The Hilbert scheme of Buchsbaum space curves (Q1948151)

Let \(C\) be a curve in \(\mathbb P^3\) over an algebraically closed field \(k\) and let \(R = k[x_0,x_1,x_2,x_3]\). Denote by \(I(C)\) its homogeneous ideal, and by \(\mathcal I_C\) its ideal sheaf. The \textit{Rao module} (sometimes \textit{Hartshorne-Rao module} or \textit{deficiency module}) of \(C\) is the graded \(R\)-module \(M = H_*^1(\mathcal I_C) := \bigoplus_{t \in \mathbb Z} H^1(\mathbb P^3, \mathcal I_C (t))\). The curve \(C\) is said to be \textit{Buchsbaum} if \(M\) is annihilated by the irrelevant ideal of \(R\). This is true in particular when \(M\) has only one non-zero component, and such curves are the central object of study of this paper. Assume from now on that \(C\) is such a curve. We consider all the components, \(V\), of the Hilbert scheme \(H(d,g)\) that contain \(C\). The author determines \(V\) from the point of view of describing the graded Betti numbers of the generic curve of \(V\) in terms of the graded Betti numbers of \(C\). This deep and careful study of the behavior of the Betti numbers of curves in these families, combined with earlier work of the author, gives us a good understanding of the Hilbert scheme of \(C\), and its singular locus.