The Quartic Hessian Conjecture in Dimension Four

Abstract

The Hessian conjecture asks whether a polynomial with nonzero constant Hessian determinant has a polynomial gradient inverse. It is known in dimensions at most three, false in dimensions at least five, and open in dimension four. We prove its four-variable quartic case. The top homogeneous part has zero Hessian determinant and, by the four-dimensional homogeneous Hesse theorem, is a cone. We divide its cone representative into three exhaustive types: a genuinely ternary quartic with nonzero ternary Hessian, a genuinely binary quartic, and a fourth power of a linear form. In the first type, the degree-seven determinant equation forces the cubic part to be affine-linear in the cone direction. In the binary type, the degree-six equation gives a constant null direction in a two-variable Hessian of the cubic part. In the unary type, the degree-five equation and a constant-direction lemma give the same conclusion. Every type therefore reduces to \[ f=P(x_1,x_2,x_3)+x_4Q(x_1,x_2,x_3)+a x_4^2, \qquad \deg Q\leq2. \] We prove, independently of the degree or top part of \(P\), that every constant-Hessian polynomial of this form has a polynomial gradient inverse. The branch \(a\ne0\) descends from the known three-dimensional Hessian conjecture after a Schur complement. When \(a=0\), an isotropic-cone rank analysis eliminates rank two, solves the rank-one exception by an explicit triangular inverse, and reduces rank zero to the two-dimensional Hessian conjecture. The coupled degree-six identity is retained throughout; no component with respect to a fixed quadratic form is separated.