Collisions of fat points and applications to interpolation theory (Q2312853)

Let \(p\) be a smooth point of the integral projective variety \(X\). For all \(m>0\) let \(mp\) denote the closed subscheme of \(X\) with \((\mathcal {I}_p)^m\) as its ideal sheaf. A fat point scheme of \(X\) is a finite union of different fat points \(m_ip_i\). Key geometric problems were solved computing \(h^0(X,\mathcal{I}_{m_1p_1\cup \cdots \cup m_rp_r}\otimes L)\) for certain line bundles \(L\) on \(X\) and for general \((p_1,\dots ,p_r)\in X^r\). Since [\textit{A. Hirschowitz}, Manuscrip. Math. 50, 337--388 (1985; Zbl 0571.14002)] it was used taking a flat limit of fat point schemes and using the semicontinuity theorem for cohomology. Soon, \textit{J. Roé} [Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 366, No. 2, 857--874 (2014; Zbl 1291.14019)] found stronger tools, essentially virtual limits, instead of a scheme which is a flat limit. But the problem to compute the flat limits, at least in some cases, is very interesting and this is the content of the paper under review.This is done for small multiplicities and small dimension. This is important for interpolation in \(\mathbb {P}^n\) and it gives some cases, \(r\le 15\) and \(d\ge 3m\) of a conjecture in [\textit{A. Laface} and \textit{L. Ugaglia}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 358, No. 12, 5485--5500 (2006; Zbl 1160.14003)] giving the exact value of \(h^0(\mathbb {P}^3,\mathcal {I}_Z(d))\), where \(Z\) is a general union of \(r\) fat points of multiplicity \(m\).