Plane curves of minimal degree with prescribed singularities (Q1273152)

The authors consider the classical problem: Given an integer \(d\geq 3\) and types \(S_1,S_2, \dots,S_n\) of plane curve singularities, does there exist a reduced irreducible plane curve of degree \(d\) with exactly \(n\) singular points of types \(S_1,S_2, \dots,S_n\)? The complete answer is known only for nodal curves, by Severi: An irreducible curve of degree \(d\) with \(n\) nodes as its only singularities, exists if and only if \(0\leq n\leq(d-1) (d-2)/2\). -- Even for ordinary cusps, there is no complete answer. The main theorem proved in this paper is: For any integer \(d\geq 1\) and topological types \(S_1,S_2, \dots, S_n\) of plane curve singularities, satisfying \(\sum^n_{i=1} \mu(S_i)\leq d^2/392\) there exists a reduced irreducible plane projective curve of degree \(d\) with exactly \(n\) singular points of types \(S_1,S_2, \dots,S_n\). As a consequence the authors obtain: For any topological type \(S\) of a single plane curve singularity there exists a reduced irreducible plane projective curve of degree \(\leq 14\sqrt {\mu(S)}\) with singularity \(S\) at the origin.