The Degree Complexity of Smooth Surfaces of codimension 2

TL;DR

This paper investigates the degree complexity of smooth surfaces in projective 4-space with respect to the graded lexicographic order, revealing its geometric significance and explicit formulas related to the double curve invariants.

Contribution

It provides a new explicit formula for the degree complexity of smooth surfaces in P^4, linking it to the invariants of the double curve under generic projection.

Findings

Degree complexity relates to the double curve invariants.

Explicit formula for degree complexity for most smooth surfaces.

Exceptional cases where degree complexity equals the degree.

Abstract

D.Bayer and D.Mumford introduced the degree complexity of a projective scheme for the given term order as the maximal degree of the reduced Gr\"{o}bner basis. It is well-known that the degree complexity with respect to the graded reverse lexicographic order is equal to the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity (\cite{BS}). However, little is known about the degree complexity with respect to the graded lexicographic order (\cite{A}, \cite{CS}). In this paper, we study the degree complexity of a smooth irreducible surface in $\p^4$ with respect to the graded lexicographic order and its geometric meaning. Interestingly, this complexity is closely related to the invariants of the double curve of a surface under the generic projection. As results, we prove that except a few cases, the degree complexity of a smooth surface $S$ of degree $d$ with $h^0(\mathcal I_S(2))\neq 0$ in $\p^4$ is given by $2+\binom{\deg Y_1(S)-1}{2}-\rho_{a}(Y_{1}(S))$, where $Y_1(S)$ is a double curve of degree $\binom{d-1}{2}-\rho_{a}(S \cap H)$ under a generic projection of $S$ (Theorem \ref{mainthm2}). Exceptional cases are either a rational normal scroll or a complete intersection surface of $(2,2)$-type or a Castelnuovo surface of degree 5 in $\p^4$ whose degree complexities are in fact equal to their degrees. This complexity can also be expressed only in terms of the maximal degree of defining equations of $I_S$ (Corollary \ref{cor:01} and \ref{cor:02}). We also provide some illuminating examples of our results via calculations done with {\it Macaulay 2} (Example \ref{Exam:01}).