Algebraic ruled surfaces with low sectional genus (Q1117988)

Let X be a smooth complex projective ruled surface and let L be a very ample line bundle on X, with genus \(g=g(L)\). The paper under review is concerned with the problem of classifying pairs (X,L) as above with a fixed g, when X is irregular. The authors look at the expression of L with respect to a suitable free basis of Num(X) and provide good estimates for the coefficients. This allows them to improve the classification obtained by the second author for \(g\leq 6\) and extend it to \(g=7.\) Reviewer's remark. At the time when the paper was written the technique of iterating the adjunction process, developed by the authors for studying rational surfaces [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 36, 167-188 (1987; Zbl 0618.14015)], was not suitable for the irrational case. Subsequently, after complete results on the adjunction process have been allowable, the authors obtained more refined results [see Manuscr. Math. 64, No.1, 35-54 (1989)] by using the iteration technique also in the irrational case.