First Steps Towards Radical Parametrization of Algebraic Surfaces

We introduce the notion of radical parametrization of a surface, and we provide algorithms to compute such type of parametrizations for families of surfaces, like: Fermat surfaces, surfaces with a high multiplicity (at least the degree minus 4) singularity, all irreducible surfaces of degree at most 5, all irreducible singular surfaces of degree 6, and surfaces containing a pencil of low-genus curves. In addition, we prove that radical parametrizations are preserved under certain type of geometric constructions that include offset and conchoids.Comment: 31 pages, 7 color figures. v2: added another case of genus

Generic Torelli theorem for Prym varieties of ramified coverings

In this paper we prove that the Prym map, from the space of double coverings of a curve of genus g with r branch points to the moduli space of abelian varieties, is generically injective if r>6 and g>1, r=6 and g>2, r=4 and g>4, r=2 and g>5. We also show that a very generic Prym variety of dimension at least 4 is not isogenous to a Jacobian.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figures. One reference added. To appear in Compositio Mathematic

Seshadri constants of K3K3 surfaces of degrees 6 and 8

We compute Seshadri constants \eps(X):= \eps(\O_X(1)) on $K3$ surfaces $X$ of degrees 6 and 8. Moreover, more generally, we prove that if $X$ is any embedded $K3$ surface of degree $2r-2 \geq 8$ in \PP^r not containing lines, then 1 < \eps(X) <2 if and only if the homogeneous ideal of $X$ is not generated by only quadrics (in which case \eps(X)=3/2).Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure; to appear in IMRN with a more detailed bibliograph

Rational curves on \bar{M}_g and K3 surfaces

Let $(S,L)$ be a smooth primitively polarized K3 surface of genus $g$ and $f:X \rightarrow \mathbb{P}^1$ the fibration defined by a linear pencil in $|L|$. For $f$ general and $g \geq 7$, we work out the splitting type of the locally free sheaf $\Psi^{*}_f T_{{\overline{M}}_g}$, where $\Psi_f$ is the modular morphism associated to $f$. We show that this splitting type encodes the fundamental geometrical information attached to Mukai's projection map $\mathcal{P}_g \rightarrow \overline{\mathcal{M}}_g$, where $\mathcal{P}_g$ is the stack parameterizing pairs $(S,C)$ with $(S,L)$ as above and $C \in |L|$ a stable curve. Moreover, we work out conditions on a fibration $f$ to induce a modular morphism $\Psi_f$ such that the normal sheaf $N_{\Psi_f}$ is locally free.Comment: published version, revisions in the exposition, minor mistakes correcte

Determinantal Characterization of Canonical Curves and Combinatorial Theta Identities

We characterize genus g canonical curves by the vanishing of combinatorial products of g+1 determinants of Brill-Noether matrices. This also implies the characterization of canonical curves in terms of (g-2)(g-3)/2 theta identities. A remarkable mechanism, based on a basis of H^0(K_C) expressed in terms of Szego kernels, reduces such identities to a simple rank condition for matrices whose entries are logarithmic derivatives of theta functions. Such a basis, together with the Fay trisecant identity, also leads to the solution of the question of expressing the determinant of Brill-Noether matrices in terms of theta functions, without using the problematic Klein-Fay section sigma.Comment: 35 pages. New results, presentation improved, clarifications added. Accepted for publication in Math. An

The Canonical Model of a Singular Curve

We give refined statements and modern proofs of Rosenlicht's results about the canonical model C' of an arbitrary complete integral curve C. Notably, we prove that C and C' are birationally equivalent if and only if C is nonhyperelliptic, and that, if C is nonhyperelliptic, then C' is equal to the blowup of C with respect to the canonical sheaf \omega. We also prove some new results: we determine just when C' is rational normal, arithmetically normal, projectively normal, and linearly normal.Comment: 28 pages, no figures, IV Congresso Iberoamericano de Geometria Complex

Brill–Noether general K3 surfaces with the maximal number of elliptic pencils of minimal degree

We explicitly construct Brill–Noether general K3 surfaces of genus 4, 6 and 8 having the maximal number of elliptic pencils of degrees 3, 4 and 5, respectively, and study their moduli spaces and moduli maps to the moduli space of curves. As an application we prove the existence of Brill–Noether general K3 surfaces of genus 4 and 6 without stable Lazarsfeld–Mukai bundles of minimal c2.publishedVersio