On a generalization of the Mukai conjecture for Fano fourfolds (Q2339624)

Let \(X\) be an \(n\)-dimensional Fano manifold of Picard number \(\rho_X\). Set \(s(X) := \displaystyle\sum_{R \subset \text{NE}(X)}\, (l(R) - 1)\), where \(R\) varies among the extremal rays of \(X\) and \(l(R)\) is the length of \(R\), i.e. the minimum of numbers \(-K_X \cdot C\) among all rational curves \(C \in R\). The author of the paper under review provides an upper bound for \(s(X)\) when \(n \leq 4\) (see Theorem 1.4 in the text). Namely, he shows that \(s(X) \leq n\) under the stated assumption, with the equality achieved only when \(X\) is a product of projective spaces, or when \(X\) is the blowup \(\text{Bl}_{p,q}(\mathbb{Q}_4)\) of the quadric \(\mathbb{Q}\subset\mathbb{P}^5\) at two non-collinear points \(p,q \in \mathbb{Q}\). Furthermore, the author gives examples of such \(X\) (equal \(\text{Bl}_{p,q}(\mathbb{Q}_n)\), say, as in Remark 3.5,\, (iii)), with \(n \geq 5\), for which \(s(X) = 2n - 4 > n\). He also shows that \(\rho_X(\min_R l(R) - 1) \leq n\), with equality iff \(X\) is a product of projective spaces, whenever \(n \leq 4\) (for an arbitrary \(n\) this is Conjecture 1.2 in the paper). The proof of the main result uses characterization results for the products of projective spaces see \textit{C. Araujo} [Math. Ann. 335, No. 4, 937--951 (2006; Zbl 1109.14032)], numerical results for extremal rays on Fano manifolds see \textit{J. A. Wiśniewski} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 417, 141--157 (1991; Zbl 0721.14023)], and the description (by C. Casagrande et al.) of higher-dimensional Fano manifolds with special extremal contractions. All these are combined by the author together with a smart case-by-case analysis carried in Section 4 of the paper.