Finite affine planes in projective spaces

We classify all representations of an arbitrary affine plane A of order q in a projective space PG(d,q) such that lines of A correspond with affine lines and/or plane q-arcs and such that for each plane q-arc which corresponds to a line L of A the plane of PG(d,q) spanned by the q-arc does not contain the image of any point off L of A

Finite semifields and nonsingular tensors

In this article, we give an overview of the classification results in the theory of finite semifields (note that this is not intended as a survey of finite semifields including a complete state of the art (see also Remark 1.10)) and elaborate on the approach using nonsingular tensors based on Liebler (Geom Dedicata 11(4):455-464, 1981)

On four codes with automorphism group P Sigma L(3,4) and pseudo-embeddings of the large Witt designs

A pseudo-embedding of a point-line geometry is a representation of the geometry into a projective space over the field F-2 such that every line corresponds to a frame of a subspace. Such a representation is called homogeneous if every automorphism of the geometry lifts to an automorphism of the projective space. In this paper, we determine all homogeneous pseudo-embeddings of the three Witt designs that arise by extending the projective plane PG(2, 4). Along our way, we come across some codes with automorphism group P Sigma L(3, 4) and sets of points of PG(2, 4) that have a particular intersection pattern with Baer subplanes or hyperovals

A minimal and non-alternative realisation of the Cayley plane

The compact 16-dimensional Moufang plane, also known as the Cayley plane, has traditionally been defined through the lens of octonionic geometry. In this study, we present a novel approach, demonstrating that the Cayley plane can be defined in an equally clean, straightforward and more economic way using two different division and composition algebras: the paraoctonions and the Okubo algebra. The result is quite surprising since paraoctonions and Okubo algebra possess a weaker algebraic structure than the octonions, since they are non-alternative and do not satisfy the Moufang identities. Intriguingly, the real Okubo algebra has SU3 as automorphism group, which is a classical Lie group, while octonions and paraoctonions have an exceptional Lie group of type G2. This is remarkable, given that the projective plane defined over the real Okubo algebra is nevertheless isomorphic and isometric to the octonionic projective plane which is at the very heart of the geometric realisations of all types of exceptional Lie groups. Despite its historical ties with octonionic geometry, our research underscores the real Okubo algebra as the weakest algebraic structure allowing the definition of the compact 16-dimensional Moufang plane

A minimal and non-alternative realisation of the Cayley plane

The compact 16-dimensional Moufang plane, also known as the Cayley plane, has traditionally been defined through the lens of octonionic geometry. In this study, we present a novel approach, demonstrating that the Cayley plane can be defined in an equally clean, straightforward and more economic way using two different division and composition algebras: the paraoctonions and the Okubo algebra. The result is quite surprising since paraoctonions and Okubo algebra possess a weaker algebraic structure than the octonions, since they are non-alternative and do not uphold the Moufang identities. Intriguingly, the real Okubo algebra has $\text{SU}\left(3\right)$ as automorphism group, which is a classical Lie group, while octonions and paraoctonions have an exceptional Lie group of type $\text{G}_{2}$. This is remarkable, given that the projective plane defined over the real Okubo algebra is nevertheless isomorphic and isometric to the octonionic projective plane which is at the very heart of the geometric realisations of all types of exceptional Lie groups. Despite its historical ties with octonionic geometry, our research underscores the real Okubo algebra as the weakest algebraic structure allowing the definition of the compact 16-dimensional Moufang plane

On exceptional Lie geometries

Parapolar spaces are point-line geometries introduced as a geometric approach to (exceptional) algebraic groups. We characterize a wide class of Lie geometries as parapolar spaces satisfying a simple intersection property. In particular, many of the exceptional Lie incidence geometries occur. In an appendix, we extend our result to the locally disconnected case and discuss the locally disconnected case of some other well-known characterizations

Characterisations and classifications in the theory of parapolar spaces

This thesis in incidence geometry is divided into two parts, which can both be linked to the geometries of the Freudenthal-Tits magic square. The first and main part consists of an axiomatic characterisation of certain plane geometries, defined via the Veronese mapping using degenerate quadratic alternative algebras (over any field) with a radical that is (as a ring) generated by a single element. This extends and complements earlier results of Schillewaert and Van Maldeghem, who considered such geometries over non-degenerate quadratic alternative algebras. The second and smaller part deals with a classification of parapolar spaces exhibiting the feature that the dimensions of intersections of pairs of symplecta cannot take all possible sensible values, with the only further requirement that, if the parapolar spaces have symplecta of rank 2, then they are strong. This part is based on a joint work with Schillewaert, Van Maldeghem and Victoor