On singular quadratic complexes, quintic curves and Cremona transformations (Q1758640): Difference between revisions

Let \(X\) be a smooth complete intersection of two quadric hypersurfaces in \(\mathbb P^5\). It was classically known that the projection \(\pi_L\) of centre a line \(L\) contained in \(X\) gives a birational map from \(X\) to \(\mathbb P^3\), and that the inverse rational map \(\pi_L^{-1}\) is defined by the linear system of the cubic surfaces containing a smooth quintic curve \(C_L\) of genus \(2\) (see for instance [\textit{J. G. Semple} and \textit{L. Roth}, Introduction to algebraic geometry. Oxford: Clarendon Press; London: Oxford University Press (1949; Zbl 0041.27903)]). In the article [\textit{D. Avritzer, G. Gonzalez-Sprinberg} and \textit{I. Pan}, Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo (2) 57, No. 3, 353--375 (2008; Zbl 1184.14024)] the authors studied the Cremona transformations of \(\mathbb P^3\) that can be factorized as \(\pi_{L'}\circ \pi_L^{-1}\), where \(L, L'\) are distinct lines contained in \(X\). In the article under review, they consider the case of a singular threefold \(X\), base locus of a pencil of quadrics \(\mathcal P\) of the form \(\lambda F+\mu G\), where \(G\) is smooth. Pencils of quadrics are classified up to the action of the projective linear group by their Segre symbol \(\sigma(\mathcal P)\): it describes the type and the multiplicity of the quadric cones in the pencil. Here the authors assume that \(\sigma(\mathcal P)\) does not contain any bracket of length \(\geq 4\), which means that \(\mathcal P\) contains only one cone with multiplicity \(\geq 2\) having vertex of dimension \(\leq 2\). This ensures that \(X\) is irreducible and reduced. It is proved that in this case a projection \(\pi_L\) is birational if and only if \(L\) is not contained in the singular locus of \(X\), and that the base curve \(C_L\) is a reducible aCM quintic of arithmetic genus \(2\). A complete description of the possible curves \(C_L\) is given, for all Segre symbols satisfying the assumptions. Then the authors study the geometry of the Cremona transformations of the form \(\pi_{L'}\circ \pi_L^{-1}\), finding that they are of bidegree \((3,3)\) or \((2,2)\). In the case \((3,3)\), they show that the transformations are either determinantal or de Jonquières. On the other hand it is proved that every Cremona transformation of bidegree \((2,2)\) can be obtained in this way. Reviewer's remark: The birational maps between a rational non-special threefold \(X\) of \(\mathbb P^5\) and \(\mathbb P^3\), which are obtained by projection from a line \(L\subset X\), were studied by \textit{E. Mezzetti} and \textit{D. Portelli} in [Math. Nachr. 207, 157--182 (1999; Zbl 0961.14027) and Collect. Math. 49, No. 2-3, 417--431 (1998; Zbl 0956.14028)].