Equivariant and invariant theory of nets of conics

Abstract

Two parameter families of plane conics are called nets of conics. There is a natural group action on the vector space of nets of conics, namely the product of the group reparametrizing the underlying plane, and the group reparametrizing the parameter space of the family. We calculate equivariant fundamental classes of orbit closures. Based on this calculation we develop the invariant theory of nets of conics. As an application we determine Thom polynomials of contact singularities of type (3,3). We also show how enumerative problems---in particular the intersection multiplicities of the determinant map from nets of conics to plane cubics---can be solved studying equivariant classes of orbit closures.