Two remarks on polynomials in two variables (Q757644)

We study primitive polynomials in two complex variables (a polynomial is primitive if its generic fibers are connected). For a primitive polynomial p consider its regular extension \(\bar p:\) \(X\to {\mathbb{C}}P^ 1\) to a smooth compact algebraic surface \(X\supset {\mathbb{C}}^ 2\). A component of the curve \(D=X-{\mathbb{C}}^ 2\) is horizontal if the restriction of \(\bar p\) to this component is a nonconstant mapping. The first theorem of the paper provides an estimate of the number of all irreducible components of the degenerate polynomial fibers from which it follows that the number of reducible fibers of p is less than the number of horizontal components of the curve D. A horizontal component of D is a section if the restriction of \(\bar p\) to this component is one-to-one. The second theorem (first conjectured by Bogomolov) asserts that if p is rational then all horizontal components of D except at most one are sections.