Equations and syzygies of \(K3\) carpets and unions of scrolls (Q2000790)

The main object of study in this paper is the so-called \(K3\) carpet, realized as the double structure of a two-dimensional rational normal scroll. The authors provide an explicit description of the ideal of a family of reducible \(K3\) surfaces which degenerate to a \(K3\) carpet. In particular, explicit Gröbner bases and free resolutions of \(K3\) carpets are computed which are valid over the ring of integers. The study of these resolutions which comes by reduction to finite fields then shows evidence of the failure of an analogue of Green's conjecture for \(K3\) carpets in some positive characteristics. In particular, it is followed that hyperplane sections of the \(K3\) carpets violate the Green conjecture. A new version of Green's conjecture is speculated: a general curve of genus \(g\) over a field of characteristic \(p>0\) satisfies the Green conjecture whenever \(g\geq (g-1)/2\). The proof of this conjecture is presented for curves of genus \(g\leq 15\).