Curves of maximal genus in<i>ℙ⁵</i> (Q4435205)

Let \(C\) be an irreducible projective curve, defined over the complex field. Call \(d\) its degree and \(g\) the arithmetic genus. Fix an integer \(s\) such that \(C\) does not lie in surfaces of degree \(\leq s-1\). The numbers \(d,g,s\) are important invariants of \(C\) and they are linked by inequalities which provide basic information on the classification of projective curves. Following Halphen's classical pattern, \textit{L. Gruson} and \textit{C. Peskine} [in: Algebr. Geom., Proc., Tromsø Symp. 1977, Lect. Notes Math. 687, 31--59 (1978; Zbl 0412.14011)] showed that for curves in \({\mathbb P}^3\), \(g\) is bounded above by a function \(G(d,s)\) and gave a description of curves attaining the bound. In \({\mathbb P}^r\), \(r>3\), a similar bound \(G(d,s,r)\) for the arithmetic genus was recently proved (in the range \(d\gg s\)), but a description of curves attaining the bound was available only for \(r=4\). The author improves our knowledge on projective curves of high genus, giving a complete description of curves in \({\mathbb P}^5\), whose arithmetic genus attains the bound \(G(d,s,5)\). The classification is based on the fact that curves of maximal genus must lie in threefolds of minimal degree and in ``Castelnuovo surfaces'', i.e. surfaces whose general hyperplane sections are curves of maximal genus. The author obtains the classification via a careful analysis of the geometry of such surfaces and using liaison techniques for curves on threefolds.