Tangent scrolls in prime Fano threefolds (Q5929132)

Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be Fano manifolds of \(\dim X=\dim Y=n\), and let \(f: X\to Y\) be a surjective morphism. If \(X\) is an \(n\)-dimensional projective space \(\mathbb{P}^{n}\) (resp. a hyperquadric surface \(\mathbb{Q}^{n}\)), then \(Y\cong \mathbb{P}^{n}\) (resp. \(\mathbb{P}^{n}\) or \(\mathbb{Q}^{n}\)) [see \textit{R. Lazarsfeld}, in: Complete intersections, Lect. 1st Sess. C.I.M.E., Acireale 1983, Lect. Notes Math. 1092, 29-61 (1984; Zbl 0547.14009); \textit{K. H. Paranjape} and \textit{V. Srinivas}, Invent. Math. 98, No.2, 425-444 (1989; Zbl 0697.14037); \textit{R. Remmert} and \textit{T. van de Ven}, Nieuw Arch. Wisk., III. Ser. 8, 147-157 (1960; Zbl 0136.20703)]. In particular for the case when \(n=3\), \(\mathbb{P}^{3}\) and \(\mathbb{Q}^{3}\) do not admit surjective morphisms to smooth Fano threefolds \(X\) of smaller index \(r(X)\). By this fact, it is natural to consider whether there are non-constant morphisms \(f: X\to Y\) from a smooth Fano \(n\)-fold \(X\) to a smooth Fano n-fold \(Y\) such that \(r(X)>r(Y)\). In this paper the authors consider the following case: Let \(f: X\to Y\) be a non-constant morphism between smooth Fano 3-folds of \(\rho(X)=\rho(Y)=1\), where \(\rho(X)\) (resp. \(\rho (Y)\)) is the Picard number of \(X\) (resp. \(Y\)). By the Remmert-van de Ven-paper (loc. cit.) \(\rho(X)=1\) implies that \(f\) is surjective and \(r(X)\leq 2\). Hence if \(r(X)>r(Y)\), then \(r(X)=2\) and \(r(Y)=1\). In: Transcendental methods in algebraic geometry, Lect. 3rd Sess. C.I.M.E., Cetraro 1994, Lect. Notes Math. 1646, 98-142 (1996; Zbl 0873.14006), \textit{Th. Peternell} posed the following question: Are there non-constant morphisms \(f: X\to Y\) from a smooth Fano 3-fold \(X\) of \(\rho(X)=1\) and \(r(X)=2\) to a smooth Fano 3-fold \(Y\) of \(\rho(Y)=1\) and \(r(Y)=1\)? In this paper, the authors give the expected negative answer to the above question. A sketch of argument in this paper is the following: First by using Hodge theory, we find that the existence of a non-constant morphism \(f: X\to Y\) as above implies that \(h^{2,1}(Y)\leq 21\). If \(Y\) is a smooth non-prime Fano threefold of \(\rho(Y)=1\) and \(r(Y)=1\), or \(Y\) is the quartic threefold \(X_{4}\), then \(h^{2,1}(Y)>21\) and this gives a negative answer. Moreover if \(Y\) is the Mukai-Umemura threefold \({X_{22}}'\), then a negative answer is given by Amerik. So we need to check that \(Y\) is a smooth prime Fano threefold \(X_{2g-2}\), \(4\leq g\leq 12\), \(g\not=11\), different from the Mukai-Umemura threefold \({X_{22}}'\). On the other hand a negative answer is given by \textit{C. Schuhmann} [J. Algebr. Geom. 8, 221-244 (1999; Zbl 0970.14022)] if \(Y\) contains a conic of rank two (a pair of intersecting line). Hence it suffices to prove the following: Any smooth prime Fano threefold \(X_{2g-2}\), \(4\leq g\leq 12\), \(g\not=11\), different from the Mukai-Umemura threefold \({X_{22}}'\) contains a 1-dimensional family of conics of rank two. In this paper, the authors prove this statement.