On the birationality of the adjunction mapping of projective varieties (Q2907427)

Let \(X\) be a complex projective manifold of dimension \(n\) and \(L\) a positive line bundle (in this paper globally generated and big) on \(X\), \(K_X\) stands for the canonical bundle of \(X\). The study of adjoint linear systems of the type \(|K_X+kL|\) is of interest, specially when \(k\) is closed to \(n\). For example, when \(k=n-1\), the adjunction formula states that for \(C\) obtained as an intersection of \(n-1\) general elements of \(|L|\) the canonical bundle \(K_C\) is just the restriction of \(K_X+(n-1)L\) to \(C\). Then it is natural to think that properties of the morphism defined by \(|K_X+(n-1)L|\) are reflected in its behavior on \(C\), like birationality that perhaps is obstructed by the existence of hyperelliptic \(C\)'s of this type. The curves \(C\) are called curve sections of \(|L|\).NEWLINENEWLINEThe paper under review provides necessary and sufficient conditions for the line bundles \(|K_X+kL|\) to be birational for \(k \geq n-1\) under the assumptions \(q(X)=0\) and non-emptyness of the linear system \(|K_X+(n-2)L|\). In fact, under these assumptions:NEWLINENEWLINE\(|K_X+(n+1)L|\) defines a birational map;NEWLINENEWLINE\(|K_X+nL|\) is not birational if and only if it defines a generic degree two map if and only if \(|L|\) provides a generic degree two morphism onto the projective space \(\mathbb{P}^n\);NEWLINENEWLINE\(|K_X+(n-1)L|\) is not birational if and only if the associated map has generic degree two if and only if there exist hyperelliptic curve sections of \(|L|\) if and only if all smooth irreducible curve sections of \(|L|\) are hyperelliptic if and only if \(|L|\) defines a generic degree two morphism onto a variety of minimal degree.NEWLINENEWLINEThese results generalize and prove part of a conjecture by Gallego and Purnaprajna (see Conjecture 1.9 in [\textit{F. Gallego} and \textit{B. P. Purnaprajna}, Math. Ann. 312, No. 1, 133--149 (1998; Zbl 0956.14029)]).