On maps taking lines to plane curves (Q258974)

The authors classify \textit{planarizations}, that is, smooth maps \(\Phi: U \to \mathbb{P}^3(k)\) (with \(k = \mathbb{R}\) or \(k = \mathbb{C}\)) from an open subset \(U \subset \mathbb{P}^2(k)\) with the property that every line is mapped to a planar curve. Examples include maps \(\Phi: U \to \mathbb{P}^3\) such that \(\Phi(U)\) is contained in a plane (``trivial planarizations''), quadratic rational maps, and special cubics maps whose dual is quadratic (``dual quadratic planarizations''). Trivial planarizations are a special case of ``co-trivial'' planarizations where the set \(\Phi(\lambda \cap U)\) is contained in a plane of a fixed bundle for every line \(\lambda \subset \mathbb{P}^2\). According to [\textit{V. Timorin}, Math. Res. Lett. 19, No. 4, 899--907 (2012; Zbl 1270.51023)] planarizations are either rational cubic or contained in above list. In this paper, the authors complete this partial classification and show that rational cubic maps lead to dual quadratic planarizations. They provide expressions for general trivial and co-trivial planarizations in terms of arbitrary functions and normal forms for 16 other classes of projectively equivalent quadratic or cubic rational maps.