On projective varieties of dimension \(n+k\) covered by \(k\)-spaces. (Q1850253)

The paper is concerned with families of linear spaces that generate proper subvarieties of the expected dimension in the projective space. To be more precise, consider a family \(B\) of \(k\)-spaces in the projective space \(\mathbb P^N\),the variety \(X\) ruled by \(B,\) and assume that \(\dim B = n\) and \(\dim X = n+k < N\). Then the authors study the relationship between the existence and properties of the focal scheme on a general space of \(B\), and the existence of spaces of dimension \(\leq n + k\) tangent to \(X\) along a general space of \(B\). As main result the following theorem is shown: Let \(B \subset \mathbb G(1,N)\) be a family of lines in \(\mathbb P^N\) of dimension \(n\), \(n \leq N-2.\) Suppose that the union of lines belonging to \(B\) is an algebraic variety \(X\) of dimension \(n+1.\) Then, for all \(k\) in the range \(0 \leq k \leq n,\) the following two conditions are equivalent: (1) The focal locus on the general element \(r \in B\) has length \(k.\) (2) \(X\) has a fixed tangent \(\mathbb P^{k+1}\) along every general \(r \in B.\) Moreover there is an analogue of the previous result for varieties with degenerate Gauss mapping. Both of the results are used for the study of ruled varieties of dimension 3. The authors' results comprise and complete results of ealier papers by \textit{P. Griffiths} and \textit{J. Harris} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér., IV. Sér. 12, 355-452 (1979; Zbl 0426.14019)], \textit{E. Rogora} [Geom. Dedicata 64, 157--191 (1997; Zbl 0893.14019)], and \textit{M. Akivis, V. Goldberg}, and \textit{J. Landsberg} [On the structure of varieties with degenerate Gauss mapping, Preprint, http://arxiv.org/abs/math.AG/9908079]. As an application of their results the authors give the classification of threefolds with a tangent \(2\)-plane constant along lines, and the classification of threefolds with degenerate Gauss mapping. By an example it is shown that the above theorem can not be extended to a family of subspaces of dimension \(\geq 2.\)