Free divisors and rational cuspidal plane curves (Q1707265)

Let \(C: f = 0\) be a reduced curve of degree \(d\) in the complex projective plane \(\mathbb{P}^2\). \(C\) is called free, or a free divisor, if the rank two vector bundle of logarithmic vector fields along \(C\) splits as a direct sum of two line bundles on \(\mathbb{P}^2\). In this paper the authors give a numerical characterization of freeness in terms of the Hilbert function of the associated Milnor algebra \(M(f)={{\mathbb{C}[x,y,z]}\over{(f_x,f_y,f_z)}}\); moreover, they show that, for a free curve \(C \), the degree \(d\) and the total Tjurina number \(\tau(C)=\dim_{\mathbb{C}}{{\mathbb{C}[x,y,z]}\over{(f,f_x,f_y,f_z)}}\) determine the Hilbert function of \(M(f)\) and, in case \(C\) is an irreducible free divisor, they give information on the possible values of the total Tjurina number \(\tau(C)\), in terms of the degree \(d\). Also, many new examples are presented of rational cuspidal curves which are free. The computations of various invariants is made using two computer algebra systems: CoCoA and Singular.