Curves in the double plane (Q2707883)

The Hilbert scheme of projective curves contained in some quadric surface \(Q\subset {\mathbb P}^3\) is easy to describe when \(Q\) is smooth or reduced. Much more complicate is the case where the quadric \(Q=2H\) is a double plane (and, of course, \(C\) is just a locally Cohen-Macaulay scheme of pure dimension \(1\)). On the other hand, a theory of families of curves in multiple planes is needed in the application of some degenerative methods to the study of general space curves. The authors give a description of the Hilbert scheme \(\mathcal H\) of curves \(C\) in a double plane \(2H\), using triples \((Z,Y,P)\) where \(P\) is the \(1\)-dimensional part of the intersection \(C\cap H\), \(Z\) is the set of embedded points in the intersection and \(Y\) is the residue scheme. Using properties of the triples, the authors are able to understand cohomological properties of the original curves as well as properties of the corresponding Hilbert scheme \(\mathcal H\). In particular they prove that \(\mathcal H\) is connected.