Tensor product surfaces and linear syzygies

Abstract

Let U be a basepoint free four-dimensional subpace of the space of sections of bidegree (a,b) on X = P^1 x P^1, with a and b at least 2. The sections corresponding to U determine a regular map from X to P^3. We show that there can be at most one linear syzygy on the associated bigraded ideal I_U in the bigraded ring k[s,t;u,v]. Existence of a linear syzygy, coupled with the assumption that U is basepoint free, implies the existence of an additional "special pair" of minimal first syzygies. Using results of Botbol, we show that these three syzygies are sufficient to determine the implicit equation of the image of X in P^3; we also show that the singular locus must contain a line.