Absolute and relative Gromov-Witten invariants of very ample hypersurfaces (Q1395926)

Let \(X\) be a complex projective variety, and let \(Y\subset X\) be a smooth very ample hypersurface. Let \(\beta \in H_2(X)\) be a homology class, and let \(\alpha_1,\ldots, \alpha_n\) be a collection of nonnegative integers. Consider the moduli space of relative stable maps \(\overline{M}_{(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_n)}^Y(X,\beta)\) consisting of all stable genus zero curves \(f:C\rightarrow X\) such that \(f\) cuts \(Y\) at the point \(x_i\) with multiplicity \(\alpha_i\). The relative Gromov-Witten invariants are defined using (the virtual fundamental classes of) these moduli spaces. This paper proves the following equality of cycles in the Chow groups of the moduli spaces of relative stable maps \[ \begin{multlined}(\alpha_k \psi_k + ev_{x_k}^* [Y]) \cdot [\overline{M}_{(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_n)}^Y(X,\beta)]^{\text{virt}}= \\ =[\overline{M}_{(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_k+1,\ldots, \alpha_n)}^ Y(X,\beta)]^{\text{virt}} +[D_{(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_n),k}(X,\beta)]^{\text{virt}},\end{multlined} \] where \(D_{(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_n),k}\) is the moduli space (of virtual codimension 1) of reducible stable curves in which the component containing the point \(x_k\) is included in \(Y\), and \(\psi_k\) is the cotangent class (the Euler class of the bundle which puts over each stable \((C,f)\) the cotangent space of \(C\) at \(x_k\)). Geometrically, this formula follows by requiring the curve \((C,f)\) to cut \(Y\) with multiplicity \(\alpha_k+1\) at \(x_k\). The method of proof consists in embedding \(X\) in a projective space \(\mathbb{P}^N\) in such a way that the hyperplane section is \(Y\subset X\). The case of a hyperplane \(H\subset \mathbb{P}^N\) is studied in detail, and then the information is transferred to \(Y\subset X\) via pull-back. This is an extension of results found by \textit{R. Vakil} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 529, 101--153 (2000; Zbl 0970.14029)]. This result is used to prove that the Gromov-Witten invariants of \(X\) give all the relative invariants as well as all genus zero Gromov-Witten invariants of \(Y\) whose homology and cohomology classes are induced by \(X\).