Betti numbers of hypersurfaces and defects of linear systems (Q805692)

Let \(f(x_ 0,...,x_ n)\) be a weighted homogeneous polynomial in \(n+1\) variables, and let V be the hypersurface defined by \(f=0\) in the associated weighted projective space \({\mathbb{P}}\). One assumes that the singular locus \(\Sigma\) of V is isolated. It is important to calculate the Betti numbers \(b_ j(V)\), especially \(b_ n(V)\) and \(b_{n-1}(V)\). In the earlier works of \textit{H. Clemens} [Adv. Math. 47, 107-230 (1983; Zbl 0509.14045)], \textit{H. Esnault} [Invent. Math. 68, 477-496 (1982; Zbl 0489.14009)], \textit{C. Schoen} [Math. Ann. 270, 17-27 (1985; Zbl 0533.14002)], and \textit{J. Werner} [Bonn. Math. Schr. 186 (1987; Zbl 0657.14021)], some special cases were studied and it turned out that \(b_ n(V)\) depends, in an intricate manner, on the positions of the singularities of V. - In the paper under review, the author gives a general account of these facts through the study of the cohomology of the complement \(U={\mathbb{P}}\setminus V\). He uses the differential forms with poles along V, following the work of \textit{P. A. Griffiths} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 90, 460-495, 496-541 (1969; Zbl 0215.081)]. By a detailed study of the mixed Hodge structures on \(H^ n(U)\) and \(H^ n_{\Sigma}(V)\), the computation of \(b_ n(V)\) (or, more precisely, its primitive part) is reduced to the calculation of the number of homogeneous polynomials of certain degree with some condition imposed by the singularities.