Focal loci of algebraic hypersurfaces: A general theory (Q1381443)

In this paper the author establishes some basic results on focal loci of complex algebraic surfaces. The focal locus of an algebraic variety is defined in terms of the projective closure of the branch locus of a rational map from the normal bundle of the variety to the ambient projective space. The two main theorems of the paper study general hypersurfaces in the complex projective \(n\)-space. It is shown that the induced focal map is birational. In addition an exact formula for the degree of the focal locus is derived, expressing it in terms of the dimension of the ambient space and the degree of the hypersurface.