Abel maps for curves of compact type (Q2268576)

Let \(C\) be a nodal curve. A subcurve of \(C\) is a union of irreducible components of \(C\), and if \(Y\) is a proper subcurve of \(C\), let \(Y'=\overline{C-Y}\) be the corresponding complementary subcurve. If \(\#(Y\cap Y')=1\) then \(Y\cap Y'\) consists of a single node, which is then said to be a separating node. The curve \(C\) is said to be of compact type if its only singularities are separating nodes. Let \(X_{1},\ldots,X_{\gamma}\) be the irreducible components of the curve \(C\). If \[ J_{C}^{d} \] is the degree \(d\)-Jacobian of \(C\) (which parametrizes line bundles of degree \(d\) on \(C\)) then we have the decomposition \[ J_{C}^{d}=\bigcup_{\underline{d}=(d_{1},\ldots,d_{\gamma})\atop d_{1}+\ldots+d_{\gamma}=d}J_{C}^{\underline d} \] where \(J_{C}^{\underline d}\) is the connected component of \(J_{C}^{d}\) parametrizing line bundles \(L\) on \(C\) such that \(\deg(L|_{X_{i}})=d_{i}\). The purpose of this paper is to consider the problem of defining an analogous map to the \(d\)-th Abel map for smooth curves, \[ C^{d}\longrightarrow\mathrm{Pic}^{d}C,\;(p_{1},\ldots,p_{d})\mapsto\mathcal{O}_{C}\left(\sum p_{i}\right) \] to the case of curves of compact type. This problem has been completely solved for integral curves by \textit{A. B. Altman} and \textit{S. L. Kleiman} [Adv. Math. 35, 50--112 (1980; Zbl 0427.14015)] and in degree \(1\) by \textit{L. Caporaso} and \textit{E. Esteves} [Michigan Math. J. 55, No.3, 575--608 (2007; Zbl 1134.14019)] and by \textit{L. Caporaso, J. Coelho} and \textit{E. Esteves} [Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo 57 33--59 (2008; Zbl 1139.14025)]. The fibers of the Abel map for smooth curves are projectivized complete linear series, up to the action of the \(d\)-th symmetric group. Hence, an important motivation for studying Abel maps is the attempt of giving a new definition of limit linear series on a nodal curve. Let \(f:\mathcal{C}\to B\) be a smoothing of the curve of compact type \(C\) i.e. a family of curves such that \(\mathcal{C}\) is smooth and \(B\) is smooth, \(1\)-dimensional, with a distinguished base point \(0\in B\) such that \(f^{-1}(0)=C\) and \(f^{-1}(b)\) is smooth for \(b\neq 0\). For \(d\geq 1\), let \(J_f^d\) be the degree-\(d\) relative Jacobian of the family \(f\), parametrizing line bundles of degree \(d\) on the fibers of \(f\). Let \(\mathcal{C}^d\) be the product of \(d\) copies of \(\mathcal{C}\) over \(B\) and consider the relative rational map \[ \alpha_f^d:\mathcal{C}^{d}\dashrightarrow J_f^d,\;(p_{1},\ldots,p_{d})\mapsto\mathcal{O}_{f^{-1}(f(p_1))}\left(\sum p_{i}\right) \] which is the relative \(d\)-th Abel map away from \(f^{-1}(0)\). The main result of this paper is the construction of a morphism \(\overline{\alpha_f^d}:\mathcal{C}\to J_f^d\) extending \(\alpha_f^d\) and such that \(\overline{\alpha_f^d}|_{C^d}\) does not depend on \(f\) and factors through \(J_C^{\underline{e}_d}\subset J_C^d\) where \(\underline{e}_d\in\mathbb{Z}^\gamma\) has geometric meaningful properties. Moreover, if \(S^d(C)\) denotes the \(d\)-symmetric product of \(C\), then \(\overline{\alpha_f^d}|_{C^d}\) also factors via a morphism \(\beta_C^d:S^d(C)\to J_C^{\underline{e}_d}\), which does not depend on \(f\). This fact allows the authors to give the following characterization of hyperelliptic curves of compact type: if \(C\) is a stable curve of compact type of genus \(g\geq 2\), with two components, then \(C\) is hyperelliptic if and only if there exists a fiber of the morphism \(\beta_C^2\) consisting of two smooth rational curves intersecting at one point.