Fano fivefolds of index two with blow-up structure (Q1004657)

Let \(X\) be a smooth complex projective variety of dimension \(n\); \(X\) is Fano when its anticanonical bundle \(-K_X\) is ample. The largest integer \(r_X\) such that \(-K_X= r_XH\) for some ample divisor \(H\) on \(X\) is called its index. It is known that \(r_X\) is at most \(n+1\) and Fano varieties of index \(n-2\leq r_X\leq n+1\) have been classified. \textit{J. A. Wiśniewski} [Manuscr. Math. 70, No. 2, 145--152 (1991; Zbl 0726.14028)] has completed the classification of Fano manifolds of index \(r_X=n-3\) that have Picard rank at least \(2\) and dimension at most \(6\). \textit{M. Andreatta, E. Chierici} and \textit{G. Occhetta} [Cent. Eur. J. Math. 2, No. 2, 272-293, electronic only (2004; Zbl 1068.14049)] have shown that Fano fivefolds of index \(2\) have Picard number at most \(5\), the authors [Int. J. Math. 17, No. 10, 1195--1221 (2006; Zbl 1111.14037)] have described the structures of the possible Mori cones of curves of these manifolds and \textit{C. Novelli} and \textit{G. Occhetta} [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 56, No. 1, 207--241 (2007; Zbl 1118.14048 )] have classified ruled Fano fivefolds of index \(2\). This paper builds up on these results and classifies Fano fivefolds of index \(2\) that are blow ups of smooth manifolds along smooth centers. Under these assumptions, there are \(7\) possible configurations for the cone of curves of \(X\) and \(4\) of these configurations have been studied in previous papers. They study the remaining \(3\) configurations and classify the corresponding Fano fivefolds. Their analysis rests on results on families of rational curves on Fano fivefolds, on the structure of Fano bundles and on surfaces on the Grassmannian of planes in \(\mathbb{C}^5\).