Isolated singular points in the theory of algebraic surfaces

Abstract

If F(x0, x1, x2, x3) = 0 is the equation of a surface in space of three dimensions which has an ordinary isolated s-ple point O, then by means of the substitutionswhere Φ0 = 0, Φ1 = 0, …, Φr = 0 are the equations of r + 1 linearly independent surfaces passing simply through O, F is transformed into a surface F′ in [r], on which to the point O of F there corresponds a simple curve γ. The points of γ arise from the points of F in the first neighbourhood of O, and in this simple case the genus of γ is ½ (s − 1) (s − 2). In the study of properties which are common to all members of an infinite family of birationally equivalent surfaces no distinction is made between O and γ, O being regarded as a curve which has become infinitesimal on the particular surface of the family in question.