A brief proof of a maximal rank theorem for generic double points in projective space (Q2701685)

In 1985 A. Hirschowitz introduced a method to prove for certain integers \(n,d,x,m_1, \dots,m_x\) with \(n\geq 2\), \(d>0\), \(x>0\), \(m_i>0\) that for general \(P_1,\dots, P_x\in \mathbb{P}^n\) there is no degree \(d\) hypersurface with a point of multiplicity at least \(m_i\) at each \(P_i\). A. Hirschowitz and J. Alexander made several important contributions to this problem and introduced several very useful improvements of the original method for one of them (called differential Horace) [see: \textit{J. Alexander} and \textit{A. Hirschowitz}, J. Algebr. Geom. 1, No. 3, 411-426 (1992; Zbl 0784.14001)]. Using this method the author gives another proof of the case \(m_i=2\) for all \(i\), i.e., gives the Hilbert function of any \(x\) general double points of \(\mathbb{P}^n\), reproving a theorem of \textit{J. Alexander} and \textit{A Hirschowitz} [see J. Algebr. Geom. 4, No. 2, 201-222 (1995; Zbl 0829.14002)]. There are only four exceptional cases in which the Hilbert function is not the expected one.