A proof of the linearity conjecture for k-blocking sets in PG(n, p3), p prime

In this paper, we show that a small minimal k-blocking set in PG(n, q3), q = p^h, h >= 1, p prime, p >=7, intersecting every (n-k)-space in 1 (mod q) points, is linear. As a corollary, this result shows that all small minimal k-blocking sets in PG(n, p^3), p prime, p >=7, are Fp-linear, proving the linearity conjecture (see [7]) in the case PG(n, p3), p prime, p >= 7

The use of blocking sets in Galois geometries and in related research areas

Blocking sets play a central role in Galois geometries. Besides their intrinsic geometrical importance, the importance of blocking sets also arises from the use of blocking sets for the solution of many other geometrical problems, and problems in related research areas. This article focusses on these applications to motivate researchers to investigate blocking sets, and to motivate researchers to investigate the problems that can be solved by using blocking sets. By showing the many applications on blocking sets, we also wish to prove that researchers who improve results on blocking sets in fact open the door to improvements on the solution of many other problems

Field reduction and linear sets in finite geometry

Based on the simple and well understood concept of subfields in a finite field, the technique called `field reduction' has proved to be a very useful and powerful tool in finite geometry. In this paper we elaborate on this technique. Field reduction for projective and polar spaces is formalized and the links with Desarguesian spreads and linear sets are explained in detail. Recent results and some fundamental ques- tions about linear sets and scattered spaces are studied. The relevance of field reduction is illustrated by discussing applications to blocking sets and semifields

The small weight codewords of the functional codes associated to non-singular hermitian varieties

This article studies the small weight codewords of the functional code C (Herm) (X), with X a non-singular Hermitian variety of PG(N, q (2)). The main result of this article is that the small weight codewords correspond to the intersections of X with the singular Hermitian varieties of PG(N, q (2)) consisting of q + 1 hyperplanes through a common (N - 2)-dimensional space I , forming a Baer subline in the quotient space of I . The number of codewords having these small weights is also calculated. In this way, similar results are obtained to the functional codes C (2)(Q), Q a non-singular quadric (Edoukou et al., J. Pure Appl. Algebra 214:1729-1739, 2010), and C (2)(X), X a non-singular Hermitian variety (Hallez and Storme, Finite Fields Appl. 16:27-35, 2010)

A characterization of multiple (n-k)-blocking sets in projective spaces of square order

In [10], it was shown that small t-fold (n - k)-blocking sets in PG(n, q), q = p(h), p prime, h >= 1, intersect every k-dimensional space in t (mod p) points. We characterize in this article all t-fold (n k)-blocking sets in PG(n, q), q square, q >= 661, t < c(p)q(1/6)/2, vertical bar B vertical bar < tq(n-k) + 2tq(n-k-1) root q, intersecting every k-dimensional space in t (mod root q) points

On the dual code of points and generators on the Hermitian variety H(2n+1,q²)

We study the dual linear code of points and generators on a non-singular Hermitian variety H(2n + 1, q(2)). We improve the earlier results for n = 2, we solve the minimum distance problem for general n, we classify the n smallest types of code words and we characterize the small weight code words as being a linear combination of these n types