Divisorial complete curves (Q2492903)

Let \(C\) be an irreducible, projective, nonsingular curve defined over the field of complex numbers, of degree \(d\) and genus \(g \geq 4\). The Clifford index of \(C\) is defined as \(c:= \min \{ d - 2 h^0(D) + 2 \mid D\) a divisor such that \(h^0(D) \geq 2\) and \(h^1(D)\geq 2\}\). In the present paper the authors call the curve divisorial complete if its Clifford index is the only obstruction for the existence of special divisors; or, more explicitly, if for any pair \((d,r)\) of integers \(d < g\) and \(r > 0\) satisfying \(d \geq c + 2 r\) there is a divisor \(D\) of \(C\) such that \(\deg D = d\) and \(h^0(D) = r + 1\). Then it is observed that curves in certain classes are obviously divisorial complete (among them, hyperelliptic curves and double coverings of elliptic curves); these are called trivial divisorial complete curves. The authors then proceed to investigate the existence of non-trivial divisorial complete curves. Among other results, they prove the existence of such curves having genus 11 and Clifford index 4, and also genus 12 and Clifford index 5.