A perfect stratification of \(\mathcal M_g\) for \(g \leq 5\) (Q960050)

The authors find for \(g\leq 5\) a stratification of depth \(g-2\) of the moduli space of curves \(\mathcal M_g\) with the property that its strata are affine and the classes of their closure provide a \(\mathbb Q-\)basis for the Chow ring \(A^{\bullet}(\mathcal M_g)\) of \(\mathcal M_g\) with rational coefficients. The authors call this {\textit{a perfect stratification}}. The first property of this stratification confirms a conjecture of one of the authors. For the second property the authors give new and simpler proofs of theorems of \textit{C. Faber} [Ann. Math. (2) 132, 331--419 (1990; Zbl 0721.14013); 421--449 (1990; Zbl 0735.14021)] and \textit{E. Izadi} [in: The moduli space of curves. Proceedings of the conference held on Texel Island, Netherlands, during the last week of April 1994. Prog. Math. 129, 267--304 (1995; Zbl 0862.14016)], that is, independent of the works of Faber and Izadi the authors obtain a new (and considerably simpler) proof that \(A^{\bullet}(\mathcal M_g)=\mathbb Q[\lambda_1]/(\lambda^{g-1}_1)\) for \(g\leq 5\). The paper finish with the following question: Since for \(g\geq 5\) the trigonal locus \(\mathcal T_g\) contains the hyperelliptic locus \(\mathcal H_g\) as a closed affine subvariety of codimension 2, the authors wonder whether for such \(g\) there exists an affine stratification of \(\mathcal T_g\) of depth 2. The theorem 5.1 of this paper shows that the answer is {\textit{yes}} for \(g=5\).