Classification of log del Pezzo surfaces of index $\le 2$

Abstract

This is an expanded version of our work [AN88], 1988, in Russian. We classify del Pezzo surfaces over C with log terminal singularities of index \le 2. By classification, we understand a description of the intersection graph of all exceptional curves on an appropriate (somewhat stronger than minimal) resolution of singularities together with the subgraph of the curves which are contracted to singular points. The final results are similar to classical results about classification of non-singular del Pezzo surfaces and use the usual finite root systems. However, the intermediate considerations use the theory of K3 surfaces (especially of K3 surfaces with non-symplectic involutions) and the theory of reflection groups in hyperbolic spaces (especially or reflection groups of hyperbolic lattices). As an ``elementary'' application, our results permit one to classify sextics in P^2 with simple singularities and a component of geometric genus \ge 2.