Nodal curves on K3 surfaces (Q1717442)

Let $X$ be a complex $K3$ surface, and $L$ an indivisible ample line bundle on $X$. A polarized $K3$ surface is a pair $(X,L)$. The author showed in [J. Algebr. Geom. 8, No. 2, 245--278 (1999; Zbl 0940.14024); Math. Ann. 324, No. 1, 71--104 (2002; Zbl 1039.14019)] that a very general polarized $K3$ surface $(X,L)$ contains a nodal rational curve, and that every rational curve in $|L|$ is nodal. This paper generalizes the above results for singular curves in $|L|$ of geometric genus $g>0$. Let $V_{L,g}$ denote the Severi variety of genus $g$ curves in $|L|$ on a general polarized $K3$ surface $(X,L)$. The main theorem is formulated as follows. \par Theorem: For a general polarized $K3$ surface $(X,L)$, every (irreducible) component of $\overline{V}_{L,g}$ contains a component of $V_{L,g-1}$ for all $1\leq g\leq p_a(L)$, where $\overline{V}_{L,g}$ is the closure of $V_{L,g}$ in $|L|$ and $p_a(L)=L^2/2+1$ is the arithmetic genus of $L$. \par As a corollary, the author obtains the following result. \par Corollary: For a general polarized $K3$ surface $(X,L)$, the general members of every component of $V_{L,g}$ are nodal for all $0\leq g\leq p_a(L)$. \par Theorem has a potential application on the irreducibility of the universal Severi variety $\mathcal{V}_{L,g}$ on $K3$ surfaces.