Smooth lines on projective planes over two-dimensional algebras and submanifolds with degenerate Gauss maps (Q1866606)

The authors construct a new class of examples of submanifolds \(X\) of \(\mathbb R P^5\) of dimension 3 with degenerate Gauss map. Manifolds with degenerate Gauss image have been studied and classified by the authors [Geom. Dedicata 86, 205--226 (2001; Zbl 1031.53024)] and by the reviewer and \textit{O. Tommasi} [Ill. J. Math. 46, 443--465 (2002; Zbl 1052.14065)]. These examples fit in three classes, having two real plane curves, or a plane curve counted with multiplicity two, or two imaginary curves (i.e. the empty set from the real point of view) respectively as focal loci. The examples of the second class generalize the Bourgain and Sacksteder hypersurfaces studied by the authors [Hokkaido Math. J. 30, 661--670 (2001; Zbl 1004.53009)]. The construction of the examples is as follows: let \(\mathbb A\) be one of the 2-dimensional real algebras \(\mathbb C\), \(\mathbb C^1\), \(\mathbb C^0\), and consider the projective plane \(\mathbb A P^2\) over \(\mathbb A\): it can be naturally embedded in the real Grassmannian \(\mathbb R G(1,5)\) of straight lines in \(\mathbb R P^5\) as a submanifold of real dimension 4. The authors introduce \(\mathbb A\)-smooth lines in \(\mathbb A P^2\), which are certain submanifolds of dimension three, and associate to each of them a ruled 3- manifold in \(\mathbb R P^5\), thus obtaining the required examples.