Generalizing the Algebra of Throws to Rank-3 Matroids

<p>The algebra of throws is a geometric construction which reveals the underlying algebraic operations of addition and multiplication in a projective plane. In Desarguesian projective planes, the algebra of throws is a well-defined, commutative and associative binary operation. However, when we consider an analogous operation in a more general point-line configuration that comes from rank-3 matroids, none of these properties are guaranteed. We construct lists of forbidden configurations which give polynomial time checks for certain properties. Using these forbidden configurations, we can check whether a configuration has a group structure under this analogous operation. We look at the properties of configurations with such a group structure, and discuss their connection to the jointless Dowling geometries.</p>

Generalizing the Algebra of Throws to Rank-3 Matroids

<p>The algebra of throws is a geometric construction which reveals the underlying algebraic operations of addition and multiplication in a projective plane. In Desarguesian projective planes, the algebra of throws is a well-defined, commutative and associative binary operation. However, when we consider an analogous operation in a more general point-line configuration that comes from rank-3 matroids, none of these properties are guaranteed. We construct lists of forbidden configurations which give polynomial time checks for certain properties. Using these forbidden configurations, we can check whether a configuration has a group structure under this analogous operation. We look at the properties of configurations with such a group structure, and discuss their connection to the jointless Dowling geometries.</p>

Blocking and Double Blocking Sets in Finite Planes

In this paper, by using properties of Baer subplanes, we describe the construction of a minimal blocking set in the Hall plane of order $q^2$ of size $q^2+2q+2$ admitting $1-$, $2-$, $3-$, $4-$, $(q+1)-$ and $(q+2)-$secants. As a corollary, we obtain the existence of a minimal blocking set of a non-Desarguesian affine plane of order $q^2$ of size at most $4q^2/3+5q/3$, which is considerably smaller than $2q^2-1$, the Jamison bound for the size of a minimal blocking set in an affine Desarguesian plane of order $q^2$.We also consider particular André planes of order $q$, where $q$ is a power of the prime $p$, and give a construction of a small minimal blocking set which admits a secant line not meeting the blocking set in $1$ mod $p$ points. Furthermore, we elaborate on the connection of this problem with the study of value sets of certain polynomials and with the construction of small double blocking sets in Desarguesian projective planes; in both topics we provide some new results.

On Small Dense Sets in Galois Planes

This paper deals with new infinite families of small dense sets in desarguesian projective planes $PG(2,q)$. A general construction of dense sets of size about $3q^{2/3}$ is presented. Better results are obtained for specific values of $q$. In several cases, an improvement on the best known upper bound on the size of the smallest dense set in $PG(2,q)$ is obtained.