Singularity and geometry on a surface from the correspondence of C. Segre with G. Castelnuovo (Q1205967)

The author begins with a brief historical outline. The development of the theory of algebraic curves gave rise to the theory of algebraic surfaces. Clebsch achieved first results in 1868 in defining the transcendent of a surface by means of a double integral and the genus of a surface. With that he initiated the theory of birational transformations. Max Noether continued these studies and tried to extend the theory of singularities of algebraic curves on surfaces. The general problem of the birational transformation of surfaces soon became the subject of the young Italian school, in particular of Guido Castelnuovo and Corrado Segre who achieved first fundamental results. It is the aim of this paper to present the close relationship between these two mathematicians. Segre had studied at the University of Turin where he became assistant professor in 1883. In 1888 he was promoted to professor of higher geometry. Castelnuovo graduated in 1886 at the university of Padua; in 1887 he became assistant at the university of Turin: at the same time the collaboration with Segre began. Their so-called Turin period lasted until 1891 when Castelnuovo was nominated professor at the university of Rome. But, the intensive collaboration with Segre was continued by exchanging letters. It is largely owing to the author that these letters were discovered. They are in possession of Emma Castelnuovo, the daughter of Guido Castenuovo. She owns about 270 letters from Segre to her father which were written between 1885 and 1904, most of them between 1891-1898. The theory of algebraic surfaces is the subject of some of these letters. The author picked out the 42 most interesting ones which are published here (p. 153-184). These letters dating from May 5, 1893 to October 22, 1897 give an inside view and allow a much better understanding of the publications of Castelnuovo and Segre during this period and later. In the last paragraph the author announces that she also discovered one single letter from Castelnuovo to Segre from 1917 in the library of the university of Turin.