Plane curves with small linear orbits I

The `linear orbit' of a plane curve of degree d is its orbit in the projective space of dimension d(d+3)/2 parametrizing such curves under the natural action of PGL(3). In this paper we compute the degree of the closure of the linear orbits of most curves with positive dimensional stabilizers. Our tool is a nonsingular variety dominating the orbit closure, which we construct by a blow-up sequence mirroring the sequence yielding an embedded resolution of the curve. The results given here will serve as an ingredient in the computation of the analogous information for arbitrary plane curves. Linear orbits of smooth plane curves are studied in [A-F1].Comment: 34 pages, 4 figures, AmS-TeX 2.1, requires xy-pic and eps

Inclusion-exclusion and Segre classes

We propose a variation of the notion of Segre class, by forcing a naive `inclusion-exclusion' principle to hold. The resulting class is computationally tractable, and is closely related to Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes. We deduce several general properties of the new class from this relation, and obtain an expression for the Milnor class of a scheme in terms of this class.Comment: 8 page

Verdier specialization via weak factorization

Let X in V be a closed embedding, with V - X nonsingular. We define a constructible function on X, agreeing with Verdier's specialization of the constant function 1 when X is the zero-locus of a function on V. Our definition is given in terms of an embedded resolution of X; the independence on the choice of resolution is obtained as a consequence of the weak factorization theorem of Abramovich et al. The main property of the specialization function is a compatibility with the specialization of the Chern class of the complement V-X. With the definition adopted here, this is an easy consequence of standard intersection theory. It recovers Verdier's result when X is the zero-locus of a function on V. Our definition has a straightforward counterpart in a motivic group. The specialization function and the corresponding Chern class and motivic aspect all have natural `monodromy' decompositions, for for any X in V as above. The definition also yields an expression for Kai Behrend's constructible function when applied to (the singularity subscheme of) the zero-locus of a function on V.Comment: Minor revision. To appear in Arkiv f\"or Matemati

On generalized Sethi-Vafa-Witten formulas

We present a formula for computing proper pushforwards of classes in the Chow ring of a projective bundle under the projection \pi:\Pbb(\Escr)\rightarrow B, for $B$ a non-singular compact complex algebraic variety of any dimension. Our formula readily produces generalizations of formulas derived by Sethi,Vafa, and Witten to compute the Euler characteristic of elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau fourfolds used for F-theory compactifications of string vacua. The utility of such a formula is illustrated through applications, such as the ability to compute the Chern numbers of any non-singular complete intersection in such a projective bundle in terms of the Chern class of a line bundle on $B$

Graph hypersurfaces and a dichotomy in the Grothendieck ring

The subring of the Grothendieck ring of varieties generated by the graph hypersurfaces of quantum field theory maps to the monoid ring of stable birational equivalence classes of varieties. We show that the image of this map is the copy of Z generated by the class of a point. Thus, the span of the graph hypersurfaces in the Grothendieck ring is nearly killed by setting the Lefschetz motive L to zero, while it is known that graph hypersurfaces generate the Grothendieck ring over a localization of Z[L] in which L becomes invertible. In particular, this shows that the graph hypersurfaces do not generate the Grothendieck ring prior to localization. The same result yields some information on the mixed Hodge structures of graph hypersurfaces, in the form of a constraint on the terms in their Deligne-Hodge polynomials.Comment: 8 pages, LaTe

Algebro-geometric Feynman rules

We give a general procedure to construct algebro-geometric Feynman rules, that is, characters of the Connes-Kreimer Hopf algebra of Feynman graphs that factor through a Grothendieck ring of immersed conical varieties, via the class of the complement of the affine graph hypersurface. In particular, this maps to the usual Grothendieck ring of varieties, defining motivic Feynman rules. We also construct an algebro-geometric Feynman rule with values in a polynomial ring, which does not factor through the usual Grothendieck ring, and which is defined in terms of characteristic classes of singular varieties. This invariant recovers, as a special value, the Euler characteristic of the projective graph hypersurface complement. The main result underlying the construction of this invariant is a formula for the characteristic classes of the join of two projective varieties. We discuss the BPHZ renormalization procedure in this algebro-geometric context and some motivic zeta functions arising from the partition functions associated to motivic Feynman rules.Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX, 1 figur

Likelihood Geometry

We study the critical points of monomial functions over an algebraic subset of the probability simplex. The number of critical points on the Zariski closure is a topological invariant of that embedded projective variety, known as its maximum likelihood degree. We present an introduction to this theory and its statistical motivations. Many favorite objects from combinatorial algebraic geometry are featured: toric varieties, A-discriminants, hyperplane arrangements, Grassmannians, and determinantal varieties. Several new results are included, especially on the likelihood correspondence and its bidegree. These notes were written for the second author's lectures at the CIME-CIRM summer course on Combinatorial Algebraic Geometry at Levico Terme in June 2013.Comment: 45 pages; minor changes and addition