On the Gaussian map for canonical curves of low genus (Q1813604)

\textit{J. M. Wahl} shows in Duke Math. J. 55, 843-871 (1987; Zbl 0644.14001) that if the Gauss map (sometimes called the Wahl map) \(\varphi:\bigwedge^ 2H^ 2(\omega_ C)\to H^ 0(\omega^ 3_ C)\) of a smooth curve \(C\) is surjective then \(C\) cannot lie on a \(K3\) surface. In Duke Math. J. 57, No. 3, 829-858 (1988; Zbl 0684.14009) the authors together with \textit{J. Harris} showed that the Gauss map of a general curve of genus 10 or \(\geqslant 12\) is in fact surjective. On the other hand Mori and Mukai showed that a general curve of genus 11 lies on a \(K3\)-surface. So \(\varphi\) cannot be surjective in this case. The present paper studies the Gauss map for curves of genus \(\leqslant 9\). It is shown that \(\varphi\) is generically injective for \(g\leq 8\) and for a general curve of genus 9 the kernel of \(\varphi\) is at most 1- dimensional. --- The methods of proof are partly the methods of the above mentioned paper. Moreover a degeneration to some special graph curves is used. The results have some applications to Hilbert schemes and moduli spaces. For example it is shown that for a general canonical curve \(C\) the Hilbert point of the projective cone over \(C\) is a smooth point of the Hilbert scheme or that there exists a rational dominant map of the moduli space \({\mathcal M}_{11}\) of genus 11 to the moduli space \({\mathcal K}_{11}\) of polarized \(K3\)-surfaces of genus 11. This implies that \({\mathcal K}_{11}\) is unirational.