Small contractions of four dimensional algebraic manifolds (Q1112886)

Let X be a non-singular projective variety of dimension 4 defined over \({\mathbb{C}}\), and let \(f:\quad X\to Y\) be an elementary contraction onto a normal projective variety Y, i.e., \((1)\quad f\quad has\) connected fibers, \((2)\quad the\) anti-canonical divisor \(-K_ X\) is f-ample, and \((3)\quad all\) the curves on X which are vertical with respect to f are numerically proportional. Assume that f is small, i.e., an isomorphism in codimension one. Then it is proved in this paper that the exceptional locus E of f is a disjoint union of its irreducible components \(E_ i\) \((i=1,...,n)\) such that \(E_ i\simeq {\mathbb{P}}^ 2\) and \(N_{E_ i/X}\simeq {\mathcal O}_{{\mathbb{P}}^ 2}(-1)^{\oplus 2}, \) where N denotes the normal bundle. In particular, the flip of f exists. There is an example where E is reducible.