By a commutative action on a smooth quadric $Q_n$ in $P^{n+1}$ we mean an effective action of a commutative connected algebraic group on $Q_n$ with an open orbit. We show that for $n \geq 3$ all commutative actions on $Q_n$ are additive actions described by Sharoiko in 2009. So there is a unique commutative action on $Q_n$ up to equivalence. For $n = 2$ there are three commutative actions on $Q_2$ up to equivalence, for $n = 1$ there are two commutative actions on $Q_1$ up to equivalence.
We show that over an algebraically closed field of characteristic not equal to 2, homological projective duality for smooth quadric hypersurfaces and for double covers of projective spaces branched over smooth quadric hypersurfaces is a combination of two operations: one interchanges a quadric hypersurface with its classical projective dual and the other interchanges a quadric hypersurface with the double cover branched along it.
In this paper we characterize smooth complex projective varieties that admit a quadric bundle structure on some dense open subset in terms of the geometry of certain families of rational curves.
Given a smooth projective variety V of dimension n, one may say that V has motivic dimension less than d+1 if the cohomology of V comes from varieties of dimensions less than d+1 in some geometric way. In this paper, we show that a smooth complete interesection of k quadrics has a motivic dimension less than k.
We study the variety of rank $\leq k$ quadrics containing a general projective curve and show that it has the expected dimension in the range $g-d+r\leq 1$. By considering the loci where this expectation is not true, we construct new divisor classes in $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}$. We use one of these classes to show that $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{15,9}$ is of general type.
Let $C \subset \mathbb {P}^r$ a general embedding of prescribed degree of a general smooth curve with prescribed genus. Here we prove that either $h^0(\mathbb {P}^r,\mathcal {I}_C(2)) =0$ or $h^1(\mathbb {P}^r,\mathcal {I}_C(2)) =0$ (a problem called the Maximal Rank Conjecture in the range of quadrics).
Special birational transformations $Φ:\p^r\da Z$ defined by quadric hypersurfaces are studied by means of the variety of lines $\mathcal L_z\subset\p^{r-1}$ passing through a general point $z\in Z$. Classification results are obtained when $Z$ is either a Grassmannian of lines, or the 10-dimensional spinor variety, or the $E_6$-variety. In the particular case of quadro-quadric transformations, we extend the well-known classification of Ein and Shepherd-Barron coming from Zak's classification of Severi varieties to a wider class of prime Fano manifolds $Z$. Combining both results, we get a clas…
Let ϕ: \mathbb{P}^{r}\dashrightarrow Z be a birational transformation with a smooth connected base locus scheme, where Z\subseteq\mathbb{P}^{r+c} is a nondegenerate prime Fano manifold. We call ϕa quadro-quadric special briational transformation if ϕand ϕ^{-1} are defined by linear subsystems of |\mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{P}^{r}}(2)| and |\mathcal{O}_{Z}(2)| respectively. In this paper we classify quadro-quadric special birational transformations in the cases where either (i) Z is a complete intersection and the base locus scheme of ϕ^{-1} is smooth, or (ii) Z is a hypersurface.
We extend the Horrocks correspondence between vector bundles and cohomology modules on the projective plane to the product of two projective lines. We introduce a set of invariants for a vector bundle on the product of two projective lines, which includes the first cohomology module of the bundle, and prove that there is a one to one correspondence between these sets of invariants and isomorphism classes of vector bundles without line bundle summands.
We introduce a compact moduli of noncommutative quadrics, and show that it is the weighted projective space of weight (2,4,4,6). We also introduce a compact moduli of potentials for the conifold quiver, and show that it is the weighted projective space of weight (1,2,3,4). There is a natural morphism from the latter to the former, which is finite of degree 4.
Let $f : X \rightarrow B$ be a proper flat dominant morphism between two smooth quasi-projective complex varieties $X$ and $B$. Assume that there exists an integer $l$ such that all closed fibres $X_b$ of $f$ satisfy $CH_j(X_b) = \Q$ for all $j \leq l$. Then we prove an analogue of the projective bundle formula for $CH_i(X)$ for $i \leq l$. When $B$ is a surface, $X$ is projective and $l = \lfloor \frac{\dim X - 3}{2} \rfloor$, this makes it possible to construct a Chow-Künneth decomposition for $X$ that satisfies Murre's conjectures. For instance we prove Murre's conjectures for complex smoot…
We prove a general specialization theorem which implies stable irrationality for a wide class of quadric surface bundles over rational surfaces. As an application, we solve with the exception of two cases, the stable rationality problem for any very general complex projective quadric surface bundle over the projective plane, given by a symmetric matrix of homogeneous polynomials. Both exceptions degenerate over a plane sextic curve and the corresponding double cover is a K3 surface.
We study the variety of common tangents for up to four quadric surfaces in projective three-space, with particular regard to configurations of four quadrics admitting a continuum of common tangents. We formulate geometrical conditions in the projective space defined by all complex quadric surfaces which express the fact that several quadrics are tangent along a curve to one and the same quadric of rank at least three, and called, for intuitive reasons: a basket. Lines in any ruling of the latter will be common tangents. These considerations are then restricted to spheres in Euclidean three-spa…
We use a generalization of Horrocks monads for arithmetic Cohen-Macaulay (ACM) varieties to establish a cohomological characterization of linear and Steiner bundles over projective spaces and quadric hypersurfaces. We also study resolutions of bundles on ACM varieties by line bundles, and characterize linear homological dimension in the case of quadric hypersurfaces.
We give a characterization of smooth quadrics in terms of the existence of full exceptional collections of certain type, which generalizes a result of C.Vial for projective spaces.
We study double line structures in projective spaces and quadric hypersurfaces, and investigate the geometry of irreducible components of Hilbert scheme of curves and moduli of stable sheaves of pure dimension 1 on a smooth quadric threefold.
We will consider an explicit birational map between a quadric and the projective variety X(J) of traceless rank one elements in a simple reduced Jordan algebra J. X(J) is a homogeneous G-variety for the automorphism group G=Aut(J). We will show that the birational map is a blow up followed by a blow down. This will allow us to use the blow up formula for motives together with Vishik's work on the motives of quadrics to give a motivic decomposition of X(J).
In this paper, we show that if the tangent bundle of a smooth projective variety is strictly nef, then it is isomorphic to a projective space; if a projective variety $X^n$ $(n>4)$ has strictly nef $Λ^2 TX$, then it is isomorphic to $\mathbb{P}^n$ or quadric $\mathbb{Q}^n$. We also prove that on elliptic curves, strictly nef vector bundles are ample, whereas there exist Hermitian flat and strictly nef vector bundles on any smooth curve with genus $g\geq 2$.
This article is a continuation of a previous article which concerned the splitting problem for subspaces of superspaces. We begin with a general account of projective superspaces. Subsequently, we specialise to subvarieties of `positive' projective superspaces. Our main result is: positive, projective superspaces are `normal', in a sense we define. Then, among others, our main application is: smooth, non-reduced, superspace quadric hypersurfaces are non-split.
We consider two varieties associated to a web of quadrics W in the projective space of dimension 7. One is the base locus and the second one is the double cover of the three dimensional projective space branched along the determinant surface of W. We show that small resolutions of these varieties are Calabi-Yau manifolds. We compute their Betti numbers and show that they are not birational in the generic case. The main result states that if the base locus of W contains a plane then in the generic case the two varieties are birational.
We study rationality properties of quadric surface bundles over the projective plane. We exhibit families of smooth projective complex fourfolds of this type over connected bases, containing both rational and non-rational fibers.
We show that the moduli space of semi-stable sheaves on a smooth quadric surface, having dimension 1, multiplicity 4, Euler characteristic 2, and first Chern class (2, 2), is the blow-up at two points of a certain hypersurface in a weighted projective space.
In this paper we classify all free actions of finite groups on Calabi-Yau complete intersection of 4 quadrics in $\PP^7$, up to projective equivalence. We get some examples of smooth Calabi-Yau threefolds with large nonabelian fundamental groups. We also observe the relation between some of these examples and moduli of polarized abelian surfaces.
Let E be a stable rank 2 vector bundle on a smooth quadric threefold Q in the projective 4-space P. We show that the hyperplanes H in P for which the restriction of E to the hyperplane section of Q by H is not stable form, in general, a closed subset of codimension at least 2 of the dual projective 4-space, and we explicitly describe the bundles E which do not enjoy this property. This refines a restriction theorem of Ein and Sols [Nagoya Math. J. 96, 11-22 (1984)] in the same way the main result of Coanda [J. reine angew. Math. 428, 97-110 (1992)] refines the restriction theorem of Barth [Mat…
We give necessary and sufficient criteria for a smooth Enriques surface S in P^r to be scheme-theoretically an intersection of quadrics. Moreover we prove in many cases that, when S contains plane cubic curves, the intersection of the quadrics containing S is the union of S and the 2-planes spanned by the plane cubic curves. We also give a new (very quick) proof of the projective normality of S if the degree of S is at least 12.
It was shown by Kuznetsov that complete intersections of $n$ generic quadrics in ${\mathbb P}^{2n-1}$ are related by Homological Projective Duality to certain non-commutative (Clifford) varieties which are in some sense birational to double covers of ${\mathbb P}^{n-1}$ ramified over symmetric determinantal hypersurfaces. Mirror symmetry predicts that the Hodge numbers of the complete intersections of quadrics must coincide with the appropriately defined Hodge numbers of these double covers. We observe that these numbers must be different from the well-known Batyrev's stringy Hodge numbers, el…
We tropicalize the rational map that takes triples of points in the projective plane to the plane of quadrics passing through these points. The image of its tropicalization is contained in the tropicalization of its image. We identify these objects inside the tropical Grassmannian of planes in projective 5-space, and we explore a small tropical Hilbert scheme.
It is proved that the degree of a morphism from a smooth projective n-fold with Picard number one to a smooth n-quadric is bounded (provided, of course, that n is at least three). Actually it has been proved some years ago, but I have never written down the proof, until J.-M. Hwang suggested, recently, that I do.
By an additive action on a hypersurface H in the projective space P^{n+1} we mean an effective action of a commutative unipotent group on P^{n+1} which leaves H invariant and acts on H with an open orbit. Brendan Hassett and Yuri Tschinkel have shown that actions of commutative unipotent groups on projective spaces can be described in terms of local algebras with some additional data. We prove that additive actions on projective hypersurfaces correspond to invariant multilinear symmetric forms on local algebras. It allows us to obtain explicit classification results for non-degenerate quadrics…
A cubic surface in $P^3$ is known to contain 27 lines, out of which one can form 36 Schlafli double - sixes i.e., collections $l_1,...,l_6, l'_1,..., l'_6\}$ of 12 lines such that each $l_i$ meets only $l'_j, j\neq i$ and does not meet $l_j, j\neq i$. In 1881 F. Schur proved that any double - six gives rise to a certain quadric $Q$ , called Schur quadric which is characterized as follows: for any $i$ the lines $l_i$ and $l'_i$ are orthogonal with respect to (the quadratic form defining) $Q$. The aim of the paper is to relate Schur's construction to the theory of vector bundles on $P^2$ and to …
Recall that a smooth complex projective curve has a very ample canonical bundle when it is non-hyperelliptic, and according to a theorem of M. Noether the resulting embedding is projectively normal. A theorem of Petri further asserts that the homogeneous ideal is generated by quadrics if the curve is neither trigonal nor a smooth plane quintic. In this note, we prove an analogue of Noether's theorem for the symmetric square of the curve - namely, the canonical bundle of the symmetric square determines a projectively normal embedding exactly when the curve itself is neither hyperelliptic, trigo…
We make explicit the equations of any projective $PGL_2(\C)$-variety defined by quadrics. We study their zero-locus and their relationship with the geometry of the Veronese curve.
We determine the automorphism group for a large class of affine quadric hypersurfaces over a field, viewed as affine algebraic varieties. In particular, we find that the group of real polynomial automorphisms of the n-sphere is just the orthogonal group O(n+1) whenever n is a power of 2. It is not known whether the same is true for arbitrary n. The proof uses Karpenko's theorem that certain projective quadrics over a field are not ruled. That is, they are not birational over the given field to the product of any variety with the projective line. We also formulate a general result on automorphi…
Let X -> Y be a fibration whose fibers are complete intersections of two quadrics. We develop new categorical and algebraic tools---a theory of relative homological projective duality and the Morita invariance of the even Clifford algebra under quadric reduction by hyperbolic splitting---to study semiorthogonal decompositions of the bounded derived category of X. Together with new results in the theory of quadratic forms, we apply these tools in the case where X -> Y has relative dimension 1, 2, or 3, in which case the fibers are curves of genus 1, Del Pezzo surfaces of degree 4, or Fano three…
The Hilbert scheme of projective 3-folds of codimension 3 or more that are linear scrolls over the projective plane or over a smooth quadric surface or that are quadric or cubic fibrations over the projective line is studied. All known such threefolds of degree from 7 to 11 are shown to correspond to smooth points of an irreducible component of their Hilbert scheme, whose dimension is computed. A relationship with the locus of good determinantal subschemes is investigated
Let $f : X -> B$ be a projective surjective morphism between quasi-projective varieties. The goal of this paper is the study of the Chow groups of $X$ in terms of the Chow groups of $B$ and of the fibers of $f$. One of the applications concerns quadric bundles. When $X$ and $B$ are smooth projective and when $f$ is a flat quadric fibration, we show that the motive of $X$ is "built" from the motives of varieties of dimension less than the dimension of $B$.
We solve the following geometric problem, which arises in several three-dimensional applications in computational geometry: For which arrangements of two lines and two spheres in R^3 are there infinitely many lines simultaneously transversal to the two lines and tangent to the two spheres? We also treat a generalization of this problem to projective quadrics: Replacing the spheres in R^3 by quadrics in projective space P^3, and fixing the lines and one general quadric, we give the following complete geometric description of the set of (second) quadrics for which the 2 lines and 2 quadrics have…
We study locally transitive actions of the commutative unipotent group $\Gan$ on a nondegenerate quadric in the projective space $¶^{n+1}$. It is shown that for each $n$ such an action is unique up to isomorphism.
The Beilinson-Bloch type conjectures predict that the low degree rational Chow groups of intersections of quadrics are one dimensional. This conjecture was proved by Otwinowska. Making use of homological projective duality and the recent theory of (Jacobians of) noncommutative Chow motives, we give an alternative proof of this conjecture in the case of a complete intersection of either two quadrics or three odd-dimensional quadrics. Moreover, without the use of the powerful Lefschetz theorem, we prove that in these cases the unique non-trivial algebraic Jacobian is the middle one. As an applic…
In this article we study the subgroup of the Picard group of Voevodsky's category of geometric motives generated by the reduced motives of affine quadrics. Our main tools here are the functors of Bachmann, but we also provide an alternative method. We show that the group in question can be described in terms of indecomposable direct summands in the motives of projective quadrics. In particular, we describe all the relations among the reduced motives of affine quadrics. We also extend the Criterion of motivic equivalence of projective quadrics.
In this paper we generalize some classical birational transformations to the non-commutative case. In particular we show that 3-dimensional quadratic Sklyanin algebras (non-commutative projective planes) and 3-dimensional cubic Sklyanin algebras (non-commutative quadrics) have the same function field. In the same vein we construct and analogue of the Cremona transform for non-commutative projective planes.
In the present paper, we provide general bounds for the torsion in the codimension 2 Chow groups of the products of projective homogeneous surfaces. In particular, we determine the torsion for the product of four Pfister quadric surfaces and the maximal torsion for the product of three Severi-Brauer surfaces. We also find an upper bound for the torsion of the product of three quadric surfaces with the same discriminant.
Let X be a projective complex 3-fold, quasihomogeneous with respect to an action of a linear algebraic group. We show that X is a compactification of SL_2/G, G a discrete subgroup, or that X can be equivariantly transformed into the 3-dim. projective space, the quadric Q_3, or into certain quasihomogeneous bundles with very simple structure.
In this paper we prove that if the r-th tensor power of the tangent bundle of a smooth projective variety X contains the determinant of an ample vector bundle of rank at least r, then X is isomorphic either to a projective space or to a smooth quadric hypersurface.
It is well-known that the group of regular projective transformations of $\mathbb{P}^3(\mathbb{R})$ is isomorphic to the group of projective automorphisms of Klein's quadric $M_2^4\subset\mathbb{P}^5(\mathbb{R})$. We introduce the Clifford algebra $\mathcal{C}\ell_{(3,3)}$ constructed over the quadratic space $\mathbb{R}^{(3,3)}$ and describe how points on Klein's quadric are embedded as null vectors, {\it i.e.}, grade-$1$ elements squaring to zero. Furthermore, we discuss how geometric entities from Klein's model can be transferred to this homogeneous Clifford algebra model. Automorphic colli…
For any $n\geq 3$, we prove that there exist equivalences between these apparently unrelated objects: irreducible $n$-dimensional non degenerate projective varieties $X\subset \mathbb P^{2n+1}$ different from rational normal scrolls and 3-covered by twisted cubic curves, up to projective equivalence; quadro-quadric Cremona transformations of $ \mathbb P^{n-1}$, up to linear equivalence; $n$-dimensional complex Jordan algebras of rank three, up to isotopy. We also provide some applications to the classification of particular classes of varieties in the class defined above and of quadro-quadric …
A wonderful compactification of an orbit under the action of a semi-simple and simply connected group is a smooth projective variety containing the orbit as a dense open subset, and where the added boundary divisor is simple normal crossing. We construct the wonderful compactification of the space of symmetric and symplectic matrices, and investigate its geometry. As an application, we describe the birational geometry of the Kontsevich spaces parametrizing conics in Lagrangian Grassmannians.
Let $ \mathcal{D} = \{D_{1}, \ldots, D_{\ell}\} $ be an arrangement of smooth hypersurfaces with normal crossings on the complex projective space $ \mathbb{P}^{n} $ and let $ Ω^{1}_{\mathbb{P}^{n}}(log \mathcal{D}) $ be the logarithmic bundle attached to it. Our aim is to study the injectivity of the correspondence $ \mathcal{D} \longrightarrow Ω^{1}_{\mathbb{P}^{n}}(log \mathcal{D}) $. In order to do that, we first show that $ Ω^{1}_{\mathbb{P}^{n}}(log \mathcal{D}) $ admits a resolution of length $ 1 $ depending on the degrees and on the equations of $ D_{1}, \ldots, D_{\ell} $. Then, we pro…
We study transformations as in the title with emphasis on those having smooth connected base locus, called "special". In particular, we classify all special quadratic birational maps into a quadric hypersurface whose inverse is given by quadratic forms by showing that there are only four examples having general hyperplane sections of Severi varieties as base loci.
A conic bundle or quadric bundle in characteristic 2 can have generic fiber which is nowhere smooth over the function field of the base variety. In that case, the generic fiber is called a quasilinear quadric. We solve some of the main problems of birational geometry for quasilinear quadrics. First, if there is a rational map from one quasilinear quadric to another of the same dimension, and also a map back, then the two quadrics are birational. Next, we determine exactly which quasilinear quadrics are ruled, that is, birational over the base field to the product of some variety with the proje…
We prove that the degree of a nonconstant morphism from a smooth projective 3-fold $X$ with Néron-Severi group ${\bf Z}$ to a smooth 3-dimensional quadric is bounded in terms of numerical invariants of $X$. In the special case where $X$ is a 3-dimensional cubic we show that there are no such morphisms. The main tool in the proof is Miyaoka's bound on the number of double points of a surface.
