An important problem in enumerative geometry is counting rational curves that interpolate a configuration of points on an algebraic surface. Over the complex numbers, the answer does not depend on the configuration of points and is called the Gromov-Witten invariant. In contrast, over the real numbers, this invariance fails. To recover it, Welschinger invented an “sign” rule that gives rise to Welschinger invariants. Recently, Kass, Levine, Solomon, and Wickelgren constructed an invariant over an (almost) arbitrary field. The small “inconvenience” is that these latter invariants are no longer numbers, but quadratic forms. In a current work with Erwan Brugallé and Kirsten Wickelgren, we establish direct relationships between these different types of invariants. In my talk, I want to give an introduction to this topic.

Cubic hypersurfaces over the rational numbers often contain infinitely many rational points. In this situation, the asymptotic behavior of the number of rational points of bounded height is predicted by conjectures of Manin and Peyre. After reviewing previous results, we discuss the chordal cubic fourfold, which is the secant variety of the Veronese surface. Since it is isomorphic to the symmetric square of the projective plane, a result of W. M. Schmidt for quadratic points on the projective plane can be applied. We prove that this is compatible with the conjectures of Manin and Peyre once a thin subset with exceptionally many rational points is excluded from the count.

We will survey different approaches to the moduli theory of foliations before presenting a new KSB approach to constructing moduli spaces of foliations, which yields a proper moduli space for foliations on surfaces. We will also discuss different applications and open problems that arise from this construction. This is joint work with C. Spicer and R. Svaldi.