arXiv subjects

Sorin Popescu

Publications and source records attributed to Sorin Popescu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2009

Calabi-Yau Three-folds and Moduli of Abelian Surfaces II

This is the sequel to arXiv:math/0001089. In this paper, we complete the promised description of moduli of abelian surfaces of low degree, covering the cases of degree (1,12), (1,14), (1,16), (1,18) and (1,20). In each case, we describe birational models for the moduli space of abelian surfaces with polarization of the given degree and either a level structure, or what we call a partial level structure. In every case, the moduli space is rational or unirational. In additional, several new Calabi-Yau threefolds fibred in abelian surfaces are described.

math.AG↗

arXiv2004

Small schemes and varieties of minimal degree

We prove that if X is any 2-regular projective scheme (in the sense of Castelnuovo-Mumford) then X is "small". This means that if L is a linear space and Y:= L\cap X is finite, then Y is "linearly independent" in the sense that the dimension of the linear span of Y is 1+deg Y. The converse is true and well-known for finite schemes, but false in general. The main result of this paper is that the converse, "small implies 2-regular", is also true for reduced projective schemes (algebraic sets). This is proven by means of a delicate geometric analysis, leading to a complete classification: we show that the components of a small algebraic set are varieties of minimal degree, meeting in a particularly simple way. From the classification one can show that if X is 2-regular, then so is X_{red}, and so also is the projection of X from any point of X. Our results extend the Del Pezzo-Bertini classification of varieties of minimal degree, the characterization of these as the varieties of regularity 2 by Eisenbud-Goto, and the construction of 2-regular square-free monomial ideals by Fröberg.

math.AG↗

arXiv2004

Restricting linear syzygies: algebra and geometry

In this paper we derive geometric consequences from the presence of a long strand of linear syzygies in the minimal free resolution of a closed scheme in projective space whose homogeneous ideal is generated by quadrics. These consequences are given in terms of intersections with arbitrary linear subspaces. We use our results to bound homological invariants of some well-known projective varieties, to give a combinatorial characterization of quadratic monomial ideals with a long strand of linear syzygies, etc

math.AG↗

arXiv2003

A note on the Intersection of Veronese Surfaces

Motivated by our study (elsewhere) of linear syzygies of homogeneous ideals generated by quadrics and their restrictions to subvarieties of the ambient projective space, we investigate in this note possible zero-dimensional intersections of two Veronese surfaces in P^5. The case of two Veronese surfaces in P^5 meeting in 10 simple points appears also in work of Coble, Conner and Reye in relation to the 10 nodes of a quartic symmetroid in P^3, and we provide here a modern account for some of their results.

math.AG↗

arXiv2001

Hyperplane Arrangement Cohomology and Monomials in the Exterior Algebra

We show that if X is the complement of a complex hyperplane arrangement, then the homology of X has linear free resolution as a module over the exterior algebra on the first cohomology of X. We study invariants of X that can be deduced from this resolution. A key ingredient is a result of Aramova, Avramov, and Herzog [2000] on resolutions of monomial ideals in the exterior algebra. We give a new conceptual proof of this result.

math.AG↗

arXiv2000

Exterior algebra methods for the Minimal Resolution Conjecture

If r\geq 6, r\neq 9, we show that the Minimal Resolution Conjecture fails for a general set of m points in P^r for almost 1/2\sqrt r values of m. This strengthens the result of Eisenbud and Popescu [1999], who found a unique such m for each r in the given range. Our proof begins like a variation of that of Eisenbud and Popescu, but uses exterior algebra methods as explained by Eisenbud and Schreyer [2000] to avoid the degeneration arguments that were the most difficult part of the Eisenbud-Popescu proof. Analogous techniques show that the Minimal Resolution Conjecture fails for linearly normal curves of degree d and genus g when d\geq 3g-2, g\geq 4, reproving results of Schreyer, Green, and Lazarsfeld.

math.AG↗

arXiv2000

Elliptic functions and equations of modular curves

Let $p\ge 5$ be a prime. We show that the space of weight one Eisenstein series defines an embedding into $\PP^{(p-3)/2}$ of the modular curve $X_1(p)$ for the congruence group $Γ_1(p)$ that is scheme-theoretically cut out by explicit quadratic equations.

math.AG↗

arXiv2000

Lagrangian Subbundles and Codimension 3 Subcanonical Subscheme

We show that a Gorenstein subcanonical codimension 3 subscheme Z in X = P^N, N > 3, can be realized as the locus along which two Lagrangian subbundles of a twisted orthogonal bundle meet degenerately, and conversely. We extend this result to singular Z and all quasiprojective ambient schemes X under the necessary hypothesis that $Z$ is strongly subcanonical in a sense defined below. A central point is that a pair of Lagrangian subbundles can be transformed locally into an alternating map. In the local case our structure theorem reduces to that of Buchsbaum-Eisenbud and says that Z is Pfaffian. We also prove codimension one symmetric and skew-symmetric analogues of our structure theorems.

math.AG↗

arXiv2000

Calabi-Yau Threefolds and Moduli of Abelian Surfaces I

We describe birational models and decide the rationality/unirationality of moduli spaces AA_{d} (and AA^{lev}_{d}) of (1,d)-polarized abelian surfaces (with canonical level structure, respectively) for small values of d. The projective lines identified in the rational/unirational moduli spaces correspond to pencils of abelian surfaces traced on nodal threefolds living naturally in the corresponding ambient projective spaces, and whose small resolutions are new Calabi-Yau threefolds with Euler characteristic zero.

math.AG↗

arXiv1999

Syzygies of Unimodular Lawrence Ideals

Infinite hyperplane arrangements whose vertices form a lattice are studied from the point of view of commutative algebra. The quotient of such an arrangement modulo the lattice action represents the minimal free resolution of the associated binomial ideal, which defines a toric subvariety in a product of projective lines. Connections to graphic arrangements and to Beilinson's spectral sequence are explored.

math.AG↗

arXiv1999

Enriques Surfaces and other Non-Pfaffian Subcanonical Subschemes of Codimension 3

We give examples of subcanonical subvarieties of codimension 3 in projective n-space which are not Pfaffian, i.e. defined by the ideal sheaf of submaximal Pfaffians of an alternating map of vector bundles. This gives a negative answer to a question asked by Okonek. Walter had previously shown that a very large majority of subcanonical subschemes of codimension 3 in P^n are Pfaffian, but he left open the question whether the exceptional non-Pfaffian cases actually occur. We give non-Pfaffian examples of the principal types allowed by his theorem, including (Enriques) surfaces in P^5 in characteristic 2 and a smooth 4-fold in P^7. These examples are based on our previous work math.AG/9906170 showing that any strongly subcanonical subscheme of codimension 3 of a Noetherian scheme can be realized as a locus of degenerate intersection of a pair of Lagrangian (maximal isotropic) subbundles of a twisted orthogonal bundle.

math.AG↗

arXiv1999

The moduli space of (1,11)-polarized abelian surfaces is unirational

We prove that the moduli space A_{11}^{lev} of (1,11) polarized abelian surfaces with level structure of canonical type is birational to Klein's cubic hypersurface: a^2b+b^2c+c^2d+d^2e+e^2a=0 in P^4. Therefore, A_{11}^{lev} is unirational but not rational, and there are no Gamma_{11}-cusp forms of weight 3. The same methods also provide an easy proof of the rationality of A_{9}^{lev}.

math.AG↗

arXiv1998

Extremal Betti Numbers and Applications to Monomial Ideals

In this short note we introduce a notion of extremality for Betti numbers of a minimal free resolution, which can be seen as a refinement of the notion of Mumford-Castelnuovo regularity. We show that extremal Betti numbers of an arbitrary submodule of a free S-module are preserved when taking the generic initial module. We relate extremal multigraded Betti numbers in the minimal resolution of a square free monomial ideal with those of the monomial ideal corresponding to the Alexander dual simplicial complex and generalize theorems of Eagon-Reiner and Terai. As an application we give easy (alternative) proofs of classical criteria due to Hochster, Reisner, and Stanley.

math.AC↗

arXiv1998

The Projective Geometry of the Gale Transform

The Gale transform, an involution on sets of points in projective space, appears in a multitude of guises, in subjects as diverse as optimization, coding theory, theta-functions, and recently in our proof that certain general sets of points fail to satisfy the minimal free resolution conjecture. In this paper we reexamine the Gale transform in the light of modern algebraic geometry. We give a more general definition, in the context of finite (locally) Gorenstein subschemes. We put in modern form a number of the more remarkable examples discovered in the past, and we add new constructions and connections to other areas of algebraic geometry. We generalize Goppa's theorem in coding theory and we give new applications to Castelnuovo theory. We give references to classical and modern sources.

math.AG↗

arXiv1997

Syzygies of Abelian and Bielliptic Surfaces in P^4

So far only six families of smooth irregular surfaces are known to exist in P^4 (up to pullbacks by suitable finite covers of P^4). These are the elliptic quintic scrolls, the minimal abelian and bielliptic surfaces (of degree 10), two different families of non-minimal abelian surfaces of degree 15, and one family of non-minimal bielliptic surfaces of degree 15. The main purpose of the paper is to describe the structure of the Hartshorne-Rao modules and the syzygies for each of these smooth irregular surfaces in P^4, providing at the same time a unified construction method (via syzygies) for these families of surfaces.

alg-geom↗

arXiv1997

Examples of smooth non-general type surfaces in P^4

The aim of the paper is to provide a series of new examples of smooth surfaces in P^4, not of general type, in degrees varying from 12 up to 14, and to describe their geometry. By using mainly syzygies and liaison techniques, we construct the following families of surfaces: - minimal proper elliptic surfaces of degree 12 and sectional genus 13, - two types of non-minimal proper elliptic surfaces of degree 12 and sectional genus 14, - non-minimal K3 surfaces of degree 13 and sectional genus 16, and - non-minimal K3 surfaces of degree 14 and sectional genus 19.

alg-geom↗

arXiv1997

Equations of (1,d)-polarized Abelian Surfaces

We study the equations of abelian surfaces embedded in P^{n-1} with a line bundle of polarization of type (1,n). For n>9, we show that the ideal of a general abelian surface with this polarization is generated by quadrics, and if the embedding is Heisenberg invariant, we give a very specific description of these quadrics. These quadrics are produced using a generalization of the Moore matrices which yields a uniform description of these ideals. We prove that these equations generate the ideals using a degeneration argument, degenerating abelian surfaces to schemes obtained from Stanley-Reisner ideals of certain triangulations of the torus. Furthermore, we obtain information on how to compute the moduli spaces of abelian surfaces of type (1,n) with canonical level structure. In a sequel to this paper, we will study the structure of the equations for n<=9, and also give detailed geometric descriptions for the moduli spaces of abelian surfaces of low degree.

alg-geom↗

arXiv1997

Gale Duality and Free Resolutions of Ideals of Points

What is the shape of the free resolution of the ideal of a general set of points in P^r? This question is central to the programme of connecting the geometry of point sets in projective space with the structure of the free resolutions of their ideals. There is a lower bound for the resolution computable from the (known) Hilbert function, and it seemed natural to conjecture that this lower bound would be achieved. This is the ``Minimal Resolution Conjecture'' (Lorenzini [1987], [1993]). Hirschowitz and Simpson [1994] showed that the conjecture holds when the number of points is large compared with r, but three examples (with r = 6,7,8) discovered computationally by Schreyer in 1993 show that the conjecture fails in general. We describe a novel structure inside the free resolution of a set of points which accounts for the observed failures and provides a counterexample in P^r for every r\geq 6, r\neq 9. The geometry behind our construction occurs not in P^r but in a different projective space, in which there is a related set of points, the ``Gale transform'' (or ``associated set'', in the sense of Coble.)

alg-geom↗