Clifford's theorem for coherent systems (Q2481721)

Let \(C\) be a smooth curve of genus \(g\). A coherent system of type \((n,d,k)\) on \(C\) is a pair \((E,V)\) such that \(E\) is a rank \(n\) vector bundle on \(C\) with degree \(d\) and \(V\) is a \(k\)-dimensional linear subspace of \(H^0(C,E)\). For any real \(\alpha \geq 0\) the \(\alpha\)-slope of \((E,V)\) is the real number \((d+\alpha k)/n\). Using the \(\alpha\)-slope of the coherent subsystems of \((E,V)\) one defines the notion of \(\alpha\)-stable or \(\alpha\)-semistable coherent system of type \((n,d,k)\). Assume \(g \geq 2\), \(k >0\), and that \((E,V)\) is \(\alpha\)-semistable for some \(\alpha >0\). Here the authors prove that \(k \leq d/2 + n\) if \(0 \leq d \leq 2gn\), while \(k \leq d+n(1-g)\) if \(d \geq 2gn\). They also give refinements for curves with Clifford index \(\geq 3\). These inequalities are important for many geometric questions for coherent systems as the case \(k=0\) was for the Brill-Noether theory of stable vector bundles (\textit{R. Re} [Commun. Algebra 26, No. 6, 1931--1944 (1998; Zbl 0902.14024)]; \textit{L. Brambila-Paz}, \textit{I. Grzegorczyk} and \textit{P. E. Newstead} [J. Algebr. Geom. 6 (1997, Zbl 0937.14018)]; \textit{V. Mercat} [Int. J. Math. 13, No. 7, 785--805 (2002; Zbl 1068.14039)]).