When does the Hessian determinant vanish identically? (On Gordan and Noether's proof of Hesse's claim) (Q1882733)

Let \(f\in K[x_0,\dots,x_n]\), \(n\geq 1\), be a polynomial over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero and let \(H_f\) be its Hessian determinant. In 1851 Hesse claimed that if \(f\) is homogeneous then \(H_f=0\) if and only if after a suitable invertible linear change of variables \(T:(y_0,\dots,y_n)\to (x_0,ldots,x_n)\) the composition \(f\circ T\) depends on a smaller number of variables, i.e. \(f\circ T\in K[y_0,\dots,y_{n-1}]\). Gordan and Noether in 1876 showed that it is not true in general (precisely the implication \(\Rightarrow\) fails). They proved that the equivalence holds for \(n\leq 3\) and they gave counter-examples for \(n\geq 4\). The paper analyses and modernizes the Gordan and Noether results. In particular the author gives a complete classification of homogeneous polynomials for which \(H_f=0\) in the case \(n=4\). For non-homogeneous case see the recent paper by \textit{M. de Bondt} and \textit{A. van den Essen} [J. Algebra 282, 195--204 (2004; Zbl 1060.14089)].