The Picard groups of the moduli spaces of curves (Q579351)

Let \(M_{g,h}\) (\({\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) denote the moduli space (functor) of smooth h-pointed curves of genus \(g\) over \({\mathbb{C}}\), and \(\bar M_{g,h}\) (\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) its natural compactification by means of stable curves. - It is known that the Picard group of \(M_{g,h}\), \(Pic(M_{g,h})\), is a free abelian group on \(h+1\) generators when \(g\geq 3\) [\textit{J. Harer}, Invent. Math. 72, 221-239 (1983; Zbl 0533.57003) and ``The cohomology of the moduli space of curves'', C.I.M.E. notes (Montecatini (1985)], and it is observed by \textit{D. Mumford} [Enseign. Math., II. Sér. 23, 39-110 (1977; Zbl 0363.14003)] that the Picard group of \({\mathcal M}_{g,h}\), Pic(\({\mathcal M}_{g,h})\), has no torsion and contains \(Pic(M_{g,h})\) as a subgroup of finite index (a proof of the latter is sketched in the appendix). Explicit bases for Pic(\({\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) and Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\), which is also free, are exhibited: Theorem \((h=0):\) For any \(g\geq 3\), Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,0})\) is freely generated by \(\lambda,\delta_ 0,\delta_ 1,...,\delta_{[g/2]}\); while Pic(\({\mathcal M}_{g,0})\) is freely generated by \(\lambda\). Here \(\lambda,\delta_ 0,\delta_ 1,...,\delta_{[g/2]}\) denote, respectively, the Hodge class, and the boundary classes. - Theorem \((h>0).\) For every \(g\geq 3\), Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) is freely generated by \(\lambda,\psi_ 1,...,\psi_ h\) and \(\delta_ 0,\delta_{\alpha;i_ 1,...,i_ a}\) (0\(\leq \alpha \leq [g/2]\), \(0\leq a\leq h\) with \(\alpha\geq 2\) if \(a=0\), \(i_ 1<...<i_ a)\); while Pic(\({\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) is freely generated by \(\lambda,\psi_ 1,...,\psi_ h\). Here the \(\delta\) 's are the boundary classes in Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) and the \(\psi\) 's are the classes in Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) defined for a family \(F=(\pi: X\to S,\;\sigma_ 1,...,\sigma_ h)\) of h-pointed stable curves of genus \(g\) by setting \((\psi_ i)_ F=\sigma^*_ i(\omega_{\pi})\), \(i=1,...,h\), where \(\omega_{\pi}\) is the relative dualizing sheaf. The proof of the theorem for \(h=0\) proceeds as follows: One knows that \(\lambda\) and \(\delta\) 's are linearly independent and that any class \(\xi\) in Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,0})\) is a linear combination of \(\lambda\) and \(\delta\) 's with coefficients in \({\mathbb{Q}}\), i.e., \(\xi =a\lambda +\sum b_ i\delta_ i.\) The proof is completed if one can show that \(a,b_ i\in {\mathbb{Z}}\), and this is done by constructing two different sets of families of \(k+2\) stable curves \(G_ 1,...,G_{k+2}\) \((k=[g/2])\) with the property that the corresponding values of the determinant \(\det(\eta)\) of the matrix \[ \eta = \eta(G_ 1,...,G_{k+2})= \begin{pmatrix} \deg_{G_ 1}\lambda & \deg_{G_ 1}\delta_ 1 & ... & \deg_{G_ 1}\delta_ k \\ \vdots &&&\vdots \\ \deg_{G_{k+2}}\lambda & ... & ... & \deg_{G_{k+2}}\delta_ k \end{pmatrix} \] are relatively prime. The proof of the theorem for \(h>0\) proceeds as follows: First it is proved on the basis of Harer's theorem that the classes \(\lambda,\psi_ 1,...,\psi_ h\), \(\delta_ 0,\delta_{\alpha;i_ 1,...,i_ a}\) form a basis of Pic(\(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\otimes {\mathbb{Q}}\), and that the classes \(\lambda,\psi_ 1,...,\psi_ h\) form a basis of \(Pic({\mathcal M}_{g,h})\otimes {\mathbb{Q}}\). Then the proof is completed by the following proposition and on induction on h: Let L be a line bundle on \(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h+1}\). If L is trivial on smooth curves there exists a line bundle \({\mathcal L}\) on \(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h}\) such that \(cl(L)\equiv \vartheta (cl({\mathcal L}))\) modulo boundary classes. Conversely, if there is \({\mathcal L}\) on \(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h}\) such that cl(L)- \(\vartheta(cl({\mathcal L}))\) is an integral linear combination of boundary classes other than the \(\delta_{0;i,h+1}\), then L is trivial on smooth curves. As an application of the second theorem, a conjecture of Franchetta is proved: Let \((M_{g,h})^ 0\) be the open subset of \(M_{g,h}\) consisting of all genus g\ h-pointed curves without non-trivial automorphisms. Let \({\mathcal C}\to (M_{g,0})^ 0\) be the universal family of genus g curves, S a Zariski open subset of \((M_{g,0})^ 0\) and \(\pi: X\to S\) the restriction of the universal family to S. Then for any line bundle L on X, the restriction of L to any fiber of \(\pi\) is an integral multiple of the canonical bundle. Finally, a result on \(Pic(\bar M_{g,h})\) is proved: If \(g\geq 3\), \(A_{3g+h-4}(\bar M_{g,h})\) is the index-two subgroup of \(Pic(\bar {\mathcal M}_{g,h})\) generated by \(\psi_ 1,...,\psi_ h,2\lambda,\lambda +\delta_ 1\), and the boundary classes different from \(\delta_ 1\).