Subspace arrangements, configurations of linear spaces and the quadrics containing them (Q1938539)

Fix integers \(s\geq 2\) and \(n > n_1\geq \cdots \geq n_s >0\). Let \(X\subset \mathbb {P}^n\) be a general union of \(s\) linear subspaces of dimension \(n_1,\dots ,n_s\). \textit{R. Hartshorne} and \textit{A. Hirschowitz} [Lect. Notes Math. 961, 169--188 (1982; Zbl 0555.14011)] proved that if \(n_1=1\) and \(n\geq 3\) (i.e. if \(X\) is the union of \(s\) disjoint lines), then the Hilbert function of \(X\) is the expected one: for each integer \(d>0\) \(X\) is contained in exactly \(\min \{\binom{m+d}{m} -s(d+1),0\}\) linearly independent degree \(d\) hypersurfaces. If \(n=3\), then the homogeneous ideal of \(X\) is known by \textit{M. Idà} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 403, 67--153 (1990; Zbl 0681.14032)]. If \(n_1\geq 2\) only a few cases for the Hilbert function or the minimal free resolution or the Castelnuovo-Mumford's regularity of \(X\) are known and listed in the paper under review: \textit{A. Björner}, \textit{I. Peeva} and \textit{J. Sidman} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 71, No. 2, 273--288 (2005; Zbl 1111.13018)]; \textit{E. Carlini, M. V. Catalisano} and \textit{A. V. Geramita} [J. Algebra 324, No. 4, 758--781 (2010; Zbl 1197.13016)]; \textit{H. Derksen} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 209, No. 1, 91--98 (2007; Zbl 1106.13016)]; \textit{H. Derksen} and \textit{J. Sidman} [Adv. Math. 172, No. 2, 151--157 (2002; Zbl 1040.13009)]; [\textit{J. Sidman}, Int. Math. Res. Not. No. 15, 713--727 (2004; Zbl 1082.52504), and Lect. Notes Pure Appl. Math. 254, 249--265 (2007; Zbl 1132.14046)]. In the paper under review the authors compute for every \(n_i\) the Hilbert function in degree \(2\) of \(X\), i.e. the number of linearly independent quadric hypersurfaces containing \(X\) (it is not an easy result, the case \(n_1+n_2\geq n\) is quite complicated even to be stated). There are algebraic applications, applications in statistics (the quoted paper by Derksen), to data modeling and segmentation [\textit{Y. Ma} et al., SIAM Rev. 50, No. 3, 413--458 (2008; Zbl 1147.52010)], for incidence properties of rational normal curves and linear spaces [\textit{E. Carlini} and \textit{M.V. Catalisano}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II Ser. 76, No. 1, 380--388 (2006; Zbl 1181.14035); J. Lond. Math. Soc., II Ser. 80, No. 1, 1--17 (2009; Zbl 1134.14022)], for the higher secant varieties of Segre-Veronese varieties. Here the authors find another application to a special kind of polynomial decomposition.