Equivalent definitions for (degree one) Cameron-Liebler classes of generators in finite classical polar spaces

In this article, we study degree one Cameron-Liebler sets of generators in all finite classical polar spaces, which is a particular type of a Cameron-Liebler set of generators in this polar space, [9]. These degree one Cameron-Liebler sets are defined similar to the Boolean degree one functions, [15]. We summarize the equivalent definitions for these sets and give a classification result for the degree one Cameron-Liebler sets in the polar spaces W(5,q) and Q(6,q)

The frequency map for billiards inside ellipsoids

The billiard motion inside an ellipsoid Q \subset \Rset^{n+1} is completely integrable. Its phase space is a symplectic manifold of dimension $2n$, which is mostly foliated with Liouville tori of dimension $n$. The motion on each Liouville torus becomes just a parallel translation with some frequency $\omega$ that varies with the torus. Besides, any billiard trajectory inside $Q$ is tangent to $n$ caustics $Q_{\lambda_1},...,Q_{\lambda_n}$, so the caustic parameters $\lambda=(\lambda_1,...,\lambda_n)$ are integrals of the billiard map. The frequency map $\lambda \mapsto \omega$ is a key tool to understand the structure of periodic billiard trajectories. In principle, it is well-defined only for nonsingular values of the caustic parameters. We present four conjectures, fully supported by numerical experiments. The last one gives rise to some lower bounds on the periods. These bounds only depend on the type of the caustics. We describe the geometric meaning, domain, and range of $\omega$. The map $\omega$ can be continuously extended to singular values of the caustic parameters, although it becomes "exponentially sharp" at some of them. Finally, we study triaxial ellipsoids of \Rset^3. We compute numerically the bifurcation curves in the parameter space on which the Liouville tori with a fixed frequency disappear. We determine which ellipsoids have more periodic trajectories. We check that the previous lower bounds on the periods are optimal, by displaying periodic trajectories with periods four, five, and six whose caustics have the right types. We also give some new insights for ellipses of \Rset^2.Comment: 50 pages, 13 figure

Tight sets in finite classical polar spaces

We show that every i-tight set in the Hermitian variety H(2r + 1, q) is a union of pairwise disjoint (2r + 1)-dimensional Baer subgeometries PG(2r + 1, root q) and generators of H(2r + 1, q), if q >= 81 is an odd square and i < (q(2/3) - 1)/2. We also show that an i-tight set in the symplectic polar space W(2r + 1, q) is a union of pairwise disjoint generators of W(2r + 1, q), pairs of disjoint r-spaces {Delta,Delta(perpendicular to)}, and (2r + 1)-dimensional Baer subgeometries. For W(2r + 1, q) with r even, pairs of disjoint r-spaces {Delta,Delta(perpendicular to)} cannot occur. The (2r + 1)-dimensional Baer subgeometries in the i-tight set of W(2r + 1, q) are invariant under the symplectic polarity perpendicular to of W(2r + 1, q) or they arise in pairs of disjoint Baer subgeometries corresponding to each other under perpendicular to. This improves previous results where i < q(5/8)/root 2+ 1 was assumed. Generalizing known techniques and using recent results on blocking sets and minihypers, we present an alternative proof of this result and consequently improve the upper bound on i to (q(2/3) - 1)/2. We also apply our results on tight sets to improve a known result on maximal partial spreads in W(2r + 1, q)