Justification for the functional method for space curves (Q1892481)

The ``functional method'', due to Cayley, supposes that every \(k\)-secant formula involving a smooth curve \(C\) in projective space should depend only on the degree of the curve and the number \(h\) of ``apparent'' double points of \(C\). (If \(C\) is irreducible of genus \(g\) and degree \(n\), then \(h= (n-1) (n-2)/ 2-g\).) Previously [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 303, 299-302 (1986; Zbl 0603.14040)], the author announced a theorem giving a modern justification of this classical hypothesis for space curves. The present paper presents the proof of this theorem. The key result is the expression of the rational equivalence class of the Hilbert scheme of \(k\)-uplets of \(C\) in terms of certain cycles in the Chow group of \(\text{Hilb}^k \mathbb{P}^3\). The methods used in the proof are similar to those used by \textit{P. Le Barz} in his paper ``Formules multisecantes pour les courbes gauches quelconques'' [in: Enumerative geometry and classical algebraic geometry, Prog. Math. 24, 165-197 (1982; Zbl 0514.14023)], which dealt with \(k\)-secant lines. As an application, the author computes the number of conics that meet \(C\) in \(k\) points and satisfy some other conditions as well.