Raynaud's vector bundles and base points of the generalized theta divisor (Q2384751)

The author studies base points of the generalized theta divisor on the moduli space of vector bundles on a smooth algebraic curve of genus \(g > 0\). Let \(X\) be a smooth algebraic curve of genus \(g\). Consider its Picard group Pic\(^0(X)\) and its Jacobian variety Jac\((X)\), which are each other dual, and the Poincaré bundle \(\mathcal P\) on their product. Consider the Fourier-Mukai transform with kernel \(\mathcal P\) and apply it to the line bundle on Pic\(^0(X)\) associated to \(-m \Theta\). The vector bundles \(P_m\) defined in \textit{M. Raynaud} [Bull. Soc. Math. France 110, 103--125 (1982; Zbl 0505.14011)] are obtained here by applying to the image of such a line bundle the natural involution on the Jacobian and by pulling it back to \(X\). Vector bundles \(E\) on \(X\) such that \(H^0(E \otimes L) \neq 0\) for any line bundle \(L\) form the base locus of the generalized theta divisor. The first example of such vector bundles is given by \(P_m\) for any integer \(m\). The author then shows that a vector bundle \(E\) on \(X\) has such a property if and only if there exists a nontrivial morphism \(P_m \to E\) for \(m\gg 0\). A more accurate analysis fixes an upper bound for \(m\) to be \(r g\), where \(r\) is the rank of the vector bundle. In the last part of the paper, the author studies minimal bundles, that is bundles in the base locus which does not admit any subbundle in the base locus, and base points for higher rank bundles.