The gonality sequence of a curve with an involution (Q461383)

Let \(X\) be a smooth irreducible projective curve of genus \(g\) over \({\mathbb C}\) and suppose that \(X\) is a double covering of a curve \(C\) of genus \(h\) with \(g\geq6h-3\geq9\). Let \((d_r)\), \((\delta_r)\) denote the gonality sequences of \(X\), \(C\) respectively. The authors show that each of these sequences determines the other. In fact, \(d_r=2\delta_r\) for all \(r<g\), which is sufficient to give the claimed result. As a corollary, it follows that, if \(C\) violates the slope inequalities (i.e. \(\frac{\delta_{r-1}}{r-1}<\frac{\delta_r}r\) for some \(r\geq2\)), then so does \(X\). For example, this applies when \(C\) is a plane quintic curve and \(g\geq33\): in this case, the slope inequality is violated for \(r=3\).