On general fibers of Gauss maps in positive characteristic (Q908353)

The author studies the Gauss map \(\gamma: X\dashrightarrow \mathbb G(n,\mathbb P^N)\) of a projective \(n\)-dimensional variety \(X\subset \mathbb P^N\) over an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic. The degeneracy map \(\kappa: X\dashrightarrow \mathbb G(n-\text{rk}\gamma,\mathbb P^N)\) is defined via the kernel of the differential of the Gauss map. It is shown that each irreducible component of a (possibly nonlinear) general fiber of \(\gamma\) is contracted to a point by \(\kappa\). Moreover, it is shown that a \textit{strange} variety which is not a cone, has inseparable Gauss map. Finally, the results are illustrated by examples.