Moduli spaces of SL\((r)\)-bundles on singular irreducible curves (Q1884549)

Let \(U_X(r,d)\) be the moduli space of (\(S\)-equivalence classes of) rank \(r\), degree \(d\), semistable torsion free sheaves on a complex irreducible curve \(X\). When \(Y\) is a smooth curve which degenerates to a nodal irreducible curve \(X\), \(U_Y(r,d)\) degenerates to \(U_X(r,d)\). Let \(L\) be a torsion free sheaf of rank \(1\) and degree \(d\). This paper deals with the moduli space of rank \(r\), degree \(d\), semistable torsion free sheaves with fixed determinant \(L\), \(U_X(r,L)\subset U_X(r,d)\), for a nodal irreducible \(X\). This moduli space contains the subset of locally free sheaves with fixed determinant, as a dense open subset, whenever \(L\) is locally free. The problem of whether \(U_Y(r,L)\) degenerates to \(U_X(r,L)\) when a smooth curve \(Y\) degenerates to a nodal irreducible curve \(X\) is addressed. This is solved in the case of rank \(2\), odd degree torsion free sheaves, and \(Y\) a curve with one node, through the use of the Gieseker moduli space [\textit{D. S. Nagaraj} and \textit{C. S.Seshadri}, Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 109, 165--201 (1999; Zbl 0957.14021)], which behaves well under specializations.