On the base point locus of surface parametrizations: formulas and consequences (Q2100139)

Let \(\mathbb{K}\) be an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. Consider a projective rational surface \(\mathcal{S}\subset \mathbb{P}^3(\mathbb{K})\) and a rational parametrization of \(\mathcal{S}\) \[ P:\mathbb{P}^2(\mathbb{K})\dashrightarrow\mathcal{S}\subset\mathbb{P}^3(\mathbb{K}) \] \[ \bar{t}\mapsto (p_1(\bar{t}):\ldots:p_4(\bar{t})), \] where \(\bar{t}=(t_1,t_2,t_3)\) and the \(p_i\) are homogeneous polynomials of the same degree such that \(\mathrm{gdc}(P-1,\ldots,p_4)=1\). Assume that \(p_4\neq 0\). A base point of \(P\) is an element \(A\in \mathbb{P}^2(\mathbb{K})\) such that \(P(A)=0\). Denote by \(\mathcal{B}(P)\) the set of base points of \(P\). In the paper authors deal with problem of properly counting the number of these points. They present a formula that relates the multiplicity of the base points with the content of a univariate resultant. As a consequence they give an elementary proof of degree formula \[ \mathrm{mult}(\mathcal{B}(P))=\mathrm{deg}(P)^2-\mathrm{deg}(\mathcal{S})\cdot\mathrm{deg}\,\mathrm{Map}(P), \] where \(\mathrm{Map}(P)\) is the rational map induced by \(P\). This proof is based on the intersection theory and well-known results from elimination theory. The paper also gives a simple computational method to determine the sum of multiplicity of the base points . The authors state similar formula for the case of rational map between projective planes, it means for dominant rational maps from \(\mathbb{P}^2\) onto \(\mathbb{P}^2\). Finally they study the behaviour of the base loci of two parametrizations of the same surface, when one is the reparametrization of the other.