Generators for the homogeneous ideal of s general points in \({\mathbb{P}}_ 3\) (Q1821173)

Consider the union A of s general points in \({\mathbb{P}}_ N\), this is the same to consider s general lines through the origin in the affine space \(\Delta_ k^{N+1}\). Here k is an algebraic closed field and ''general'' means some open condition. Let \(I\subset k[x_ 0,...,x_ N]\) be the homogeneous ideal of A. The study of I and its description by numerical invariants, Hilbert function of minimal number of generators, Cohen- Macaulay type was introduced by \textit{D. Mumford} in ''Lectures on curves on an algebraic surface'' (1966; Zbl 0187.427). The author proves the conjecture about the minimal number of generators of I for \(N=3\) and values \(s\geq 4\), \(s\neq (3j+4)(j+1)(3j+1)/2\) any \(j\geq 1\). In fact for \(N=3\), the conjecture is true for any value of \(s\geq 4\) as a consequence of this paper and a theorem of Hirschowitz. The author's proof is a very nice application of classical methods of algebraic geometry.