The Hilbert scheme of space curves of small diameter (Q877522): Difference between revisions

In his fundamental paper [``Techniques de construction et théorèmes d'existence en géométrie algébrique. IV: Les schemes de Hilbert'', Sémin. Bourbaki, exp. 221 (1961; Zbl 0236.14003)], \textit{A. Grothendieck} introduced the so called Hilbert scheme, which parametrizes all projective subschemes of the projective space with fixed Hilbert polynomial. Problems naturally arising in the study of the Hilbert scheme are irreducibility and number of components, dimension and smoothness. For instance, one knows that if \(X\subset \mathbb{P}^r\) is a local complete intersection projective subscheme and \(h^1(X,\mathcal N_{X,\mathbb{P}^r})=0\) (\(\mathcal N_{X,\mathbb{P}^r}=\) normal bundle of \(X\) in \(\mathbb{P}^r\)), then \(X\) is unobstructed, i.e. the corresponding point \([X]\) in the Hilbert scheme is smooth, and in such case the local dimension at \([X]\) is \(h^0(X,\mathcal N_{X,\mathbb{P}^r})\). But, in general, a necessary and sufficient condition for a subscheme to be unobstructed is not known [see also \textit{D. Mumford}, Am. J. Math. 84, 642--648 (1962; Zbl 0114.13106)] and \textit{E. Sernesi} [``Topics on families of projective schemes'', Queen's Pap. Pure Appl. Math. 73 (1986)]. Continuing previous works by \textit{J. O. Kleppe} [``The Hilbert-flag scheme, its properties and its connection with the Hilbert scheme. Applications to curves in \(3-\)space'', Preprint (part of thesis), Univ. of Oslo, March (1981)], \textit{G. Bolondi} [Arch. Math. 53, No. 3, 300--305 (1989; Zbl 0658.14005)], and \textit{M. Martin-Deschamps} and \textit{D. Perrin} [``Sur la classification des courbes gauches'', Astérisque 184--185 (1990; Zbl 0717.14017)], in the paper under review the author exhibits sufficient conditions and necessary conditions for unobstructedness of space curves \(C\subset \mathbb{P}^3\) which satisfy \(_{0}{\text{Ext}}^2_R(M,M)=0\) (e.g. of diameter\((M)\leq 2\)), and computes the dimension of the Hilbert scheme \(H(d,g)\) at \([C]\) under the sufficient conditions. Here \(C\subset \mathbb{P}^3\) denotes an equidimensional, locally Cohen-Macaulay subscheme of dimension one, \(d\) and \(g\) the degree and the arithmetic genus of \(C\subset \mathbb{P}^3\), \(M=\bigoplus_{v}H^1(\mathbb{P}^3, \mathcal I_C(v))\) denotes the Hartshorne-Rao module of \(C\), \(R=k[x_0,x_1,x_2,x_3]\) the polynomial ring over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic zero, and diameter\((M):=\max\{v\,| \,H^1(\mathbb{P}^3, \mathcal I_C(v))\neq 0\}-\min\{v\,| \,H^1(\mathbb{P}^3, \mathcal I_C(v))\neq 0\}+1\) (when \(H^1(\mathbb{P}^3, \mathcal I_C(v))=0\) for all \(v\), i.e. when \(C\) is arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay, then by \textit{G. Ellingsrud} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 8, 423--431 (1975; Zbl 0325.14002)] one already knows that \(C\) is unobstructed). In the diameter one case, the necessary and sufficient conditions coincide, and the unobstructedness of \(C\) turns out to be equivalent to the vanishing of certain graded Betti numbers of the free minimal resolution of the ideal \(I=\bigoplus_{v}H^0(\mathbb{P}^3, \mathcal I_C(v))\subset R\) of \(C\). The author also gives a description of the number of irreducible components of \(H(d,g)\) which contain an obstructed diameter one curve, and shows that in the diameter one case every irreducible component is reduced.