Maps to Projective Space

Abstract

One of the main goals of algebraic geometry is to understand the geometry of smooth projective varieties. For instance, given a smooth projective surface X, we can ask a host of questions whose answers might help illuminate its geometry. What kinds of curves does the surface contain? Is it covered by rational curves, that is, curves birationally equivalent to ℙ¹? If not, how many rational curves does it contain, and how do they intersect each other? Or is it more natural to think of the surface as a family of elliptic curves (genus-1 Riemann surfaces) or as some other family? Is the surface isomorphic to ℙ² or some other familiar variety on a dense set? What other surfaces are birationally equivalent to X? What kinds of automorphisms does the surface have? What kinds of continuously varying families of surfaces does it fit into?