Multiplicative properties of projectively dual varieties (Q1328164)

The authors present a general formula for the dimension of the projectively dual variety of the product of two projective varieties \(X_1\) and \(X_2\), in terms of dimensions of \(X_1\), \(X_2\) and their projective duals. Let \(X \subset \mathbb{P}^n\) be an irreducible projective variety, and \(X^\vee \subset (\mathbb{P}^n)^\vee\) be the projectively dual variety. Define the defect of \(X\) to be \(\text{def} X = \text{codim} X^\vee - 1\) and set \[ \mu (X) = \dim X + \text{def} X. \] Now let \(X_1 \subset \mathbb{P}^{n_1}\) and \(X_2 \subset \mathbb{P}^{n_2}\) be two irreducible projective varieties. \(X_1 \times X_2\) is naturally embedded in \(\mathbb{P}^{(n_1 + 1) (n_2 + 1) - 1}\) via the Segre embedding. Let \((X_1 \times X_2)^\vee \subset (\mathbb{P}^{(n_1 + 1) (n_2 + 1) - 1})^\vee\) be the projectively dual variety. Main theorem: \[ \mu (X_1 \times X_2) = \max \bigl( \dim X_1 + \dim X_2, \mu (X_1), \mu (X_2) \bigr). \] The proof is based on the formula due to \textit{N. M. Katz} [cf. Sémin. géométrie algébrique, SGA 7 II, Exposé XVII, Lect. Notes Math. 340, 212-253 (1973; Zbl 0284.14006)] expressing the dimension of the dual variety in terms of the rank of certain Hessian matrix. Some consequences and related results are given, including the ``Cayley trick'' from \textit{M. M. Kapranov}, \textit{B. Sturmfels}, and \textit{A. V. Zelevinsky}, Duke Math. J. 67, No. 1, 189-218 (1992; Zbl 0780.14027) and its dual version.