A splitting criterion for an isolated singularity at \(x = 0\) in a family of even hypersurfaces (Q661342)

Let \({\mathcal N}_0\) denote the subvariety of the moduli space \({\mathcal A}_g\) of principally polarized abelian varieties of dimension \(g\) whose theta divisor \(\Theta\) admits a singularity. It is known that for \(g\geq 5\), \({\mathcal N}\) consists of 2 components, the subvariety \(\theta_{\text{null}}\) where \(\Theta\) has a (vanishing even) thetanull and another component \({\mathcal N}_0'\). This paper concerns the analysis of the intersection \({\mathcal N}_0'\cap\theta_{\text{null}}\). In [Int. Math. Res. Not. 2007, No. 15, Article ID rnm045, 15 p. (2007; Zbl 1132.14026)] \textit{S. Grushevsky} and \textit{R. Salvati Manni} show that a thetanull is a limit of singularities which are not thetanulls, if and only if it is not an ordinary double point. The main result of the paper to be reviewed is a different proof of this result. Whereas the proof of Crushevsky and Salvati Manni [loc. cit.] applies only to singularities of theta divisors, the new proof is a consequence of a more general result. In fact, it is shown that in any sufficiently general deformation of an even analytic function having an isolated singularity at \(x=0\) which is not an ordinary double point, there is a pair of distinct conjugate singularies \(\{x, -x\}\) converging to the singularity at \(x=0\). This immediately implies the above-mentioned statement. Finally, some applications and open problems are given.