On the vanishing of higher syzygies of curves (Q1849655)

Let \(X\) be a complex nonsingular projective curve of gonality \(k\) and Clifford index \(c\). For ``most of the curves'' one has \(c= k-2\) [see \textit{D. Eisenbud}, \textit{H. Lange}, \textit{G. Martens} and \textit{F.-O. Schreyer}, Compos. Math. 72, 173--204 (1989; Zbl 0703.14020)]. If \(L\) is a line bundle on \(X\), consider the Koszul differentials \(d_{pq}: \wedge^p H^0(L)\otimes H^0(qL)\to \wedge^{p-1} H^0(L)\otimes H^0((q+ 1)L)\) and the Koszul cohomology groups \(K_{pq}(L):= \text{Ker\,}d_{pq}/\text{Im\,}d_{p+1,q-1}\). M. L. Green's canonical curve conjecture asserts that \(K_{p1}(\omega_X)= 0\) for \(p\geq g-c-1\) and the gonality conjecture of M. L. Green and R. Lazarsfeld asserts that, for any line bundle \(L\) of ``large degree'' on \(X\), \(K_{p1}(L)= 0\) for \(p\geq h^0(L)- k\). In this paper, the author investigates the gonality conjecture and its connections with the canonical curve conjecture using a technique considered by \textit{S. Ehbauer} [in: Zero-dimensional schemes, Proc. Int. Conf., Ravello 1992, 145--170 (1994; Zbl 0840.14032)], namely the projection of linear syzygies. It can be described as follows: Let \(L\) be a line bundle on \(X\) and \(x\) a point of \(X\) which is not a base point of \(H^0(L)\). Let \(d_x: \wedge^{p+1} H^0(L)\to L(x)\otimes\wedge^p H^0(L)\) be the Koszul differential defined by the evaluation map \(H^0(L)\to L(x)\). The image of \(d_x\) is \(L(x)\otimes \wedge^p H^0(L- x)\) and its kernel is \(\wedge^{p+1} H^0(L- x)\). Then \(d_x\otimes H^0(L)\) maps \(\text{Ker\,}d_{p+1,1}\) into \(L(x)\otimes \wedge^p H^0(L- x)\otimes H^0(L- x)\) and induces a map \(K_{p+1,1}(L)\to L(x)\otimes K_{p1}(L- x)\). The point is that if \(m= h^0L- p+1\) and the points \(x_1,\dots, x_m\) of \(X\) impose independent conditions on the global sections of \(L\) then the map \(K_{p+1,1}(L)\to \bigoplus^m_{i=1} L(x_i)\otimes K_{p1}(L- x_i)\) is injective. Using this result and a semicontinuity argument, the author shows that if \(L\) is non-special and \(K_{p1}(L)= 0\) then \(K_{p+d,1}(L+ D)= 0\) for every effective divisor \(D\) on \(X\) of degree \(d\). Since \(K_{p1}(\omega_X+ x)= K_{p1}(\omega_X)\) for every point \(x\) of \(X\), one deduces that if \(K_{p1}(\omega_X)= 0\) then \(K_{p+ d-1,1}(\omega_X+ D)= 0\) for every effective divisor \(D\) on \(X\) of degree \(d\) (in order to deduce the gonality conjecture from the canonical curve conjecture one would need, however, to prove that \(K_{p+d-2,1}(\omega_X+ D)= 0\)). Finally, using some general facts about Koszul cohomology from a paper by \textit{M. L. Green} [J. Differ. Geom. 19, 125--167, 168--171 (1984; Zbl 0559.14008)], the author checks the gonality conjecture for plane curves, for curves on Hirzebruch surfaces and for nodal curves on \(\mathbb{P}^1\times \mathbb{P}^1\), and the canonical curve conjecture for curves on Hirzebruch surfaces.