On order-two line congruences in \({\mathbb{P}}^ n\) (Q1826137)

The authors describe some properties of general line congruences \({\mathcal C}_ V\) in \({\mathbb{P}}^ n={\mathbb{P}}^ n({\mathbb{C}})\), i.e. sets of lines in \({\mathbb{P}}^ n\) parametrized by the points of an (n-1)-fold V in the Grassmannian \({\mathbb{G}}(1,n)\) of lines in \({\mathbb{P}}^ n\), with the property that the set of points in \({\mathbb{P}}^ n\) through which infinitely many lines of \({\mathcal C}_ V\) pass is finite. The number of lines of \({\mathcal C}_ V\) passing through a generic point of \({\mathbb{P}}^ n\) is called the order of \({\mathcal C}_ V\). The main result, classically known in case \(n=4\), is the following: If \(n\geq 4\), there are no general congruences \({\mathcal C}_ V\) of order two in \({\mathbb{P}}^ n\). The situation is quite different from that of case \(n=3\), in which order-two general congruences exist.