The double point formula with isolated singularities and canonical embeddings

Abstract

Motivated by the embedding problem of canonical models in small codimension, we extend Severi's double point formula to the case of surfaces with rational double points, and we give more general double point formulae for varieties with isolated singularities. A concrete application is for surfaces with geometric genus $p_g=5$: the canonical model is embedded in $\mathbb{P}^4$ if and only if we have a complete intersection of type $(2,4)$ or $(3,3)$.