Weierstrass multiple loci of \(n\)-pointed algebraic curves (Q1378440)

The paper under review studies Weierstrass \(n\)-sets of a compact Riemann surface \(C\) (i.e., of a smooth projective curve), i.e. points \(P_j\in C\), \(1\leq j\leq n\) with \(P_i\neq P_j\) for \(i\neq j\) and such that \(\{P_1, \dots, P_n\}\) has an ``exceptional'' behaviour with respect to the canonical series \(| K_C |\) such that \(\{P_1, \dots, P_n\}\) has weight \(w(P_1, \dots, P_n)> 0\). Definition. Let \(C\) be a smooth curve with genus \(g\) and fix \(P_i\in C\), \(1\leq i\leq n\), with \(P_i\neq P_j\) if \(i\neq j\). Set \[ \begin{aligned} w(P_1, \dots, P_n): & =\sum \left(h^1 \Biggl(C,{\mathcal O}_C \Bigl( \sum_{1 \leq i\leq n} \alpha_iP_i \Bigr)\Biggr) -\max \Bigl\{0,g- \sum_{1\leq i\leq n} \alpha_i\Bigr\} \right) \\ {\phantom {w(P)}} & = \sum h^1\left( C,{\mathcal O}_C \Bigl(\sum_{1\leq i\leq n} \alpha_iP_i \Bigr)\right)-{g+n \choose n+1}, \end{aligned} \] where summation \(\sigma\) is over all integers \(\alpha_i\geq 0\) and \({a \choose b} =a!/(a-b)!b!\), \(a,b\in \mathbb{N}\). Call \(w(P_1, \dots, P_g)\) the weight of \(P_1, \dots, P_n\). The principal result of the paper is: Theorem. Fix integers \(g,n\) with \(n\geq 2\). Let \(C\) be a smooth genus \(g\) complex projective curve and \(P_i\in C\) with \(P_i\neq P_j\) for \(i\neq j\). Assume that one of the following condition is satisfied (i) \(g\geq 5n\) and \(C\) is not a double covering of a smooth curve of genus \(q\) with \(1\leq q\leq n\); (ii) \(C\) is a double covering of a curve with genus \(q\) with \(1\leq q\leq n\) and \(g\geq 11n+3\). Then we have \[ w(P_1, \dots, P_n)\leq \sum_{0\leq k\leq g-1} (g-k) \left(\sum_{1\leq m\leq n} {n\choose m} {k-1\choose m-1} \cdot 2^m \right)- {g+n \choose n+1} \] and we have the equality in the last formula if and only if \(C\) is hyperelliptic and each \(P_i\) is a Weierstrass point. It is shown, that the integer \(w(P_1, \dots, P_n)\) is a good measure of the behavior of \(P_1, \dots, P_n\) with respect to the canonical linear system \(K_C\). The weight \(w(P_1, \dots, P_n)\) is computed for a hyperelliptic curve for all choices of the points \(P_1, \dots, P_n\) and some examples of such a computation is given for the case of \(k\)-gonal curves. It is found that when \(P_1, \dots, P_n\) are not Weierstrass points of a hyperelliptic curve, then the difference between right hand side and left hand side of the inequality stated in the theorem becomes very large. The lower bound of the weight is estimated in terms of the minimal degree of a divisor supported by \(P_1, \dots, P_n\). A generalization of weight to any line bundle is given.