On hyperquadrics containing projective varieties (Q2199334)

Let \(\Bbbk\) denote an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. Let \(X \subset \mathbb{P}^{n+c}_{\Bbbk}\) be a non-degenerate irreducible projective variety of dimension \(n\) and degree \(d\). Let \(a_2(X)\) denote the number of linearly independent quadratic equations of \(X\). By classical results of Castelnuovo it follows that \(a_2(X) \leq \binom{c+1}{2}\) with equality if and only if \(X\) is of minimal degree resp. by Fano if \(c \geq 2\) then \(a_2(X) = \binom{c+1}{2} -1\) if and only if a general linear curve section of \(X\) is linearly normal of arithmetic genus one. In his paper [Forum Math. 27, No. 2, 843--875 (2015; Zbl 1310.14047)] the author has shown that \(a_2(X) \leq \binom{c+1}{2} - \min \{d-c-1,c\}\). In the paper under review the author classifies the cases of \(a_2(X) = \binom{c+1}{2} -k\) for \(k = 2,3\). Among others the following is shown: (1) If \(c \geq 4\), then \(a_2(X) = \binom{c+1}{2} - 2\) if and only if either \(d = c+2\) and \(\operatorname{depth} (X) = n\) or else \(d= c+3\) and \(\operatorname{depth} (X) = n +1\). (2) If \(c \geq 4\) and \(a_2(X) = \binom{c+1}{2} - 3\) if and only if \(X\) satisfies one of the following conditions: (i) \(d = c+2\) and \(\operatorname{depth} (X) = n-1 > 0\), (ii) \(d= c+3\) and \(X\) is a variety of maximal sectional regularity, (iii) \(d = c+3\), the arithmetic genus of \(X\) is one and \(\operatorname{depth} (X) = n\), (iv) \(d = c+4\) and \(\operatorname{depth} (X) = n+1\). Moreover, the author investigates the zero set of those quadratic equations and applies the results to projective varieties of degree \( \geq 2c+1\).