Residual intersection theory with reducible schemes

We develop a formula (Theorem 5.2) which allows to compute top Chern classes of vector bundles on the vanishing locus V(s) of a section of this bundle. This formula particularly applies in the case when V(s) is the union of local complete intersections giving the individual contribution of each component and their mutual intersections. We conclude with applications to the enumeration of rational curves in complete intersections in projective space.     

On a class of rational cuspidal plane curves

We obtain new examples and the complete list of the rational cuspidal plane curvesC with at least three cusps, one of which has multiplicitydegC-2. It occurs that these curves are projectively rigid. We also discuss the general problem of projective rigidity of rational cuspidal plane curves.     

Kontsevich's formula and the WDVV equations in tropical geometry

Using Gromov-Witten theory the numbers of complex plane rational curves of degree d through 3d−1 general given points can be computed recursively with Kontsevich's formula that follows from the so-called WDVV equations. In this paper we establish the same results entirely in the language of tropical geometry. In particular this shows how the concepts of moduli spaces of stable curves and maps, (evaluation and forgetful) morphisms, intersection multiplicities and their invariance under deformations can be carried over to the tropical world.     

Projective varieties admitting an embedding with Gauss map of rank zero

We introduce an intrinsic property for a projective variety as follows: there exists an embedding into some projective space such that the Gauss map is of rank zero, which we call (GMRZ) for short. It turns out that (GMRZ) imposes strong restrictions on rational curves on projective varieties: In fact, using (GMRZ), we show that, contrary to the characteristic zero case, the existence of free rational curves does not imply that of minimal free rational curves in positive characteristic case. We also focus attention on Segre varieties, Grassmann varieties, and hypersurfaces of low degree. In particular, we give a characterisation of Fermat cubic hypersurfaces in terms of (GMRZ), and show that a general hypersurface of low degree does not satisfy (GMRZ).     

Quantum cohomology of flag manifolds

We study two aspects of quantum Schubert calculus: a presentation of the (small) quantum cohomology ring of partial flag manifolds and a quantum Giambelli formula. Our proof gives a relationship between universal Schubert polynomials as defined by Fulton and quantum Schubert polynomials, as defined by Fomin, Gelfand, and Postnikov, and later extended by Ciocan-Fontanine. Intersection theory on hyperquot schemes is an essential element of the proof.     

The role of the cotangent bundle in resolving ideals of fat points in the plane

We study the connection between the generation of a fat point scheme supported at general points in and the behaviour of the cotangent bundle with respect to some rational curves particularly relevant for the scheme. We put forward two conjectures, giving examples and partial results in support of them.     

Hamiltonian / Gauge theoretical Gromov-Witten invariants of toric varieties

We present a purely algebraic approach to the Hamiltonian / Gauge theoretical invariants associated to torus actions on affine spaces. Secondly, we address the issue of computing the invariants: a localization and a genus recursion formula are deduced. Partially supported by: EAGER - European Algebraic Geometry Research Training Network, contract No. HPRN-CT-2000-00099 (BBW).     

On the number of stable quiver representations over finite fields

We prove a new formula for the generating function of polynomials counting absolutely stable representations of quivers over finite fields. The case of irreducible representations is studied in more detail.     

Positivity of quiver coefficients through Thom polynomials

We use the Thom Polynomial theory developed by Fehér and Rimányi to prove the component formula for quiver varieties conjectured by Knutson, Miller, and Shimozono. This formula expresses the cohomology class of a quiver variety as a sum of products of Schubert polynomials indexed by minimal lace diagrams, and implies that the quiver coefficients of Buch and Fulton are non-negative. We also apply our methods to give a new proof of the component formula from the Gröbner degeneration of quiver varieties, and to give generating moves for the KMS-factorizations that form the index set in K-theoretic versions of the component formula.     

Floor diagrams relative to a conic,and GW–W invariants of Del Pezzo surfaces

We enumerate, via floor diagrams, complex and real curves in CP²$\mathbb{C}{P}^2$ blown up in n points on a conic. As an application, we deduce Gromov–Witten and Welschinger invariants of Del Pezzo surfaces. These results are mainly obtained using Li's degeneration formula and its real counterpart.     

Hilbert–Kunz multiplicity, McKay correspondence and good ideals¶in two-dimensional rational singularities

Hilbert–Kunz multiplicity is known to be a very mysterious invariant of a ring or an ideal. We will show a very beautiful formula on Hilbert–Kunz multiplicity for integrally closed ideals in two-dimensional Gorenstein rational singularities. In the proof, “McKay correspondence” and “Riemann–Roch formula” play essential roles. Also this formula gives a new significance to “good ideals”. Received: 25 October 2000     

The combinatorial Hopf algebra of motivic dissection polylogarithms

We introduce a family of periods of mixed Tate motives called dissection polylogarithms, that are indexed by combinatorial objects called dissection diagrams. The motivic coproduct on the former is encoded by a combinatorial Hopf algebra structure on the latter. This generalizes Goncharov's formula for the motivic coproduct on (generic) iterated integrals. Our main tool is the study of the relative cohomology group corresponding to a bi-arrangement of hyperplanes.     

Broccoli curves and the tropical invariance of Welschinger numbers

In this paper we introduce broccoli curves, certain plane tropical curves of genus zero related to real algebraic curves. The numbers of these broccoli curves through given points are independent of the chosen points — for arbitrary choices of the directions of the ends of the curves, possibly with higher weights, and also if some of the ends are fixed. In the toric Del Pezzo case we show that these broccoli invariants are equal to the Welschinger invariants (with real and complex conjugate point conditions), thus providing a proof of the independence of Welschinger invariants of the point conditions within tropical geometry. The general case gives rise to a tropical Caporaso–Harris formula for broccoli curves which suffices to compute all Welschinger invariants of the plane.     

The geometry of rational parameterized representations

We study the projective space of univariate rational parameterized equations of degree d or less in real projective space The parameterized equations of degree less than d form a special algebraic variety We investigate the subspaces on and their relation to rational curves in give a geometric characterization of the automorphism group of and outline applications of the theory to projective kinematics.     

On varieties of almost minimal degree III: Tangent spaces and embedding scrolls

Let X⊂P^r be a variety of almost minimal degree which is the projected image of a rational normal scroll from a point p outside of . In this paper we study the tangent spaces at singular points of X and the geometry of the embedding scrolls of X, i.e. the rational normal scrolls Y⊂P^r which contain X as a codimension one subvariety.     

Degree formulae for offset curves

In this paper, we present three different formulae for computing the degree of the offset of a real irreducible affine plane curve C given implicitly, and we see how these formulae particularize to the case of rational curves. The first formula is based on an auxiliary curve, called S, that is defined depending on a non-empty Zariski open subset of R². The second formula is based on the resultant of the defining polynomial of C, and the polynomial defining generically S. The third formula expresses the offset degree by means of the degree of C and the multiplicity of intersection of C and the hodograph H to C, at their intersection points.     

Double coverings of hyperelliptic real algebraic curves

We consider double and (possibly) branched coverings π:X→X^′ between real algebraic curves where X is hyperelliptic. We are interested in the topology of such coverings and also in describing them in terms of algebraic equations. In this article we completely solve these two problems. We first analyse the topological features and ramification data of such coverings. Second, for each isomorphism class of these coverings we then describe a representative, with defining polynomial equations for X and for X^′, a formula for the involution that generates the covering transformation group, and a rational formula for the covering projection π:X→X^′.     

The Caporaso–Harris formula and plane relative Gromov-Witten invariants in tropical geometry

Some years ago Caporaso and Harris have found a nice way to compute the numbers N(d, g) of complex plane curves of degree d and genus g through 3d + g − 1 general points with the help of relative Gromov-Witten invariants. Recently, Mikhalkin has found a way to reinterpret the numbers N(d, g) in terms of tropical geometry and to compute them by counting certain lattice paths in integral polytopes. We relate these two results by defining an analogue of the relative Gromov-Witten invariants and rederiving the Caporaso–Harris formula in terms of both tropical geometry and lattice paths. H. Markwig has been funded by the DFG grant Ga 636/2.     

Bielliptic surfaces as covers of rational surfaces

We present a construction of the bielliptic surfaces as covers of certain rational elliptic surfaces.