On a theorem of Severi (Q1966094): Difference between revisions

In 1901 Severi proved that the only surface in \(\mathbb{P}^5\) that can be projected isomorphically in \(\mathbb{P}^4\) is the Veronese surface in \(\mathbb{P}^5\). In the same paper, Severi claims that the only smooth surfaces in \(\mathbb{P}^5\) having one apparent double point are the rational scroll(s) of degree 4 and the Del Pezzo surface of degree 5. But the Severi's proof has a gap, which was remarked first by Ciliberto and Sernesi. In this paper, the author fills the gap and proves that the only surfaces in \(\mathbb{P}^5\) having one apparent double point are the rational normal scrolls \(S(2,2)\) and \(S(1,3)\) of degree 4 and the Del Pezzo surface of degree 5. Moreover, the author shows that the rational normal scrolls \(S(\underbrace{1,\dots,1}_{r-1},3)\), \(r\geq 1\), and \(S(\underbrace{1,\dots,1}_{r-2},2,2)\), \(r\geq 2\), in \(\mathbb{P}^{2r+1}\) of degree \(r+2\) have one apparent double point. A consequence is that the smooth \(r\)-dimensional subvarieties of \(\mathbb{P}^{2r+1}\) of minimal degree, with the exception of the Veronese surface, have one apparent double point.