Brill-Noether theory for non-special linear systems. II: Connectedness and irreducibility (Q1376475)

[For part I see \textit{M. Coppens}, Compos. Math. 97, No. 1-2, 17-27 (1995; Zbl 0859.14003).] Let \(L\) be a line bundle of degree \(d\) on a smooth curve \(C\) defined over an algebraically closed field \(K\) of characteristic \(0\). Let \(g^n_d = {\mathbb{P}}(V)\), \(V\) being an \((n+1)\)-dimensional linear subspace of \(H^0 (C,L)\). For an integer \(e\geq 1\), let \(C^{(e)}\) be the \(e^{th}\) symmetric product of \(C\). Let \(g_d^n(-E) = \{D\in g_d^n \mid D\geq E\}\). For integers \(k\), \(k\leq n\), \(k\leq e\), define \(V^k_e(g_d^n) = \{ E\in C^{(e)}\mid \dim(g_d^n(-E)) \geq n-k\}.\) Define \(v_{n,e,k} = e - (e-k)(n+1-k)\). Assume that \(C\) is a general curve of genus \(g\) and \(g^n_d\) is a general non-special linear system. It is known that for \(d \geq g+3\), \(2\leq n \leq d-g\), \(V^k_e(g^n_d)\) is nonempty if and only if \(v_{n,e,k} \geq 0\). If nonempty, then it is Cohen-Macaulay and of dimension \(v_{n,e,k}\) [see part I]. The present paper deals with connectedness and irreducibility of \(V^k_e(g^n_d)\). Theorem 1. Let \(C\) be a smooth curve of genus \(g\) and let \(g^n_d\) be a very ample non-special linear system on \(C\). Assume that \(n-k \geq 1\), \(v_{n,e,k} \geq 1\) and \(V^k_e(g^n_d)\) is equidimensional of dimension \(v_{n,e,k}\). Then \(V^k_e(g^n_d)\) is connected if \(\rho ^{2e-1}_d(g) \geq 0\), i.e. \(d - g \geq 2e - 1 - g/2e\). Theorem 2. Let \(C\) be a general smooth curve of genus \(g\) and let \(g^n_d\) be a general non-special linear system on \(C\). Let \(e,k\) be as in theorem 1. Then \(V^k_e(g^n_d)\) is an irreducible scheme if \(\rho ^{2e-1}_d(g) \geq 0\).