Conics meeting eight lines over perfect fields (Q6169041)

Let \(\bar k\) denote an algebraically closed field of characteristic different from \(2\). It is a classical theorem of enumerative geometry that there are \(92\) plane conic curves meeting \(8\) given lines in general position in \(\mathbb{P}^2_{\bar k}\), and that each of these conics is smooth. The main theorem of this paper extends this result to the case of fields \(k\) that are not algebraically closed. Suppose \(L_1, \dots, L_8\) are lines in general position in \(\mathbb{P}^3_k\) and let \(Q\) denote the set of all conics meeting all of the \(L_i\). Associated to each conic \(q \in Q\) and its various intersection points \(L_i \cap q\) and tangency data at those intersections, the paper produces an invertible quantity \(a_q\) in the function field of the conic \(q\). The theorem is an identity in the Grothendieck-Witt ring of \(k\): \[ \sum_{q \in Q} \mathrm{Tr}_{k(q)/k}\langle a_q \rangle = 46 \langle 1 \rangle + 46 \langle -1 \rangle. \] When \(k\) is algebraically closed, this recovers \(\sum_{q \in Q} 1 = 92\). It also casts light on a known calculation over \(\mathbb{R}\): it was known from [\textit{Z. A. Griffin} and \textit{J. D. Hauenstein}, Adv. Geom. 15, No. 2, 173--187 (2015; Zbl 1309.65056)] and [\textit{J. D. Hauenstein} and \textit{F. Sottile}, ACM Trans. Math. Softw. 38, No. 4, Article No. 28, 20 p. (2012; Zbl 1365.65148)] that there may be between \(0\) and \(92\) real conics meeting \(8\) real lines. The main theorem of this paper applies to split these real conics into two equinumerous families distinguished by the sign of \(\mathrm{Tr}_{\mathbb{R}(q)/\mathbb{R}}\langle a_q \rangle\). The paper itself starts with an excellent introduction explaining the main result and the method of proof, followed by an expository section on \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry. Then Section 3 does the hard work of the \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry in the case at hand: this represents \(46 \langle 1 \rangle + 46 \langle -1 \rangle\) as a sum of ``local indices'' of the enumerative geometry problem, as is usual in \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry (see e.g., [\textit{S. Pauli} and \textit{K. Wickelgren}, Res. Math. Sci. 8, No. 2, Paper No. 24, 29 p. (2021; Zbl 1469.14047)]) In Section 4 the geometry of the conics meeting the \(8\)-lines is exploited to give explicit calculations of the local indices in terms of certain Jacobians. Section 5 concerns the application to the case of \(k=\mathbb{R}\). Overall, the paper is easy to read and a good example of the kinds of result that can be established using \(\mathbb{A}^1\)-enumerative geometry.