Counting rational curves of arbitrary shape in projective spaces (Q2388851)

The author is concerned with enumerative problems of curves in \(\mathbb P^n\) with various kinds of singularities. He associates, not so clearly, to the enumerative invariants what he calls `level numbers'. For example, the level zero numbers correspond to enumerative problems involving smooth curves, the level one numbers involve nodal curves, the level two numbers involve curves with tacnodal or triple point singularity, and so on. The author computes the number of rational cuspidal curves in \(\mathbb P^n\), as well as that of those having a tacnode or a triple point in \(\mathbb P^2\) and \(\mathbb P^3\), and which fulfill appropriate incidence conditions. The relevant moduli spaces of curves in \(\mathbb P^n\) are stratified spaces, what are called `mostly smooth manifolds'. The level number corresponds roughly to the codimension of the stratum involved in the enumerative problem. The computations rely on a `stratified intersection theory' on mostly smooth manifolds. The notations are rather involved and difficult to follow, and it might be helpful to develop a unified and more transparent treatment for these enumerative problems.