Dimension estimates for Hilbert schemes and effective base point freeness on moduli spaces of vector bundles on curves. (Q1847826)

Let \(E\) be a vector bundle of rank \(r\) on a smooth curve \(X\). In the Hilbert scheme of rank \(k\) quotients of \(E\), the component Quot\(_{k,d}(E)\) denotes the Hilbert scheme of rank \(k\) quotients of given degree \(d\). When \(d\) is minimal say \(d=f_k:=f_k(E)\), a result due to \textit{S. Mukai} and \textit{F. Sakai} [Manuscr. Math. 52, 251--256 (1985; Zbl 0572.14008)] says that \(\dim\text{Quot}_{k,f_k}(E)\leq k(r-k)\). The paper under review gives an estimate of the dimension of Quot\(_{k,d}(E)\) for all \(d\), \[ \dim\text{Quot}_{k,d}(E)\leq k(r-k)+(d-f_k)(k+1)(r-k). \] The proof is a clever induction of \(d-f_k\) to a Hecke modification \(E'\) of \(E\), which has \(d-f_k(E')<d-f_k(E)\). By applying the estimate, the author obtains better bound \(N\) such that \(| \Theta_{\mathcal{SU}_X(r,e)}^p| \) is base point free whenever \(p\geq N\), where \(\mathcal{SU}_X(r,e)\) is the moduli space of (equivalent classes of) semistable bundles of rank \(r\) with a fixed determinant of degree \(e\). Similar results for \(\mathcal U_X(r,e)\) (without fixing the determinant) and moduli spaces of sheaves on surfaces are also given in the paper.