Calabi-Yau threefolds in \(\mathbb P^6\) (Q268216)

A smooth projective threefold \(X\subset\mathbb P^6\) is a \textit{Calabi-Yau} threefold when the canonical class of \(X\) is trivial and the cohomology group \(H^1(\mathcal O_X)\) vanishes. A structure theorem for smooth varieties of codimension \(3\) shows that Calabi-Yau threfolds are defined by the Pfaffian of a section of \(\bigwedge^2 E\), for a suitable vector bundle \(E\) on \(\mathbb P^6\). The authors study the classification of Calabi-Yau threefolds in \(\mathbb P^6\). In particular, they describe the structure of the associated vector bundles \(E\) in the case of \textit{quasi Buchsbaum} threefolds, i.e. the case where the multiplicative structure of \(H_*^1\mathcal (I_X)\), the first cohomology module of the ideal sheaf, is trivial. The degree of Calabi-Yau threefolds is shown to be bounded, even if a sharp bound is unknown. The authors study the degree \(d\) of non-degenerate Calabi-Yau threefolds contained in a quadric of \(\mathbb P^6\), and show that it must satisfy \(12\leq d\leq 14\). Finally, the authors show the existence of one family of smooth Calabi-Yau threefolds of degree \(14\): the specializations of this family include all previously known examples.