Computing complex and real tropical curves using monodromy (Q2318353)

The authors present algorithms for computing the rays of a complex or real tropical curve defined by polynomials with constant coefficients. In the complex case, their algorithms compute also the multiplicities of the rays. For real tropical curves, they compute the rays with their sign patterns (corresponding to the real orthants of the ambient torus). The authors also provide and describe an implementation of their algorithms using a combination of Matlab and Bertini. They explain their main ideas with the help of many different examples. Another algorithm for computing complex tropical curves was previously presented in [\textit{A. Jensen} et al., Exp. Math. 25, 83--93 (2016; Zbl 1350.14045)] but there the case of real tropical curves was not discussed. The strategy in the article at hand for computing the tropicalization of a given curve consists roughly of three main steps: \begin{itemize} \item[1.] For each coordinate hyperplane (say \(\lbrace x_j = 0 \rbrace\)), compute a threshold such that all translations of the hyperplane within that threshold intersect the given curve transversely. This threshold describes an open neighborhood of the endgame operating zone of all points on the curve where the respective coordinate \(x_j\) is zero. The endgame operating zone is the domain of convergence of the Puiseux series in a local parametrization of the curve by the value of the variable \(x_j\). \item[2.] For each point on the curve and on one of the coordinate hyperplanes, use path tracking and Cauchy's integral formula to compute the valuation of a Puiseux series expansion. \item[3.] To obtain the complex tropical curve, collect all valuations with appropriate multiplicities. To obtain the signed real tropical curve, consider only paths starting at real points and collect also the sign patterns of the starting points. \end{itemize}