Tangential Chow forms. Rank 1 hypersurfaces in a Grassmannian (Q917645)

Let \(X^ n\subset {\mathbb{P}}^ N\) be an n-dimensional projective variety, and N-n-1\(\leq k\leq N-1\). The closure in the Grassmannian \(G=G(k+1,N+1)\) of the set of k-planes meeting the smooth locus of X nontransversally is a tangential Chow form (TCF). Most TCF's are hypersurfaces. Since the cotangent bundle \(T^*G\cong Hom(Q,S)\) where Q is the universal quotient and S the universal sub-bundle one can speak of the rank of a covector. We show that a hypersurface in G is a TCF iff its generic conormal vector has rank 1, and that a TCF is a hypersurface iff some quadric in its second fundamental form has rank \(\geq n+k+1-N\).