On curves of genus eight (Q1384623)

The authors study the loci of linear series \(W^r_d(C)\) over projective curves of genus 8; they analyze the existence of components \(W\subset W^r_d\) of dimension strictly greater than \(\rho(8,d,r)\), the corresponding Brill-Noether number. Clearly this makes sense when \(\rho(8,d,g)\geq -1\). A theorem of Mukai proves that on any 5-gonal curve \(C\) of genus 8, the locus \(W^1_5\) of pencils of degree 5 is finite. When \(C\) has no ``unexpected'' linear series (i.e. when \(\rho(8,d,r)<0\) implies \(W^r_d(C)=\emptyset\)) this result implies that \(\dim W^r_d(C)\) is always equal to the expected value \(\max\{-1,\rho(8,d,r)\}\). The authors write down here a proof of Mukai's theorem; then they use a similar procedure to prove that all curves of genus 8 with infinitely many \(g^1_5\) are plane sextics and any curve of genus 8 has a base point free \(g^1_6\). Applications of these statements are given to the computation of the Clifford index.