Counting tropical rational curves with cross-ratio constraints (Q2223504)

The paper introduces an algorithm for computing some geometric invariants. The cross-ratio of four points on \(\mathbb{C}P^1\) is a scalar that encodes the relative position of the four points up to the automorphisms of \(\mathbb{C}P^1\). If we consider rational curves of degree \(\Delta\) in \((\mathbb{C}^*)^2\), one usually look for curves passing through \(|\Delta|-1\) points in generic position inside \((\mathbb{C}^*)^2\). It is possible to replace some of the point conditions by ''cross-ratio'' constraints, \textit{i.e.} imposing the relative position for some quadruples of marked points chosen on the curve. The number of curves does not depend on the choice of the points inside \((\mathbb{C}^*)^2\) nor the fixed values of the cross-ratio. Using a correspondence theorem, it is natural to try to compute these invariants using the tropical approach. The tropicalization of a curve with four marked points is a tropical curve with a unique bounded edge and four dunbounded ends. The tropical cross-ratio, introduced by G. Mikhalkin corresponds to the length of the unique bounded edge. In [Adv. Math. 305, 1356--1383 (2017; Zbl 1401.14242)], \textit{I. Tyomkin} provides a correspondence theorem that allows one to deal with cross-ratio constraints. In the hereby considered setting, this allows one to compute the invariants from the last paragraph by looking for rational tropical curves in \(\mathbb{R}^2\) of degree \(\Delta\), passing through the right number of points and satisfying some cross-ratio constraints, and counting them with suitable multiplicities. In the present paper, the author uses the correspondence theorem from I. Tyomkin [loc. cit.] to provide an algorithm for the computation of the geometric invariants defined above. He proceeds in two steps. First, he uses tropical intersection theory of \textit{L. Allermann} and \textit{J. Rau} [Math. Z. 264, No. 3, 633--670 (2010; Zbl 1193.14074)] to replace the tropical cross-ratio constraints from the tropical enumerative problem to \textit{degenerated cross-ratio constraints}, meaning that the tropical cross-ratio are chosen to be \(0\): tropical curves are not trivalent anymore. This changes the tropical enumerative problem by an easier one, but at the cost of counting the solutions with a more complicated multiplicity that the author provides. Then, he provides a lattice path algorithm generalizing the one of \textit{G. Mikhalkin} [J. Am. Math. Soc. 18, No. 2, 313--377 (2005; Zbl 1092.14068)] to enumerate the solutions of his new tropical enumerative problem. Finally, in the case of Hirzebruch surfaces, he provides another algorithm using floor diagrams.