(\mathcal{P}_r\).\N\end{itemize}\N\NThe authors concentrate on the first question. If the polar space \(\mathcal{P}_r\) contains a (partial) spread \(G_1, \ldots, G_i\) of generators, then the union of these generators is an \(i\)-tight set, and Question (1) is answered positively. Therefore, the interesting question is: Are there \(i\)-tight sets in \(\mathcal{P}_r\) for values of \(i\) where no spread of size \(i\) exists, or where the existence of such spreads is unknown?\N\NThe authors answer this question affirmatively in the following cases:\N\NTheorem. Let \(q = p^f\) where \(p\) is a prime and \(f \geq 1\).\N\N(a) If \(q \equiv 2 \bmod 3\), then the classical polar space \(Q^-(25, q)\) admits a \((q^4 + 1)\)-tight set with an automorphism group that is isomorphic to the exceptional group \(F_4(q)\).\N\N(b) If \(q = 3^f\), then the classical polar space \(Q(24, q)\) admits a \((q^4 +1)\)-tight set with an automorphism group that is isomorphic to the exceptional group \(F_4(q)\).

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