A group theoretic characterization of Buekenhout–Metz unitals in containing conics

Let U be a unital in PG ( 2 , q 2 ) , q = p h and let G be the group of projectivities of PG ( 2 , q 2 ) stabilizing U . In this paper we prove that U is a Buekenhout–Metz unital containing conics and q is odd if, and only if, there exists a point A of U such that the stabilizer of A in G contains an elementary Abelian p -group of order q 2 with no non-identity elations.