The Curves The Point of View of Max Noether Probably the oldest references to the problem of resolution of singularities are found in Max Noether’s works on plane curves [cf. [148], [149]]. And probably the origin of the problem was to have a formula to compute the genus of a plane curve. The genus is the most useful birational invariant of a curve in classical projective geometry. It was long known that, for a plane curve of degree n having l m ordinary singular points with respective multiplicities ri, i E {1, . . . , m}, the genus p of the curve is given by the formula = (n - l)(n - 2) _ ~ "r. (r. _ 1) P 2 2 L. . ,. •• . Of course, the problem now arises: how to compute the genus of a plane curve having some non-ordinary singularities. This leads to the natural question: can we birationally transform any (singular) plane curve into another one having only ordinary singularities? The answer is positive. Let us give a flavor (without proofs) 2 on how Noether did it • To solve the problem, it is enough to consider a special kind of Cremona trans formations, namely quadratic transformations of the projective plane. Let ~ be a linear system of conics with three non-collinear base points r = {Ao, AI, A }, 2 and take a projective frame of the type {Ao, AI, A ; U}.
From the reviews:
"As indicated in the title ... describes different methods of resolution of singularities of curves and surfaces ... . The first seven chapters are dedicated to developing the material ... . The two appendixes, on algebraic geometry and commutative algebra, contain generalities and classical results needed in the previous chapters. This completes one of the aims of the authors: To write a book as self-contained as possible. ... In conclusion, the book is an interesting exposition of resolution of singularities in low dimensions ... ." (Ana Bravo, Mathematical Reviews, 2005e)
"The monograph presents a modern theory of resolution of isolated singularities of algebraic curves and surfaces over algebraically closed fields of characteristic zero. ... The exposition is self-contained and is supplied by an appendix, covering some classical algebraic geometry and commutative algebra." (Eugenii I. Shustin, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1069 (20), 2005)