On the Xiao conjecture for plane curves (Q1663778)

Let \(f: S\to B\) be a non-isotrivial fibration from a complex projective smooth surface \(S\) to a smooth curve \(B\) of genus \(b\). Denote by \(g\) the genus of the general fibre of \(f\) and by \(q_f :=h^{1,0}(S)-b\) the relative irregularity of \(f\). \textit{G. Xiao} [Math. Ann. 276, 449--466 (1987; Zbl 0596.14028)] proved that \(q_f\le\frac{5g+1}{6}\), and conjectured that \(q_f\le \frac{g+1}{2}\). After some counterexamples founded by Pirola [J. Reine Angew. Math., 431, 75--89, (1992); Zbl 0753.14040], the conjecture was modified as follows: \[q_f\le\frac{g}{2}+1.\] There are some evidences for this conjecture: Xiao proved that it holds if \(b=0\) and it is known to be true when the general fiber is hyperelliptic. Moreover, a upper bound of \(q_f\) is found in terms of the Clifford index \(c_f\) of the general fibre, i.e., \(q_f\le g-c_f\) [\textit{M. Barja} et al., J. Reine Angew. Math. 739, 297--308 (2018; Zbl 1437.14020)]. The main result of this interesting paper shows \[q_f\le g-c_f-1=g-(d-4)-1\] if the general fibre is a plane curve of degree \(d\ge 5\). As a corollary, the modified Xiao's conjecture holds when the general fiber is a quintic plane curve. To prove the main result, the authors prove that the rank of the cup-product map \[H^0(F,\omega_F)\stackrel{\cdot\xi }{\rightarrow} H^1(F, \mathcal O_F)\] is at least \(d-3\) when \(f\) induces an infinitesimal deformation \(\xi\in H^1(F, T_F)\).