On fundamental groups related to the Hirzebruch surface \(F_{1}\) (Q943422)

Given a projective surface \(X\) in some complex projective space \(\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^N\), and a generic linear projection on the complex projective plane \(\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^2\), the branching locus curve \(S_X\) has only nodes and cusps as singularities. The corresponding fundamental groups \(\overline G=\pi_1(\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^2 \setminus S_X)\) and \(G=\pi_1(\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^2 \setminus (S_X \cup L)\) for a generic line \(L\), are important topological invariants of the embedded surface \(X\). It was conjectured by M. Teicher that these groups are in many cases extensions of a solvable group by a symmetric group. This claim is proved in this paper for a two-parameter family of embeddings of the Hirzebruch surface \(F_1\). This is done via a new general approach to the computation of the groups \(G\) and \(\overline G\).