In the present paper we define Samuelsons webs and their rank. The main result of the paper is the proof that the rank of the Samuelson webs does not exceed 6, as well as finding the conditions under which this rank is maximal for the general Samuelson webs as well as for their singular cases.
We find an invariant characterization of planar webs of maximum rank. For 4-webs, we prove that a planar 4-web is of maximum rank three if and only if it is linearizable and its curvature vanishes. This result leads to the direct web-theoretical proo
f of the Poincar{e}s theorem: a planar 4-web of maximum rank is linearizable. We also find an invariant intrinsic characterization of planar 4-webs of rank two and one and prove that in general such webs are not linearizable. This solves the Blaschke problem ``to find invariant conditions for a planar 4-web to be of rank 1 or 2 or 3. Finally, we find invariant characterization of planar 5-webs of maximum rank and prove than in general such webs are not linearizable.
In the present paper we study geometric structures associated with webs of hypersurfaces. We prove that with any geodesic (n+2)-web on an n-dimensional manifold there is naturally associated a unique projective structure and, provided that one of web
foliations is pointed, there is also associated a unique affine structure. The projective structure can be chosen by the claim that the leaves of all web foliations are totally geodesic, and the affine structure by an additional claim that one of web functions is affine. These structures allow us to determine differential invariants of geodesic webs and give geometrically clear answers to some classical problems of the web theory such as the web linearization and the Gronwall theorem.
This paper has been withdrawn by the authors due to the fact that the webs considered in the paper are ``Veronese-like webs which are different from Veronese webs.