Area in real \(K3\)-surfaces (Q1983981)

Let \(X\) be a minimal \(K3\)-surface and \(\sigma\colon X\to X\) a real structure, i.e., an anti-holomorphic involution. Upon rescaling the holomorphic \(2\)-form \(\omega\) on \(X\), one can assume that \(\alpha:=\operatorname{Re}\omega\) is \(\sigma^*\)-invariant whereas \(\operatorname{Im}\omega\) is skew-invariant. Then \(\alpha\) restricts to a non-vanishing \(2\)-form on the real part \(\mathbb{R}X\), which can be regarded as an area form. In particular, \(\alpha\) defines an orientation and one can speak about the areas \(A(K):=\bigl\langle\alpha,[K]\bigr\rangle\) of connected components \(K\subset\mathbb{R}X\). These areas are defined up to a common positive factor and, thus, can be compared. A polarization of genus \(g\ge1\) is a linear system \(|C|\) containing a smooth real curve \(C\) of genus \(g\). (It is not immediately clear whether exceptional divisors or hyperelliptic polarizations are allowed.) A polarization is non-vanishing if \([\mathbb{R}C]\ne0\) in \(H_1(\mathbb{R}X;\mathbb{Z}/2)\). This implies the presence of at least one non-spherical component \(N\subset\mathbb{R}X\). Assuming that the other components \(\Sigma_1,\ldots,\Sigma_{a-1}\) are spherical and their number \(a-1\ge g\), the authors prove the following inequality: \[ A(N)>\sum_{j=1}^{a-g}A(\Sigma_j). \] An important technical tool developed in the paper and used for the degenerate case \(g=1\) is an extension to \(K3\)-surfaces of the theory of simple Harnack curves (originally introduced for the plane and, more generally, toric varieties).