Generalized Poincaré Classes and Cubic Equivalences

Let Y be a smooth projective algebraic surface over ?, and T(Y) the kernel of the Albanese map CH₀(Y)_deg0 → Alb(Y). It was first proven by D. Mumford that if the genus Pg(Y) > 0, then T(Y) is 'infinite dimensional'. One would like to have a better idea about the structure of T(Y). For example, if Y is dominated by a product of curves E₁ × E₂, such as an abelian or a Kummer surface, then one can easily construct an abelian variety B and a surjective 'regular' homomorphism B^?z2 → T(Y). A similar story holds for the case where Y is the Fano surface of lines on a smooth cubic hypersurface in P⁴. This implies a sort of boundedness result for T(Y). It is natural to ask if this is the case for any smooth projective algebraic surface Y ? Partial results have been attained in this direction by the author [Illinois. J. Math. 35 (2), 1991]. In this paper, we show that the answer to this question is in general no. Furthermore, we generalize this question to the case of the Chow group of k—cycles on any projective algebraic manifold X, and arrive at, from a conjectural standpoint, necessary and sufficient cohomological conditions on X for which the question can be answered affirmatively.     

Ample Vector Bundles with Small g − q

Let X be a smooth complex projective variety and let Z ? X be a smooth submanifold of dimension ≥ 2, which is the zero locus of a section of an ample vector bundle ? of rank dim X ? dim Z ≥ 2 on X. Let H be an ample line bundle on X, whose restriction H _Z to Z is generated by global sections. The structure of triplets (X,?,H) as above is described under the assumption that the curve genus of the corank-1 vector bundle ? ⊕ H ^{⊕ (dim Z?1)} is ≤ h ¹( _X ) + 2.     

On Singular Varieties Having an Extremal Secant Line

ABSTRACT

Let X be a nondegenerate subvariety of degree d and codimension e in the projective space ? ⁿ . If X is smooth, any multisecant line to X cuts X along a 0-dimensional scheme of length at most d ? e + 1. Moreover, smooth varieties X having a (d ? e + 1)-secant line (an extremal secant line) have been completely classified, extending del Pezzo and Bertini classification of varieties of minimal degree. In this article, we almost completely classify possibly singular varieties having an extremal secant line, without any assumptions on the singularities of X. First, we show that, if e ≠ 2, a multisecant line to X meets X along a 0-dimensional scheme of length at most d ? e + 1. Then, we completely classify singular varieties having a (d ? e + 1)-secant line for e ≠ 3. A partial result is provided in case e = 3.     

Irreducibility Criterion Over Finite Fields

The aim of this article is to prove the irreducibility of the polynomial Λ(Y) = Y ^d  + λ _d?1 Y ^d?1 + … + λ₀ over 𝔽 _q [X] where λ _i ∈ 𝔽 _q [X] and deg λ _d?1 > deg λ _i for each i ≠ d ? 1. We discuss in particular connections between the irreducible polynomials Λ and the number of Pisot elements in the case of formal power series.     

Betti Numbers of Toric Varieties and Eulerian Polynomials

It is well known that the Eulerian polynomials, which count permutations in S _n by their number of descents, give the h-polynomial/h-vector of the simple polytopes known as permutohedra, the convex hull of the S _n -orbit for a generic weight in the weight lattice of S _n . Therefore, the Eulerian polynomials give the Betti numbers for certain smooth toric varieties associated with the permutohedra.

In this article we derive recurrences for the h-vectors of a family of polytopes generalizing this. The simple polytopes we consider arise as the orbit of a nongeneric weight, namely, a weight fixed by only the simple reflections J = {s _n , s _n?1, s _n?2,…, s _n?k+2, s _n?k+1} for some k with respect to the A _n root lattice. Furthermore, they give rise to certain rationally smooth toric varieties X(J) that come naturally from the theory of algebraic monoids. Using effectively the theory of reductive algebraic monoids and the combinatorics of simple polytopes, we obtain a recurrence formula for the Poincaré polynomial of X(J) in terms of the Eulerian polynomials.     

Reducibility of Punctual Hilbert Schemes of Cone Varieties

In this short note we show that for any pair of positive integers (d, n) with n > 2 and d > 1 or n = 2 and d > 4, there always exist projective varieties X ? ? ^N of dimension n and degree d and an integer s ₀ such that Hilb ^s (X) is reducible for all s ≥ s ₀. X will be a projective cone in ? ^N over an arbitrary projective variety Y ? ? ^N?1. In particular, we show that, opposite to the case of smooth surfaces, there exist projective surfaces with a single isolated singularity which have reducible Hilbert scheme of points.     

Essential dimension of quadrics

Let X be an anisotropic projective quadric over a field F of characteristic not 2. The essential dimension dim_es(X) of X, as defined by Oleg Izhboldin, is dim_es(X)=dim(X)-i(X) +1, where i(X) is the first Witt index of X (i.e., the Witt index of X over its function field).Let Y be a complete (possibly singular) algebraic variety over F with all closed points of even degree and such that Y has a closed point of odd degree over F(X). Our main theorem states that dim_es(X)dim(Y) and that in the case dim_es(X)=dim(Y) the quadric X is isotropic over F(Y).Applying the main theorem to a projective quadric Y, we get a proof of Izhboldins conjecture stated as follows: if an anisotropic quadric Y becomes isotropic over F(X), then dim_es(X)dim_es(Y), and the equality holds if and only if X is isotropic over F(Y). We also solve Knebuschs problem by proving that the smallest transcendence degree of a generic splitting field of a quadric X is equal to dim_es(X). To the memory of Oleg Izhboldin     

Constants and Darboux Polynomials for Tensor Products of Polynomial Algebras with Derivations

Abstract

Let d ₁ : k[X] → k[X] and d ₂ : k[Y] → k[Y] be k-derivations, where k[X] ? k[x ₁,…,x _n ], k[Y] ? k[y ₁,…,y _m ] are polynomial algebras over a field k of characteristic zero. Denote by d ₁ ⊕ d ₂ the unique k-derivation of k[X, Y] such that d| _k[X] = d ₁ and d| _k[Y] = d ₂. We prove that if d ₁ and d ₂ are positively homogeneous and if d ₁ has no nontrivial Darboux polynomials, then every Darboux polynomial of d ₁ ⊕ d ₂ belongs to k[Y] and is a Darboux polynomial of d ₂. We prove a similar fact for the algebra of constants of d ₁ ⊕ d ₂ and present several applications of our results.     

Joins of Projective Varieties: A Cancellation Theorem for Curves

Abstract

Let X, Y, Z be integral subvarieties of P ⁿ . Let [X; Y]??? P ⁿ denote the join. Under what conditions on X, Y and/or Z if [X; Y]?=?[X; Z], then Y?=?Z? Here, we study the case in which X, Y and Z are curves.     

On regularly branched maps

Let be a perfect map between finite-dimensional metrizable spaces and p1. It is shown that the space of all bounded maps from X into with the source limitation topology contains a dense G_δ-subset consisting of f-regularly branched maps. Here, a map is f-regularly branched if, for every n1, the dimension of the set is n(dimf+dimY)−(n−1)(p+dimY). This is a parametric version of the Hurewicz theorem on regularly branched maps.     

On the Splitting Ring of a Polynomial

Let f(Z) = Zⁿ ? a₁Z^n?1 + … + (?1)^n?1a_n?1Z + (?1)ⁿa_n be a monic polynomial with coefficients in a ring R with identity, not necessarily commutative. We study the ideal I_f of R[X₁,…, X_n] generated by σ_i(X₁,…, X_n) ? a_i, where σ₁,…, σ_n are the elementary symmetric polynomials, as well as the quotient ring R[X₁,…, X_n]/I_f.     

Real Hypersurfaces Having Many Pseudo-hyperplanes

Abstract

Let nand dbe natural integers satisfying n ≥ 3 and d ≥ 10. Let Xbe an irreducible real hypersurface Xin ? ⁿ of degree dhaving many pseudo-hyperplanes. Suppose that Xis not a projective cone. We show that the arrangement ? of all d ? 2 pseudo-hyperplanes of Xis trivial, i.e., there is a real projective linear subspace Lof ? ⁿ (?) of dimension n ? 2 such that L ? Hfor all H ∈ ?. As a consequence, the normalization of Xis fibered over ?¹in quadrics. Both statements are in sharp contrast with the case n = 2; the first statement also shows that there is no Brusotti-type result for hypersurfaces in ? ⁿ , for n ≥ 3.     

Projective Varieties Swept Out by Rational Normal Curves

Let X ? ? ⁿ be a complex nondegenerate projective variety of dimension m ≥ 2. For t ≤ n ? m and a general q ∈ ? ⁿ , the linear space L _q spanned by q and t general points of X meets X in a finite set of points. We classify those X ? ? ⁿ for which there exists a point q ∈ ? ⁿ such that L _q meets X in a positive dimensional variety. If this occurs, there exists d ≤ n ? m such that a degree d rational normal curve through d general points of X is contained in X. Examples of this situation are provided. An infinitesimal generalization of part of the main result is also stated.     

Acyclic resolutions for arbitrary groups

We prove that for every abelian groupG and every compactumX with dim _G X ≤n ≥ 2 there is aG-acyclic resolutionr:Z→X from a compactumZ with dim _G Z≤n and dimZ≤n+1 ontoX.     

Prophet Regions for Independent [0, 1]-Valued Random Variables with Random Discounting

Abstract

Let X ₁, X ₂… and B ₁, B ₂… be mutually independent [0, 1]-valued random variables, with EB _j  = β > 0 for all j. Let Y _j  = B ₁ … sB _j?1 X _j for j ≥ 1. A complete comparison is made between the optimal stopping value V(Y ₁,…,Y _n ):=sup{EY _τ:τ is a stopping rule for Y ₁,…,Y _n } and E(max _1≤j≤n Y _j ). It is shown that the set of ordered pairs {(x, y):x = V(Y ₁,…,Y _n ), y = E(max _1≤j≤n Y _j ) for some sequence Y ₁,…,Y _n obtained as described} is precisely the set {(x, y):0 ≤ x ≤ 1, x ≤ y ≤ Ψ _{n, β}(x)}, where Ψ _{n, β}(x) = [(1 ? β)n + 2β]x ? β^?(n?2) x ² if x ≤ β ^n?1, and Ψ _{n, β}(x) = min _j≥1{(1 ? β)jx + β ^j } otherwise. Sharp difference and ratio prophet inequalities are derived from this result, and an analogous comparison for infinite sequences is obtained.     

A Note on Noncancellable Varieties

Given two affine algebraic varieties X and Y such that X × ? ? Y × ?, it may happen that X and Y are not isomorphic. This is shown, for example, by so-called “Danielewski surfaces.” In this note, we give a simple construction of such varieties X, Y of an arbitrary dimension n > 1.     

Some Pólya-Type Irreducibility Criteria for Multivariate Polynomials

We provide irreducibility criteria for multivariate polynomials with coefficients in an arbitrary field that extend a classical result of Pólya for polynomials with integer coefficients. In particular, we provide irreducibility conditions for polynomials of the form f(X)(Y ? f ₁(X))…(Y ? f _n (X)) + g(X), with f, f ₁, ?, f _n , g univariate polynomials over an arbitrary field.     

Asymptotically optimal selection of a piecewise polynomial estimator of a regression function

Let (X, Y) be a pair of random variables such that X = (X₁,…, X_d) ranges over a nondegenerate compact d-dimensional interval C and Y is real-valued. Let the conditional distribution of Y given X have mean θ(X) and satisfy an appropriate moment condition. It is assumed that the distribution of X is absolutely continuous and its density is bounded away from zero and infinity on C. Without loss of generality let C be the unit cube. Consider an estimator of θ having the form of a piecewise polynomial of degree k_n based on m_n^d cubes of length 1/m_n, where the m_n^d(_d^k_n+d) coefficients are chosen by the method of least squares based on a random sample of size n from the distribution of (X, Y). Let (k_n, m_n) be chosen by the FPE procedure. It is shown that the indicated estimator has an asymptotically minimal squared error of prediction if θ is not of the form of piecewise polynomial.