Characterizing projective bundles by means of ample divisors (Q791581)

Let \(A\) be a nonsingular hypersurface contained as an ample divisor in a complex projective manifold \(X\) of dimension \(k\geq 2\). The following theorem is proved. If the complete linear system \(|A|\) has a ladder \(\{A_i\}\) (i.e. it has a nonsingular characteristic cycle \(A_i\) for every dimension \(i=0,1,\ldots,k-1)\) then \(A_1\) has genus \(g(A_1)=h^{1,0}(X)\) if and only if either (1) \(X\) is a projective bundle over a curve with \(A_1\) as a section, (2) \(X\) is isomorphic to a quadric hypersurface and \(A\) corresponds to a hyperplane section, or (3) \(X\) is isomorphic to the projective space \(\mathbb{P}^k\) and \(A\) corresponds to a hyperplane or to a conic if \(k=2\). In case \(A\) very ample the same result was already proved by the authors [Rend., Sci. Mat. Appl., A 115, 113--122 (1981; Zbl 0577.14033)] and independently by \textit{P. Ionescu} [``An enumeration of all smooth projective varieties of degree 5 and 6'', INCREST Prepr. Ser. Math. 74 (1981)]. The ladder requirement is unnecessary if \(g(A_1)\leq 1\) while it is essential if \(g(A_1)\geq 2\) as the example of a smooth curve \(A\) of genus two embedded in its Jacobian \(X\) shows.