Degeneration of intermediate Jacobians and the Torelli theorem (Q2327449)

\textit{D. Mumford} and \textit{P. Newstead} [Am. J. Math. 90, 1200--1208 (1968; Zbl 0174.52902)] proved a Torelli type theorem stating that any smooth projective curve is uniquely determinated by the second intermediate Jacobian of the moduli space of stable rank 2 vector bundles over the curve with fixed determinant of odd degree. In this paper, the authors generalize the result of Mumford and Newstead for irreducible nodal curves of genus at least four with only one node and such that their normalization is not an hyperelliptic curve. Notice that for smooth projective curves the moduli space mentioned above is a projective variety and its second intermediate Jacobian is a principally polarized abelian variety. The result in this setting is proved by showing an isomorphism of principally polarized abelian varieties between the second intermediate Jacobian and the Jacobian of the curve. All of this does not hold any longer in case of irreducible nodal curves. The proof goes by degeneration of the second intermediate Jacobian varieties using a relative version of Mumford and Newstead theorem, the Torelli theorem on generalized Jacobian varieties of irreducible nodal curves and an explicit computation of the Néron model of such a degeneration.