A note on Hilbert schemes of nodal curves (Q2572062)

The author considers a germ of a nodal curve \(X\), and studies the Hilbert scheme of length \(m\) subschemes of \(X\). The knowledge of this Hilbert scheme Hilb\(_m(X)\) is an important step for attaching some enumerative problems via the degeneration of curves to nodal curves. The author proves that Hilb\(^0_m(X)\), the Hilbert scheme of length \(m\) subschemes of the node, consists in a union of \(m-1\) rational curves, meeting transversally. Then the author describes Hilb\(_m(X)\) as a formal scheme defined along Hilb\(^0_m\). Let \(\tilde X\to B\) denote the deformation of some smooth germ of curve to a nodal one (formally defined by \(xy-t\)). The author uses the previous result to show that, when the total space of the family is smooth, then the relative Hilbert scheme Hilb\(_m(\tilde X/B)\) is a smooth, \((m+1)\)-dimensional formal variety. Similarly, some relative flag Hilbert schemes for \(\tilde X/B\) are proven to be normal and complete intersection.