On the geometry of algebraic curves having many real components (Q5949002)

It is shown that there exists a large class of non-special effective divisors of relatively small degree on maximal real algebraic curves (a real algebraic curves is called maximal or an \(M\)-curve, if its real point set has \(g+1\) connected components, where \(g\) is the genus of the curve). More precisely, the author proves the following statement: Let \(C\) be an \(M\)-curve of genus \(g\), and \(D\) be an effective divisor on \(C\) such that \(\text{Supp}(D)\) has a non-empty intersection with at least \(g\) real components of \(C\); then \(D\) is non-special. This result is used to study morphisms of \(M\)-curves into the real projective line. Another application is an answer, in the case of \(M\)-curves, to a question asked by \textit{C. Scheiderer}: Given a real algebraic curve of genus \(g\) with non-empty real point set, determine explicitly an integer \(n\) such that for any complete linear system \(|D|\) with \(\deg(D) \geq n\) there exists \(D'\in|D|\) with \(\text{Supp}D')\) consisting of real points only. The author shows that in the case of an \(M\)-curve of positive genus one can take \(n=2g-1\).