Real algebraic curves with large finite number of real points (Q2326957)

A real algebraic curve \( C \) is \textit{finite} if so is the set \( \mathbb{R}C \) of its real points. The degree of such a curve \( C\subset\mathbb{C}P^2 \) is necessarily even, \( \deg C = 2k \). Let \( \delta(k) \) (\( \delta_g(k) \)) be the maximal number \( |\mathbb{R}C| \) among all finite curves \( C\subset\mathbb{C}P^2 \) of degree \( 2k \) (and of geometric genus \( g \), resp.). The Petrovsky inequalities (see [\textit{I. Petrowsky}, Ann. Math. (2) 39, 189--209 (1938; Zbl 0018.27004)]) result in the following upper bound: \( \delta(k)\leq 3k(k-1)/2 + 1\). Currently, the estimation is the best known. The authors show that being of topological nature, this bound is sharp for pseudo-holomorphic curves. The best previously known asymptotic lower bound \( \delta(k)\gtrsim 10k^2/9 \) is found by \textit{M.-D. Choi} et al. [Math. Z. 171, 1--26 (1980; Zbl 0415.10018)]. The authors improve it by getting \( 4k^2/3\lesssim\delta(k)\lesssim 3k^2/2 \) and construct close to optimal curves of small degree. The upper bound \( \delta_g(k)\leq k^2 + g + 1 \) is given by a strengthening of the Petrovsky inequalities obtained in the paper. The authors show that this bound is sharp for \( g \leq k-3 \). Most results are extended to curves on ruled surfaces and on some other real algebraic surfaces.