On the diameter of plane algebraic curves (Q1897760)

The problem of a diameter of a plane complex algebraic curve was initially proposed by S. Frenkel. He conjectured that the diameter of a complex algebraic curve in the projective plane, \(P^2\), is bounded in the induced metric independently of the degree of the curve. We assume that the metric on the projective plane is a standard Fubini-Study metric with the diameter of each projective line equal to 1. For example, the diameter, i.e., maximal distance in the induced metric, on any union of projective lines never exceeds 2. On the other hand, M. Gromov conjectured that in fact diameters of complex algebraic curves in \(P^2\) are unbounded unless there are some restrictions on the curves considered. This article contains a proof of Gromov's conjecture. I describe further a procedure which enables one to construct, starting with any smooth curve, a new plane smooth curve with a diameter which approximately doubles the diameter of the initial curve. Hence by repeating this procedure we can produce smooth plane curves with a diameter exceeding any positive number. It gives a negative answer to the question of S. Frenkel and thus proves the Gromov conjecture. It is interesting to remark that the diameter is nevertheless bounded independently of the degree on a rather big class of plane curves.