The correlations of finite Desarguesian planes, Part I: Generalities

Abstract

The polarities of Desarguesian planes have long been known. This author has undertaken to classify the correlations of finite Desarguesian planes in general. In [6] we have presented all the correlations with identity companion automorphism which are not polarities, of these planes. In this sequence of papers, we classify the correlations of planes of order $ p^{2^{i}(2n+1)}, n \neq 0 $, with companion automorphism ( $p^{2^{i}t}$ ), p an odd prime, $ t \neq 0 $. This represents a complete classification of the correlations of planes of odd nonsquare order (i = 0). Some of the correlations of planes of odd square order ($ t \neq 0 $ ) are also covered by the present analysis.