Space curves on surfaces with ordinary singularities (Q2135636)

In [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 15, 401--418 (1982; Zbl 0517.14007)], \textit{L. Gruson} and \textit{C. Peskine} completed the classical work of Halphen, characterizing all the pairs $(d,g)$ that can be obtained as degree and genus of a smooth connected projective curve in $\mathbb P^3$. In particular, they proved that all pairs with \(g\leq {\frac{1}{6}}d(d-3)+1\) can be obtained from curves contained either in a smooth cubic surface or in a quartic surface with a double line. Also to give a tool to continue the study of smooth curves contained in singular non-normal surfaces, \textit{R. Hartshorne} [\(K\)-Theory 8, No. 3, 287--339 (1994; Zbl 0826.14005)] developed the theory of generalized divisors on Gorenstein schemes. In the article under review, based on this theory, the Author tackles the problem of computing the invariants of smooth curves contained in a surface of \(\mathbb P^3\) with ordinary singularities, in terms of the cohomology groups of the divisors on its normalization. He applies his results to smooth curves that are projections in \(\mathbb P^3\) of curves contained in rational normal scrolls in spaces of higher dimension, and in particular to smooth curves contained in a ruled cubic surface with a double line. He gets a complete characterization of all curves of maximal rank on such a surface. This allows him to give a negative answer to a question posed by \textit{R. Hartshorne} [Math. Ann. 238, 229--280 (1978; Zbl 0411.14002)], stating the existence of smooth arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay curves on a rational normal scroll \(S(1,2)\) whose general projection in \(\mathbb P^3\) is not of maximal rank. Another interesting result of the article regards the biliaison class of a smooth curve on a surface of \(\mathbb P^3\) with ordinary singularities, saying that two smooth curves in such a class are linearly equivalent.