Cubic fourfolds containing a plane and \(K3\) surfaces of Picard rank two (Q510393): Difference between revisions

Let \(X\) be a cubic fourfold in \(\mathbb{P}^5\) containing a plane. Then the projection from the plane yields a quadric bundle. If this quadric bundle admits a section then \(X\) is rational. The author constructs a family of cubic fourfolds containing a plane, such that the quadric bundle \(Y\) does not admit a rational section. It is not clear whether the general member of this particular family is rational or not. The construction of the family relies on the following observations: The discriminant curve of the quadric bundle is a plane sextic \(C\). Let \(S\) be the double cover of the plane ramified along \(C\). The author reduces the question whether the quadric bundle admits a rational section or not to a question on the Néron-Severi lattice of \(S\). She then use a theta characteristic on the curve \(C\) to construct a surface \(S\) (and thereby a fourfold \(X\)) of the desired form.