On the singularities at infinity of plane algebraic curves. (Q1414941)

Let \(f:{\mathbb C}^2 \to \mathbb C\) be a nonconstant polynomial in two complex variables with a finite set of critical points; let \(C^{ t}\) be the projective closure of the fiber \(f^{-1}(t)\), let \(L_{ \infty}\) in \({\mathbb P}^2 ({\mathbb C})\) be the line at infinity and let \(C_{ \infty}= C^{ t} \cap L_{ \infty}\). The set \(\Lambda(f) = \{ t \in {\mathbb C}:\mu_{p}^t > \mu_{p}^{min} \;\text{ for a } p \in C_{ \infty} \}\), where \(\mu_{p}^t = \mu_{p}(C^t)\) is the Milnor number and \(\mu_{p}^{min}= \inf_{t \in {\mathbb C}} \mu_{p}^t\), is called the set of irregular values of \(f\) at infinity. In this note the authors characterize polynomials \(f\) with no critical points and one irregular value at infinity: improving a recent result by \textit{A. Assi} [see Math. Z. 230, No. 1, 165--183 (1999; Zbl 0934.32017)], they give a description of the irregular fiber of such a polynomial. This result is applied to the estimation of the number of points at infinity of a polynomial with no critical points and at most one irregular value at infinity. The authors give also a discriminant criterion for polynomials to have one irregular value and present a list of open questions.