# On 𝐴_𝑘–singularity on a plane curve of fixed degree.

There is a general problem to describe singularities which can be met on algebraic hypersurfaces, in particular on plane curves, of fixed degree (see, e.g., ). Here we shall consider $`A_k`$–singularities which can be met on a plane curve of degree $`d`$. Let $`k(d)`$ be the maximal possible integer $`k`$ such that there exists a plane curve of degree $`d`$ with an $`A_k`$–singularity. Statement 1 gives an upper bound for $`k(d)`$. According to it $`\overline{lim}_d\mathrm{}k(d)/d^23/4`$. We construct a plane curve of degree $`28s+9`$ ($`sZ_0`$) which has an $`A_k`$–singularity with $`k=420s^2+269s+42`$. Therefore one has $`\underset{¯}{lim}_d\mathrm{}k(d)/d^215/28`$ (pay attention that $`15/28>1/2`$). The example is constructed basically in the same way as a curve of degree $`22`$ with an $`A_{257}`$ singularity in  (the aim of that example was somewhat different).

###### Statement 1

$`k(d)(d1)^2\left[\frac{d}{2}\right]\left(\left[\frac{d}{2}\right]1\right).`$

Remark. We believe that this statement is known, however we have not found a reference for it.

Proof. Without any loss of generality one can suppose that the curve is reduced. Therefore one can choose the infinite line in the complex projective plane $`CP^2`$ so that it intersects the curve at $`d`$ different points. Let the affine part of the curve $`d`$ be given by the equation $`\{f(x,y)=0\}`$ (where $`f`$ is a polynomial of degree $`d`$). The surface $`\{f(x,y)+z^2=\epsilon \}C^3`$ is nonsingular and the negative inertia index of the intersection form on its second homology group $`H_2(V;R)`$ just coincides with the right hand side of the inequality in the statement (this follows, e.g., from the result of J.Steenbrink on the intersection form for quasihomogeneous singularities (), applied to the (isolated) singularity $`f_d(x,y)+z^2`$, where $`f_d(x,y)`$ is the homogeneous part of degree $`d`$ of the polynomial $`f`$. Now the statement follows from the facts that the intersection form of the $`A_k`$–singularity of $`3`$ variables is negative defined and, if the considered curve has an $`A_k`$–singularity, then the vanishing homology group of this singularity is embedded into the homology group $`H_2(V;R)`$ (see, e.g., ). $`\mathrm{}`$

###### Statement 2

There exists a plane curve of degree $`28s+9`$ which has an $`A_k`$–singularity with $`k=420s^2+269s+42`$ ($`sZ_0`$).

Proof. Let $`\mathrm{}=3s+1`$, $`m=7s+2`$, and let an (affine plane) curve $`C`$ be given by the equation

$$F(x,y)=y^22yA(x,y)+x^8\mathrm{}+4x^7\mathrm{}y^m=0,$$
(1)   
where $`A(x,y)=\left[x^4\mathrm{}+2x^3\mathrm{}y^m2x^2\mathrm{}y^{2m}+4x^{\mathrm{}}y^{3m}10y^{4m}\right]`$. The degree $`d`$ of the curve $`C`$ is equal to $`4m+1=7\mathrm{}+m=28s+9`$. Let $`z=yA(x,y)`$ ($`x`$ and $`z`$ are local coordinates on the plane near the origin). Then

$$F(x,y)=z^2+56x^3\mathrm{}y^{5m}56x^2\mathrm{}y^{6m}+80x^{\mathrm{}}y^{7m}100y^{8m}.$$
(2)   
Since $`z(x,y)=yx^4\mathrm{}+`$ terms of higher degree, one has $`y(x,z)=z+x^4\mathrm{}+`$ terms of higher degree. Substituting this expression into (2) one gets

$$F(x,z)=z^2+56x^{3\mathrm{}+20\mathrm{}m}+a_{ij}x^iz^j=z^2+56x^{k+1}+a_{ij}x^iz^j,$$

where $`k=420s^2+269s+42`$ and the sum contains only members with powers $`(i,j)`$ which lie over the segment $`(0,2)(k+1,0)`$, i.e., those for which $`i/(k+1)+j/2>1`$. This proves the statement. $`\mathrm{}`$

Remark. There exists a similar problem to determine the maximal number $`k^{}=k^{}(d)`$ such that the singularity $`A_k^{}`$ is an adjacent to an isolated homogeneous singularity of degree $`d`$ (or (what is equivalent) to a singularity from the same stratum $`\mu =const`$). One has $`k^{}(d)k(d)`$. All the reasonings above are valid for this problem as well and thus the inequalities of the statements 1 and 2 hold also for the number $`k^{}(d)`$.

Moscow State University,   
Dept. of Mathematics and Mechanics,   
Moscow, 119899, Russia.   
E-mail: sabir@mccme.ru   
nekhoros@nw.math.msu.su