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Back to Algebraic Geometry Seminar: Spring 2010

Algebraic Geometry Seminar


Date: Tuesday, Jan 19, 2010

Time: 3:30PM - 4:30PM

Location: LCB 215


Yu-jong Tzeng

Stanford University

Title

The Universal Formulas for Counting Nodal Curves on Surfaces

Abstract

The problem of counting nodal curves on algebraic surfaces has been studied since the nineteenth century. On the projective surface, it asks how many curves defined by homogeneous degree d polynomials have only nodes as singularities and pass through points in general position. On K3 surfaces, the number of rational nodal curves was predicted by the famous Yau-Zaslow formula. Goettsche conjectured that for sufficiently ample line bundles L on algebraic surfaces, the numbers of nodal curves in |L| are given by universal polynomials in four topological numbers. Furthermore, based on the Yau-Zaslow formula he gave a conjectural generating function in terms of quasi-modular forms. The formula is consistent with many existing results on projective surface, K3, and curves with at most 8 nodes on general surfaces. In this talk, I will discuss how degeneration methods can be applied to count nodal curves and sketch my proof of Goettsche’s conjecture.

Algebraic Geometry

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