On the adjunction mapping (Q1109088)

Let \(L\) be a very ample line bundle on a projective complex manifold \(X\) of dimension \(n\). Let \(K\) be the canonical bundle of \(X\). Then \(A=K+(n-1)L\) is spanned by global sections except a few simple well-known cases. If \(A\) is big in addition, then there is a birational morphism \(r: X\to X'\) together with ample line bundles \(L'\), \(A'\) on \(X'\) such that \(A=r^*A'\), \(A'=K'+(n-1)L'\) for the canonical bundle \(K'\) of \(X'\), and \(r\) is the blow-up of \(X'\) with center being at most finitely many points. This pair \((X',L')\) is called the minimal reduction of \((X,L)\). The authors prove the very ampleness of \(A'\) in the above situation except a few cases in which \((X,L)\) is very precisely described. In particular, \(n\le 2\) in the exceptional cases. This is a beautiful improvement of some previous results of the first author. The main new technique here is Reider's very ampleness criterion of line bundles on surfaces. As an application of the main theorem the authors describe \((X,L)\) for which a transverse intersection of \((n-1)\) members of \(| L|\) is a hyperelliptic curve.