Bicanonical and adjoint linear systems on surfaces of general type (Q816337)

\textit{Xiao Gang} proved in 1985 [Bull. Soc. Math. Fr. 113, 23--51 (1985; Zbl 0611.14031)] that the bicanonical map of a complex algebraic surface \(S\) of general type is generically finite, except in the obvious case when \(p_2(S):=h^0(S,2K_S)=2\). In this last case \(S\) is a Godeaux surface, i.e. it satisfies \(\chi(\mathcal O_S)=1\) and for its minimal model \(c_1^2=1\). The first part of the paper under review presents an alternative proof of this result using vanishing theorems for \( {\mathbb Q}\)-divisors. As in Xiao's proof the lengthier part is excluding the case \(p_2(S)=3\), and, as the authors state themselves, the main interest of this proof is to show an application of the \( {\mathbb Q}\)-divisor methods to surfaces. The second part of this paper studies some properties of adjoint linear systems \(K_S+L\) on smooth surfaces \(S\) for divisors \(L\) such that \(h^0(S, L)\geq 2\). Yet another proof of Xiao's theorem was given by the reviewer, using specific methods of surface theory [Collect. Math. 55, No. 1, 33--36 (2004; Zbl 1073.14056)].