Obstructions to deforming space curves and non-reduced components of the Hilbert scheme (Q2495265)

Denote by \(H_{d,g}^{S}\) the Hilbert scheme parametrizing projective smooth connected curves of degree \(d\) and genus \(g\) in \({\mathbb P^3}\). \textit{D. Mumford} [Am. J. Math. 84, 642--648 (1962; Zbl 0114.13106)] proved that \(H_{d,g}^{S}\) may be non-reduced, showing the existence of an irreducible component \(W\subset H_{14,24}^{S}\) of dimension \(56\), whose general member \(C\) is contained in a smooth cubic surface, and such that the tangent space of \(H_{14,24}^{S}\) at \(C\) is \(57\). In the paper under review, the author presents a generalization of Mumford's example. More precisely, let \(W\) be an irreducible closed subset of \(H_{d,g}^{S}\) whose general member \(C\) is contained in a smooth cubic surface. Assuming that \(W\) is maximal among all such subsets, that \(d>9\) and \(g\geq 3d-18\), and that the gap between \(\dim(W)\) and the dimension of the tangent space of \(H_{d,g}^{S}\) at \(C\) is equal to \(1\), the author proves that \(W\) is an irreducible component of \(H_{d,g}^{S}\), and that \(H_{d,g}^{S}\) is non-reduced along \(W\). In the proof of this result, following an approach first used by \textit{D. Curtin} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 267, 83--94 (1981; Zbl 0477.14008)] in analyzing Mumford's example, the author shows the existence of a first order infinitesimal deformation of \(C\subset {\mathbb P^3}\) that cannot be lifted to any second order deformation. This implies that \(H_{d,g}^{S}\) is singular along \(W\). In this analysis one uses linear systems on the cubic surface containing \(C\). The author also compares his result with other generalizations of Mumford's example previously studied by many other authors.