A rationality criterion for conic bundles (Q4334978)

This paper continues the author's study of the problem for rationality of smooth complex threefolds \(X\) which have a structure of a standard conic bundle (s.c.b.) \({\pi}:X \rightarrow S\); in particular \(S\) is a smooth surface [see \textit{V. A. Iskovskikh}, Math. USSR, Sb. 72, No. 1, 105-111 (1992); translation from Mat. Sb. 182, No. 1, 114-121 (1991; Zbl 0749.14033) and Duke Math. J. 54, 271-294 (1987; Zbl 0629.14033)]. Let \({\pi}:X \rightarrow S\) be a s.c.b. with a non-empty discriminant \(C \subset S\). Then \(C\) is a reduced curve with normal crossings; and if the threefold \(X\) is in addition rational then the surface \(S\) must be rational. The rationality conjecture for such \({\pi}:X \rightarrow S\) (\(C \not= \emptyset\), \(S\) rational) reads: (I) \(X\) is rational \(\Leftrightarrow\) \({\pi}:X \rightarrow S\) is birational to a s.c.b. \({\pi}':X' \rightarrow S'\) with a discriminant curve \(C' \subset S'\) and such that either (i) on \(S'\) there exists a free pencil of rational curves \(L'\) with \(L'C' \leq 3\), or (ii) \(S' = {\mathbb P}^2\), \(\text{deg} (C') = 5\), and \(X'\) is a blow-up of \({\mathbb P}^3\) along a curve of degree \(7\) and genus \(5\). The direction \((\dots\Leftarrow\dots)\) of (I) is proved in the author's paper in Duke Math. (loc.cit.). The direction \((\dots\Rightarrow\dots)\) of (I) is proved in Mat. Sb. (loc. cit.) under some additional conditions on the pair \((C,S)\), and in Duke Math. (loc. cit.) under a conjecture of S. Kantor (1901) -- see conjecture (II) in the introduction. In the paper under review \((\dots\Rightarrow\dots)\) is proved for \(p_a(C) > 18\) and under the following conjecture: (III) If \({\pi}:X \rightarrow S\) is a \(\mathbb{Q}\)-Mori conic bundle then the surface \(S\) has at most rational double singular points of type \(A_n\). The proof uses the results of \textit{A. Corti} [see J. Alg. Geom. 4, No. 2, 223-254 (1995; Zbl 0866.14007)] developing earlier studies by \textit{V. G. Sarkisov} on birational automorphisms of conic bundles.