The special Schubert calculus is real

We show that the Schubert calculus of enumerative geometry is real, for special Schubert conditions. That is, for any such enumerative problem, there exist real conditions for which all the a priori complex solutions are real.Comment: 5 page

On the average condition number of tensor rank decompositions

We compute the expected value of powers of the geometric condition number of random tensor rank decompositions. It is shown in particular that the expected value of the condition number of $n_1\times n_2 \times 2$ tensors with a random rank-$r$ decomposition, given by factor matrices with independent and identically distributed standard normal entries, is infinite. This entails that it is expected and probable that such a rank-$r$ decomposition is sensitive to perturbations of the tensor. Moreover, it provides concrete further evidence that tensor decomposition can be a challenging problem, also from the numerical point of view. On the other hand, we provide strong theoretical and empirical evidence that tensors of size $n_1~\times~n_2~\times~n_3$ with all $n_1,n_2,n_3 \ge 3$ have a finite average condition number. This suggests there exists a gap in the expected sensitivity of tensors between those of format $n_1\times n_2 \times 2$ and other order-3 tensors. For establishing these results, we show that a natural weighted distance from a tensor rank decomposition to the locus of ill-posed decompositions with an infinite geometric condition number is bounded from below by the inverse of this condition number. That is, we prove one inequality towards a so-called condition number theorem for the tensor rank decomposition

Geometric Auslander criterion for openness of an algebraic morphism

We give an effective criterion for openness of a morphism of schemes of finite type over a field: Over a normal base of dimension n, failure of openness is detected by a vertical component in the n'th fibred power of the morphism. This is a topological analogue of a criterion for flatness that originates with Auslander.Comment: Published versio

Effective reconstruction of generic genus 4 curves from their theta hyperplanes

Effective reconstruction formulas of a curve from its theta hyperplanes are known classically in genus 2 (where the theta hyperplanes are Weierstrass points), and 3 (where, for a generic curve, the theta hyperplanes are bitangents to a plane quartic). However, for higher genera, no formula or algorithm are known. In this paper we give an explicit (and simple) algorithm for computing a generic genus 4 curve from it's theta hyperplanes.Comment: no content modification to previous version; presentation modification following referees comment