On the canonical ring of curves and surfaces (Q1942243)

In this paper, the author studies canonical rings of (possibly non reduced and reducible) curves \(C\) lying on smooth algebraic surfaces: \[ R(C,\omega_C)=\bigoplus_{k\geq 0} H^0(C,\omega_C^{\otimes k}). \] These are particularly useful in the analysis of the geometry of surfaces and surfaces's fibrations in particular. The author proves that, given a curve \(C\) of arithmetic genus \(p_a(C)\geq 3\), contained in a smooth algebraic surface, the canonical ring \(R(C,\omega_C)\) is generated in degree 1 when the following hypotheses on the geometry of \(C\) are satisfied: {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[-] \(C\) is even, i.e., \(\mathrm{deg}({\omega_C}_{|_{\Gamma_i}})\) is even for every irreducible component \(\Gamma_i\) appearing in the support of \(C\) (note that every curve in the canonical system \(|K_S|\) of a surface \(S\) of general type is even); \item[-] \(C\) is 4-connected, i.e., looking as \(C\) as a divisor on \(S\), for every effective decomposition \(C=C_1+C_2\), we have that the intersection number \((C_1\cdot C_2)\geq 4\); \item[-] \(C\) is not honestly hyperelliptic, i.e., it is not a finite double cover of \(\mathbb{P}^1\) induced by the canonical morphism. \end{itemize}} As a corollary, given a surface \(S\) of general type with genus \(p_g(S)\geq 1\) and irregularity \(q=0\), by restricting to a curve in the canonical system \(|K_S|\), it is proved that the canonical ring \(R(S,K_S)\) is generated in degree \(\leq 3\) if there exists a curve \(C\in |K_S|\) such that \(C\) is 3-connected and not honestly hyperelliptic. Note that this proves a conjecture raised by \textit{C. Ciliberto} [Rend. Sem. Mat., Torino 41, No.3, 83--111 (1983; Zbl 0558.14025)].