Resultants in genetic linkage analysis

Statistical models for genetic linkage analysis of k locus diseases are k-dimensional subvarieties of a (3(k) - 1)-dimensional probability simplex. We determine the algebraic invariants of these models with,general characteristics for k = 1; in particular we recover, and generalize, the Hardy-Weinberg curve. For k = 2, the algebraic invariants are presented as determinants of 32 x 32-matrices of linear forms in nine unknowns, a suitable format for computations with numerical data. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.