Linked determinantal loci and limit linear series (Q2796709)

The important theory of limit linear series for curves of compact type was introduced and developed by \textit{D. Eisenbud} and \textit{J. Harris} in a series of papers in the 1980's [Invent. Math. 85, 337--371 (1986; Zbl 0598.14003); Invent. Math. 87, 495--515 (1987; Zbl 0606.14014); Invent. Math. 90, 359--387 (1987; Zbl 0631.14023)]. The moduli space that they constructed, however, was not proper. In [``Limit linear series moduli stacks in higher rank'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1405.2937}], the second author gave a new definition which led to the first proper moduli spaces in families. This definition agrees with that of Eisenbud and Harris on a set-theoretic level, but the scheme structures are difficult to compare directly. In the present paper, the authors show that under the typical circumstances considered in limit linear series arguments, the two scheme structures do in fact agree. They further show that when they have the expected dimension, limit linear series spaces are Cohen-Macaulay and flat. The method involves an analysis of the ``linked determinantal loci'' introduced by the second author. This comparison is important in studying the geometry of Brill-Noether loci via degenerations.