On multiples of divisors associated to Veronese embeddings with defective secant variety (Q1049906)

A linear system of degree \(d\) hypersurfaces in \({\mathbb P}^n\) passing through some points with fixed multiplicity is called special if it does not have the expected dimension. The classification of all the special linear systems through double points is due to Alexander and Hirschowitz, and this is the only case completely solved. In the case of linear systems in \({\mathbb P}^2\) many efforts have been made in order to prove the Segre, Harbourne, Gimigliano and Hirschowitz conjecture. In dimension greater than two, the situation is much more complicated and less clear. In the paper under review, the authors investigate the behaviour of certain special linear systems in \({\mathbb P}^n\) for \(2\leq n\leq 4\), in order to get interesting examples. In particular they study the multiples of the divisors corresponding to the special linear systems listed in the Alexander-Hirschowitz theorem. This analysis leads the authors to propose interesting questions and open problems.