Some remarks on varieties with degenerate Gauss image. (Q1880121)

Let \(X\subset\mathbb{P}^N\) be a projective variety of dimension \(n\). The Gauss map of \(X\) is the rational map \(\gamma:X\to \mathbb{G}(n,N)\) that associates to every smooth point \(x\) of \(X\) the embedded tangent space to \(X\) at \(x\). The Gauss image \(\gamma(X)\) of \(X\) is, by definition, the closure of the image, via \(\gamma\), of the smooth locus of \(X\). One has \(\dim(\gamma(X))\leq\dim(X)\), and for a ``general'' \(X\) equality holds. Projective varieties \(X\) for which \(\dim(\gamma (X)) \neq \dim(X)\) are called varieties with degenerate Gauss image. Several general facts are known for these varieties. For instance, one knows that a general fibre of \(\gamma\) is a linear variety. Moreover, if \(X\) is not linear, then it is a fortiori singular and its singular locus cuts a general fibre along a codimension 1 subscheme. Moreover, several classification results have recently been established. But a general structure theorem is still missing. However, under suitable assumptions on the focal locus \(F_\Lambda\) of the fibre of \(\gamma\) [for the definition of the focal locus associated to a family of linear spaces see \textit{E. Mezzetti} and \textit{O. Tommasi}, Ill. J. Math. 46, No. 2, 443--465 (2002; Zbl 1052.14065)], \textit{M. A. Akivis} and \textit{V. V. Goldberg} [Geom. Dedicata 86, No. 1--3, 205--226 (2001; Zbl 1031.53024)] proved a general theorem. Moreover they stated the question of constructing examples with \(F_\Lambda\) not reduced and with \((F_\Lambda)_{\text{red}}\) not linear. In the paper under review, the authors prove that on a general fibre of the Gauss map for the secant variety of a Severi variety, the focal scheme is a quadric of maximal rank, with multiplicity \(\geq 2\) (in the case of a Veronese surface this quadric has multiplicity 1). The authors prove that these examples can be generalized, exhibiting focal loci with arbitrarily high multiplicity. They also prove an upper bound for the codimension of the focal locus on \(X\), and, in the case of ``high'' codimension, they prove a uniqueness property concerning Severi varieties.