On dual defective manifolds (Q2255338)

Let \(X \subset \mathbb P^N\) be a non-degenerate smooth complex projective variety of dimension \(n \geq 2\). \(X\) is said to be dual defective if its dual variety \(X^* \subset \mathbb P^{N *}\) is not a hypersurface, its dual defect being \(k:= N-1 - \dim(X^*)\). \(X\) is said to be an \(r\) scroll if \(X=\mathbb P(E)\) where \(E\) is a rank \(r+1\) vector bundle over some manifold \(W\) and the fibers of \(X \to W\) are embedded linearly. It is well known that \(r\)-scrolls with \(r > \dim(W)\) are dual defective with \(k=r - \dim(W)\). The main result in the paper is the following characterization of scrolls among dual defective manifolds, in terms of the geometry of the variety of lines passing through a general point. Suppose that \(X\) has positive defect \(k\), let \(x \in X\) be a general point and let \(\mathcal L_x\) be the scheme of lines in \(X\) passing through \(x\). Since \(k > 0\), there is an irreducible component \(C_x\) of \(\mathcal L_x\) of dimension \(\frac{n+k-2}{2}\) containing all the general contact lines of \(X\) passing through \(x\). Let \(T\) be the linear span of \(C_x\) in a general tangent hyperplane to \(X\) at \(x\). Then \(X\) is a \(\big(\frac{n+k}{2}\big)\)-scroll over a manifold of dimension \(\frac{n-k}{2}\) if and only if \(\dim(C_x) > 2\;\text{codim}_T(C_x)\). As a corollary the authors obtain an upper bound for \(k\) when \(X\) is not a scroll and characterize the extremal case. They also discuss an interesting relationship with local quadratic entry locus varieties, a special class of secant defective manifolds introduced by the second author in [Math. Ann. 344, No. 3, 597--617 (2009; Zbl 1170.14040)] and further studied by both authors in [J. Reine Angew. Math. 644, 145--157 (2010; Zbl 1200.14078); Compos. Math. 144, No. 4, 949--962 (2008; Zbl 1149.14041)].