Random hypersurfaces and embedding curves in surfaces over finite fields (Q308143)

Let \(\mathbb{F}_q\) be the finite field of \(q\) elements and \(X\) a smooth subscheme of \(\mathbb{P}_{\mathbb{F}_q}^n\). In the paper under review, two results are shown concerning the density of hypersurface sections of \(X\) having a prescribed number of singular points. The first result deals with nonsingular hypersurface sections of \(X\) containing a given subscheme \(V\). More precisely, the author shows that, if \(Z\) is a closed subscheme of \(\mathbb{P}_{\mathbb{F}_q}^n\) and \(V=X\cap Z\), then a hypersurface section of \(X\) containing \(V\) is smooth of dimension \(\dim X-1\) with positive probability, provided that the dimension and singularities of \(V\) are properly controlled. Using this result the author shows that a reduced quasi-projective curve \(C\) over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) can be embedded into a smooth \(r\)-dimensional scheme over \(\mathbb{F}_q\) if and only if the maximal ideal at each closed point of \(C\) can be generated by \(r\) elements, thus extending the validity of a result of \textit{S. L. Kleiman} and \textit{A. B. Altman} [Commun. Algebra 7, 775--790 (1979; Zbl 0401.14002)] from infinite perfect fields to finite fields. The second result answers a conjecture of \textit{R. Vakil} and \textit{M. M. Wood} on the density of hypersurface sections of \(X\) having a prescribed number of singularities [Duke Math. J. 164, No. 6, 1139--1185 (2015; Zbl 1461.14020)]. In [\textit{B. Poonen}, Ann. Math. (2) 160, No. 3, 1099--1127 (2005; Zbl 1084.14026)], the density of smooth hypersurface sections of \(X\) is determined, and is proved that a section has infinitely many singularities with probability 0. In this sense, the author determines the asymptotic probability of any prescribed number \(\ell\geq 0\) of singularities for a hypersurface section \(X\cap H\). A fundamental technique for all these results is Poonen's geometric closed point sieve introduced in [Poonen, loc. cit.].