The number of rational curves of degree 1 can be computed explicitly using
Schubert calculus. Let T^* be the rank 2
vector bundle on the
Grassmannian G(2,5) of 2-planes in some rank 5
vector space. Projectivizing G(2,5) to \mathbb{G}(1,4) gives the projective Grassmannian of degree 1 lines in \mathbb{P}^4 and T^*
descends to a vector bundle on this projective Grassmannian. Its total
Chern class isc(T^*) = 1 + \sigma_1 + \sigma_{1,1}in the
Chow ring A^\bullet(\mathbb{G}(1,4)). Now, a section l \in \Gamma(\mathbb{G}(1,4),T^*) of the bundle corresponds to a linear homogeneous polynomial, \tilde{l} \in \Gamma(\mathbb{P}^4,\mathcal{O}(1)), so a section of \text{Sym}^5(T^*) corresponds to a quintic polynomial, a section of \Gamma(\mathbb{P}^4,\mathcal{O}(5)). Then, in order to calculate the number of lines on a generic quintic threefold, it suffices to compute the integral\int_{\mathbb{G}(1,4)} c(\text{Sym}^5(T^*)) = 2875This can be done by using the
splitting principle. Since\begin{align} c(T^*) &= (1+\alpha)(1+\beta) \\ &= 1 + (\alpha + \beta) + \alpha\beta \end{align}and for a dimension 2 vector space, V = V_1\oplus V_2,\text{Sym}^5(V) = \bigoplus_{i=0}^5 (V_1^{\otimes 5-i}\otimes V_2^{\otimes i})so the total Chern class of \text{Sym}^5(T^*) is given by the productc(\text{Sym}^5(T^*)) = \prod_{i=0}^5 (1 + (5-i)\alpha + i\beta)Then, the
Euler class, or the top class is5\alpha(4\alpha + \beta)(3\alpha + 2\beta)(2\alpha + 3\beta)(\alpha + 4\beta)5\betaexpanding this out in terms of the original Chern classes gives\begin{align} c_6(\text{Sym}^5(T^*)) &= 25\sigma_{1,1}(4\sigma_1^2 + 9\sigma_{1,1})(6\sigma_1^2 + \sigma_{1,1}) \\ &= (100 \sigma_{3,1} + 100\sigma_{2,2} + 225\sigma_{2,2})(6\sigma_1^2 + \sigma_{1,1}) \\ &= (100 \sigma_{3,1} + 325\sigma_{2,2})(6\sigma_1^2 + \sigma_{1,1})\\ &= 600 \sigma_{3,3} + 2275 \sigma_{3,3}\\ &= 2875 \sigma_{3,3} \end{align}using relations implied by
Pieri's formula, including \sigma_1^2 = \sigma_2 + \sigma_{1,1}, \sigma_{1,1}\cdot \sigma_1^2 = \sigma_{3,1} + \sigma_{2,2}, \sigma_{1,1}^2 = \sigma_{2,2}.
Rational curves conjectured that the number of rational curves of a given degree on a generic quintic threefold is finite. (Some smooth but non-generic quintic threefolds have infinite families of lines on them.) This was verified for degrees up to 7 by who also calculated the number 609250 of degree 2 rational curves. Brian Greene and Ronen Plesser (1989) proposed a construction for a mirror manifold of quintic threefolds. conjectured a general formula for the virtual number of rational curves of any degree. The formula was independently verified by and . The fact that the virtual number equals the actual number relies on confirmation of Clemens' conjecture, currently known for degree at most 11 . The number of rational curves of various degrees on a generic quintic threefold is given by :2875, 609250, 317206375, 242467530000, .... Since the generic quintic threefold is a Calabi–Yau threefold and the
moduli space of rational curves of a given degree is a discrete,
finite set (hence compact), these have well-defined
Donaldson–Thomas invariants (the "virtual number of points"); at least for degree 1 and 2, these agree with the actual number of points. == See also ==