Lines on del pezzo surfaces with in characteristic ≠2 (Q4236932)

Let \(S\) be a smooth surface over an algebraic closed field \(K\) of characteristic \(\neq 2\). Assume that \(S\) is regular, that \(-K_S\) is ample and that the linear system \(|-K_S|\) contains an irreducible reduced curve with self-intersection equal to \(1\). The authors prove that under these assumptions the surface \(S\) contains \(240\) exceptional curves of the first kind. Such theorem combined with a result by the authors [\textit{P. Cragnolini} and \textit{P. A. Oliverio}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 68, No. 3, 297-323 (1990; Zbl 0741.14021)] gives a proof in positive characteristic of Castelnovo's rationality criterion \(q=P_2=0\) for a smooth algebraic surface in all cases but \(K_S^2=1\) and \(\text{char}(K)=2\).