Identifiability of homogeneous polynomials and Cremona Transformations

Abstract

A homogeneous polynomial of degree $d$ in $n+1$ variables is identifiable if it admits a unique additive decomposition in powers of linear forms. Identifiability is expected to be very rare. In this paper we conclude a work started more than a century ago and we describe all values of $d$ and $n$ for which a general polynomial of degree $d$ in $n+1$ variables is identifiable. This is done by classifying a special class of Cremona transformations of projective spaces.