Let $k$ be a field with algebraic closure $\bar{k}$ and $D \subset \mathbb{P}^{1}_{\bar{k}}$ a reduced, effective divisor of degree $n \ge 3$, write $k(D)$ for the field of moduli of $D$. A. Marinatto proved that when $n$ is odd, or $n = 4$, $D$ descends to a divisor on $\mathbb{P}^{1}_{k(D)}$.
We analyze completely the problem of when $D$ descends to a divisor on a smooth, projective curve of genus $0$ on $k(D)$, possibly with no rational points. In particular, we study the remaining cases $n \ge 6$ even, and we obtain conceptual proofs of Marinatto's results and of a theorem by B. Huggins about the field of moduli of hyperelliptic curves.
We construct certain rational functions (modular units) on the moduli stack of Drinfeld shtukas. The divisors of these rational functions are supported on horospherical divisors of the moduli stack. The key to our construction is a vanishing theorem for shtukas with zeros and poles satisfying certain conditions. Using deformation theory, we calculate the divisors of these rational functions.
We prove an abstract modularity result for classes of Heegner divisors in the generalized Jacobian of a modular curve associated to a cuspidal modulus. Extending the Gross-Kohnen-Zagier theorem, we prove that the generating series of these classes is a weakly holomorphic modular form of weight 3/2. Moreover, we show that any harmonic Maass forms of weight 0 defines a functional on the generalized Jacobian. Combining these results, we obtain a unifying framework and new proofs for the Gross-Kohnen-Zagier theorem and Zagier's modularity of traces of singular moduli, together with new geometric i…
For any positive integer $N$, we completely determine the structure of the rational cuspidal divisor class group of $X_0(N)$, which is conjecturally equal to the rational torsion subgroup of $J_0(N)$. More specifically, for a given prime $\ell$, we construct a rational cuspidal divisor $Z_\ell(d)$ for any non-trivial divisor $d$ of $N$. Also, we compute the order of the linear equivalence class of the divisor $Z_\ell(d)$ and show that the $\ell$-primary subgroup of the rational cuspidal divisor class group of $X_0(N)$ is isomorphic to the direct sum of the cyclic subgroups generated by the lin…
We prove relations among the classes of certain divisors on the moduli spaces of curves with marked points, generalizing the Brill-Noether Ray Theorem of Eisenbud and Harris.
The moduli space of canonical divisors (with prescribed zeros and poles) on nonsingular curves is not compact since the curve may degenerate. We define a proper moduli space of twisted canonical divisors in the moduli space of Deligne-Mumford stable pointed curves which includes the space of canonical divisors as an open subset. The theory leads to geometric/combinatorial constraints on the closures of the moduli spaces of canonical divisors. In case the differentials have at least one pole (the strictly meromorphic case), the moduli spaces of twisted canonical divisors on genus g curves are o…
We study birational projective models of ${\mathcal M}_{2,2}$ obtained from the moduli space of curves with nonspecial divisors. We describe geometrically which singular curves appear in these models and show that one of them is obtained by blowing down the Weierstrass divisor in the moduli stack of ${\mathcal Z}$-stable curves $\overline{\mathcal M}_{2,2}({\mathcal Z})$ defined by Smyth. As a corollary, we prove projectivity of the coarse moduli space $\overline{M}_{2,2}({\mathcal Z})$.
Given a moduli problem with a nice coarse moduli space, which is the most intrinsic and natural divisor on this moduli space? We describe a general method of constructing effective divisors on a large class of moduli spaces using the syzygies of the parametrized objects. In this paper we treat the case of the moduli space of curves and we compute the slope of a doubly infinite sequence of Koszul divisors on M_g. We present a single formula which apart from giving myriads of new counterexamples to the Harris-Morrison Slope Conjecture it also encodes virtually all interesting divisor class calcu…
We prove that the moduli b-divisor of an lc-trivial fibration from a log canonical pair is log abundant. The result follows from a theorem on the restriction of the moduli b-divisor, based on a theory of lc-trivial morphisms, which allows us to treat $\mathbb{R}$-divisors and proper morphisms possibly with disconnected fibres. We also prove a theorem on extending a finite cover over a closed subvariety to that over a variety in arbitrary characteristic.
In this note, we extend work of Farkas and Rimányi on applying quadric rank loci to finding divisors of small slope on the moduli space of curves by instead considering all divisorial conditions on the hypersurfaces of a fixed degree containing a projective curve. This gives rise to a large family of virtual divisors on $\overline{\mathcal{M}_g}$. We determine explicitly which of these divisors are candidate counterexamples to the Slope Conjecture. The potential counterexamples exist on $\overline{\mathcal{M}_g}$, where the set of possible values of $g\in \{1,\ldots,N\}$ has density $Ω(\log(N)…
We provide explicit equations for moduli spaces of Drinfeld shtukas over the projective line with $Γ(N)$, $Γ_1(N)$ and $Γ_0(N)$ level structures, where $N$ is an effective divisor on $\mathbb{P}^1$. If the degree of $N$ is high enough, these moduli spaces are relative surfaces. We study some invariants of the moduli space of shtukas with $Γ_0(N)$ level structure for several degree $4$ divisors on $\mathbb{P}^1$.
In this paper we give a lower bound for the codimension of the Andreotti-Mayer loci in the moduli space of principally polarized complex abelian varieties. We also present a conjecture on this codimension.
We give bounds on the degree of generation and relations of section rings associated to arbitrary $\mathbb{Q}$-divisors on projective spaces of all dimensions and Hirzebruch surfaces. For section rings of effective $\mathbb{Q}$-divisors on projective spaces, we find the best possible bound on the degrees of generators and relations.
We show that a cubic fourfold F that is apolar to a Veronese surface has the property that its variety of power sums VSP(F,10) is singular along a K3 surface of genus 20. We prove that these cubics form a divisor in the moduli space of cubic fourfolds and that this divisor is not a Noether-Lefschetz divisor. We use this result to prove that there is no nontrivial Hodge correspondence between a very general cubic and its VSP.
S. Kondō used periods of $K3$ surfaces to prove that the moduli space of genus three curves is birational to an arithmetic quotient of a complex 6-ball. In this paper we study Heegner divisors in the ball quotient, given by arithmetically defined hyperplane sections of the ball. We show that the corresponding loci of genus three curves are given by: hyperelliptic curves, singular plane quartics and plane quartics admitting certain rational "splitting curves".
We study effective divisors on $\overline{M}_{0,n}$, focusing on hypertree divisors introduced by Castravet and Tevelev and the proper transforms of divisors on $\overline{M}_{1,n-2}$ introduced by Chen and Coskun. Results include a database of hypertree divisor classes and closed formulas for Chen--Coskun divisor classes. We relate these two types of divisors, and from this construct extremal divisors on $\overline{M}_{0,n}$ for $n \geq 7$ that furnish counterexamples to the conjectural description of the effective cone of $\overline{M}_{0,n}$ given by Castravet and Tevelev.
In this mostly expository paper we review several known results about the cohomology of moduli spaces of smooth and stable curves, focusing in particular on low degree cohomology. We also give a new proof of Harer's theorem describing the second cohomology group of the moduli space of smooth n-pointed curves of given genus
Let $X$ be a smooth projective complex curve of genus $g \geq 2$ and let $\M_X(2,Λ)$ be the moduli space of semi-stable rank-$2$ vector bundles over $X$ with fixed determinant $Λ$. We show that the wobbly locus, i.e., the locus of semi-stable vector bundles admitting a non-zero nilpotent Higgs field is a union of divisors $\Ww_k \subset \M_X(2,Λ)$. We show that on one wobbly divisor the set of maximal subbundles is degenerate. We also compute the class of the divisors $\Ww_k$ in the Picard group of $\M_X(2,Λ)$.
This paper is an expository survey of results about the effective divisors on moduli spaces, with a focus on what is known about the effective cones of moduli spaces of stable curves and of principally polarized abelian varieties. This version incorporates clarifications and suggestions of Ana-Maria Castravet and the referee, both of whom we thank. To appear in the proceedings of the conference, "Joe at 60:A Celebration of Algebraic Geometry" edited by Brendan Hassett, James McKernan, Jason Starr and Ravi Vakil.
We calculate the cycle class of the Hurwitz divisor $D_2$ on the moduli space of stable curves of genus $g=2k$ given by the degree $k+1$ covers of the projective line with simple ramification points, two of which lie in the same fibre. We also study some aspects of the geometry of the natural map of the Hurwitz space of admissible covers of degree $k+1$ and genus $2k$ to the moduli space of stable curves of genus $2k$.
Let $f \colon (X,Δ) \to Y$ be a fibration such that $K_X + Δ$ is torsion along the fibres of $f$. Assume that $Y$ has dimension 2, or that $Y$ has dimension 3 and the fibres have dimension at most 3. Then the restriction of the moduli part to its augmented base locus is semiample.
Motivated by the question of constructing certain rational functions (modular units) on the moduli stack of Drinfeld shtukas, we introduce the notion of toy shtukas. We prove basic properties of the moduli scheme of toy shtukas. Analogously to horospherical divisors on the moduli stack of Drinfeld shtukas, there are toy horospherical divisors on the moduli scheme of toy shtukas. We describe the space of principal toy horospherical divisors. There is a canonical morphism from the moduli stack of Drinfeld shtukas to the moduli scheme of toy shtukas. Our main result is a description of the space …
We introduce a new technique for proving positivity of certain divisor classes on $\bar{M}_{0,n}$ and its weighted variants. Our methods give an unconditional description of the spaces of symmetric weighted pointed rational curves as log canonical models of $\bar{M}_{0,n}$.
When we have a morphism f : P^n -> P^n, then we have an inequality \frac{1}{°f} h(f(P)) +C > h(P) which provides a good upper bound of $h(P)$. However, if $f$ is a rational map, then \frac{1}{°f} h(f(P))+C cannot be an upper bound of h(P). In this paper, we will define the $D$-ratio of a rational map $f$ which will replace the degree of a morphism in the height inequality of h(P).
Rational pairs generalize the notion of rational singularities to reduced pairs $(X,D)$. In this paper we deal with the problem of determining whether a normal variety $X$ has a rationalizing divisor, i.e. a reduced divisor $D$ such that $(X, D)$ is a rational pair. We give a criterion for cones to have a rationalizing divisor, and relate the existence of such a divisor to the locus of rational singularities of a variety.
Roughly speaking, by using the semi-stable minimal model program, we prove that the moduli part of an lc-trivial fibration coincides with that of a klt-trivial fibration induced by adjunction after taking a suitable generically finite cover. As an application, we obtain that the moduli part of an lc-trivial fibration is b-nef and abundant by Ambro's result on klt-trivial fibrations.
In this paper for each $n\ge g\ge 0$ we consider the moduli stack $\widetilde{\mathcal U}^{ns}_{g,n}$ of curves $(C,p_1,\ldots,p_n,v_1,\ldots,v_n)$ of arithmetic genus $g$ with $n$ smooth marked points $p_i$ and nonzero tangent vectors $v_i$ at them, such that the divisor $p_1+\ldots+p_n$ is nonspecial (has no $h^1$) and ample. With some mild restrictions on the characteristic we show that it is a scheme, affine over the Grassmannian $G(n-g,n)$. We also construct an isomorphism of $\widetilde{\mathcal U}^{ns}_{g,n}$ with a certain relative moduli of $A_\infty$-structures (up to an equivalence)…
We consider the moduli space of log smooth pairs formed by a cubic surface and an anticanonical divisor. We describe all compactifications of this moduli space which are constructed using Geometric Invariant Theory and the anticanonical polarization. The construction depends on a weight on the divisor. For smaller weights the stable pairs consist of mildly singular surfaces and very singular divisors. Conversely, a larger weight allows more singular surfaces, but it restricts the singularities on the divisor. The one-dimensional space of stability conditions decomposes in a wall-chamber struct…
We determine generators for the codimension 1 Chow group of the moduli spaces of genus zero stable maps to flag varieties G/P. In the case of SL flags, we find all relations between our generators, showing that they essentially come from $\bar M_{0,n}$. In addition, we analyze the codimension 2 classes on the moduli spaces of stable maps to Grassmannians and prove a new codimension 2 relation. This will lead to a partial reconstruction theorem for the Grassmannian of 2 planes.
We complete the proof of the fact that the moduli space of rank two bundles with trivial determinant embeds into the linear system of divisors on $Pic^{g-1}C$ which are linearly equivalent to $2Θ$. The embedded tangent space at a semi-stable non-stable bundle $ξ\oplusξ^{-1}$, where $ξ$ is a degree zero line bundle, is shown to consist of those divisors in $|2Θ|$ which contain $Sing(Θ_ξ)$ where $Θ_ξ$ is the translate of $Θ$ by $ξ$. We also obtain geometrical results on the structure of this tangent space.
In this paper, we initiate our investigation of log canonical models for the moduli space of curves with the boundary divisor $\a \d$ as we decrease $\a$ from 1 to 0. We prove that for the first critical value $\a = 9/11$, the log canonical model is isomorphic to the moduli space of pseudostable curves, which have nodes and cusps as singularities. We also show that $\a = 7/10$ is the next critical value, i.e., the log canonical model stays the same in the interval $(7/10, 9/11]$. In the appendix, we develop a theory of log canonical models of stacks that explains how these can be expressed in …
We establish a new moduli theory for divisors, that interpolates between the Hilbert scheme and the Cayley-Chow variety. This completes the last step in the construction of a good moduli theory for stable pairs $(X,Δ)$.
We give a bound on which singularities may appear on Kollár--Shepherd-Barron--Alexeev stable surfaces for a wide range of topological invariants and use this result to describe all stable numerical quintic surfaces (KSBA-stable surfaces with $K^2=χ=5$) whose unique non Du Val singularity is a Wahl singularity. We then extend the deformation theory of Horikawa to the log setting in order to describe the boundary divisor of the moduli space $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{5,5}$ corresponding to these surfaces. Quintic surfaces are the simplest examples of surfaces of general type and the question of de…
We perform an intersection theoretic study of the rational map between two different moduli spaces of stable curves which associates to a curve its corresponding Brill-Noether locus (in the case this locus has virtual dimension 1). We then use these results to describe the cone of moving divisors on M_g. Several other applications to moduli spaces of Prym varieties are presented. In a different direction, we prove that the locus in M_g of curves failing to satisfy the Gieseker-Petri theorem is supported in codimension 1 for every possible type of linear series.
We compute all the top intersection numbers of divisors on the total space of the Poincare bundle restricted to the product of a curve and the abelian variety. We use these computations to find the class of the universal theta divisor and $m$-theta divisor inside the universal corank 1 semiabelian variety -- the boundary of the partial toroidal compactification of the moduli space of abelian varieties. We give two computational examples: we compute the boundary coefficient of the Andreotti-Mayer divisor (computed by Mumford but in a much harder and ad hoc way), and the analog of this for the u…
In this note we identify two complex structures (one is given by algebraic geometry, the other by gauge theory) on the set of isomorphism classes of holomorphic bundles with section on a given compact complex manifold. In the case of line bundles, these complex spaces are shown to be isomorphic to a space of effective divisors on the manifold.
We carry out a complete birational classification of the universal theta divisor Th_g over the moduli space of curves of genus g, and show that Th_g enjoys good rationality properties for g<12, and is a variety of general type for g\geq 12. The key ingredient is an intersection-theoretic study of the universal antiramification locus of the Gauss map. We also present a complete classification of the universal symmetric product of degree g-2 over M_g.
Let M_g be the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g >= 3, and \bar{M}_g the Deligne-Mumford compactification in terms of stable curves. Let \bar{M}_g^{[1]} be an open set of \bar{M}_g consisting of stable curves of genus g with one node at most. In this paper, we determine the necessary and sufficient condition to guarantee that a Q-divisor D on \bar{M}_g is nef over \bar{M}_g^{[1]}, that is, (D . C) >= 0 for all irreducible curves C on \bar{M}_g with C \cap \bar{M}_g^{[1]} \not= \emptyset.
We give an explicit description of the divisor class groups of rational trinomial varieties. As an application, we relate the iteration of Cox rings of any rational variety with torus action of complexity one to that of a Du Val surface.
We provide methods to construct explicit examples of $K3$ surfaces. This leads to unirational constructions of Noether--Lefschetz divisors inside the moduli space of $K3$ surfaces of genus $g$. We implement Mukai's unirationality construction of the moduli spaces of $K3$ surfaces of genus $g\in\{6,\dots, 10, 12\}$, and we also present a new constructive proof of the unirationality of the moduli space of $K3$ surfaces of genus $11$. Furthermore, we show the existence of three unirational hypersurfaces in any moduli space of $K3$ surfaces of genus $g$.
We study the cone of Moriwaki divisors on \bar{M}_g by means of augmented base loci. Using a result of Moriwaki, we prove that an R-divisor D satisfies the strict Moriwaki inequalities if and only if the augmented base locus of D is contained in the boundary of \bar{M}_g. Then we draw some interesting consequences on the Zariski decomposition of divisors on \bar{M}_g, on the minimal model program of \bar{M}_g and on the log canonical models \bar{M}_g(α).
We prove that every Hassett's Noether-Lefschetz divisor of special cubic fourfolds contains a union of three codimension-two subvarieties, parametrizing rational cubic fourfolds, in the moduli space of smooth cubic fourfolds.
Let $X$ be a smooth complex projective rationally connected threefold with $-K_X$ nef and not semi-ample. In our previous work, we classified all such threefolds when $|{-}K_X|$ has no fixed divisor. In this paper, we continue our classification when $|{-}K_X|$ has a non-zero fixed divisor.
We complete Mori's program with symmetric divisors for the moduli space of stable six pointed rational curves. As an application, we give an alternative proof of the complete Mori's program of the moduli space of genus two stable curves, done by Hassett.
We completely classify redundant blow-ups appearing in the theory of rational surfaces with big anticanonical divisor due to Sakai. In particular, we construct a rational surface with big anticanonical divisor which is not a minimal resolution of a del Pezzo surface with only rational singularities, which gives a negative answer to a question raised in a paper by Testa, Várilly-Alvarado, and Velasco.
We complete Mori's program with symmetric divisors for the moduli space of stable seven pointed rational curves. We describe all birational models in terms of explicit blow-ups and blow-downs. We also give a moduli theoretic description of the first flip, which have not appeared in literature.
After a general discussion of group actions, orbifolds, and "weak orbifolds" this note will provide elementary introductions to two basic moduli spaces over the real or complex numbers: First the moduli space of effective divisors with finite stabilizer on the projective space ${\mathbb P}^1$ modulo the group ${\rm PGL}_2$ of projective transformations of ${\mathbb P}^1$; and then the moduli space of effective 1-cycles with finite stabilizer on ${\mathbb P}^2$ modulo the group ${\rm PGL}_3$ of projective transformations of ${\mathbb P}^2$.
Mumford defined a rational pullback for Weil divisors on normal surfaces, which is linear, respects effectivity, and satisfies the projection formula. In higher dimensions, the existence of small resolutions of singularities precludes such general results. We single out a higher-dimensional situation that resembles the surface case and show for it that a rational pullback for Weil divisors exists, which is also linear, respects effectivity, and satisfies the projection formula.
