An enriched count of the bitangents to a smooth plane quartic curve (Q2028687)

Let \(k\) be an algebraically closed field of characteristic not 2. A classical theorem of \textit{C. G. J. Jacobi} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 40, 237--260 (1850; ERAM 040.1107cj)] states that any plane quartic over \(k\) has exactly 28 bitangents. Over a non-algebraically closed field, counting bitangents to plane quartics becomes more difficult. For example, \textit{G. Salmon} [A treatise on the higher plane curves: intended as a sequel to ``A treatise of conic sections''. Second edition. Dublin. Hodges, Foster and Co. (1873; JFM 05.0340.03)] showed that each real plane quartic has 4, 8, 16, or 28 bitangents. In this article, the authors give an enriched count of bitangents to plane quartics over an arbitrary field of characteristic not 2. The general methods and goals of this article are largely inspired by Kass and Wickelgren's enriched count of lines on cubic surfaces [\textit{J. L. Kass} and \textit{K. Wickelgren}, Compos. Math. 157, No. 4, 677--709 (2021; Zbl 1477.14085)] and fall within the \textit{enriched} or \textit{\(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry} program. Perhaps the most notable innovation in this article is the authors' notion of relatively oriented bundles \textit{relative to a divisor}, which greatly broadens the class of enumerative problems that can be addressed in the enriched enumerative geometry program. Many enriched enumerative problems are approached by computing the \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-Euler class of a vector bundle \(V\to X\) with a \textit{relative orientation} criterion: one needs that \(\det{V}\otimes(\det{TX})^{\vee}\) is isomorphic to the tensor square of a line bundle. The vector bundle relevant to the problem of bitangents to plane quartics is \textit{not} relatively orientable, so the authors pick a divisor \(D\subset X\) such that \(\det{V|_{X\backslash D}}\otimes(\det{T(X\backslash D)})^{\vee}\) is the tensor square of a line bundle. The divisor \(D\) then plays a role in the geometry of the enumerative problem.