We define a geometrically meaningful compactification of the moduli space of smooth plane curves, which can be calculated explicitly. The basic idea is to regard a plane curve D in P^2 as a pair (P^2,D) of a surface together with a divisor, and allow both the surface and the curve to degenerate. For plane curves of degree d at least 4, we obtain a compactification M_d which is a moduli space of stable pairs (X,D) using the log minimal model program. A stable pair (X,D) consists of a surface X such that -K_X is ample and a divisor D in a given linear system on X with specified singularities. Note that X may be non-normal, and K_X is Q-Cartier but not Cartier in general. We give a rough classification of stable pairs of arbitrary degree, a complete classification in degrees 4 and 5, and a partial classification in degree 6. The compactification is particularly simple if d is not a multiple of 3 - in particular the surface X has at most 2 components. We give a characterisation of these surfaces in terms of the singularities and the Picard numbers of the components. Moreover, we show that M_d is smooth in this case.
The space of smooth curves admits a beautiful compactification by the moduli space of Deligne-Mumford stable curves. In this paper, we undertake a systematic investigation of alternate modular compactifications of the space of smooth curves.
We construct an explicit compactification for the space of parametrized rational curves in a Grassmanian by a nonsingular projective variety such that the boundary is a divisor with simple normal crossings. This compactification is obtained by blowing up a Quot scheme successively along appropriate subschemes.
This work is a PhD thesis. First we provide some general context on wonderful varieties and moduli spaces of rational curves. Working over complex numbers we prove that the moduli space of rational curves with no marked points on the wonderful compactification of a symmetric space is not irreducible in general. Lastly we show that in the case of wonderful group compactifications the set of rational curves with no marked points and irreducible source is irreducible.
We construct the Hilbert compactification of the universal moduli space of semistable vector bundles over smooth curves. The Hilbert compactification is the GIT quotient of some open part of an appropriate Hilbert scheme of curves in a Grassmannian. It has all the properties asked for by Teixidor.
We construct a new compactification of the moduli space of maps from pointed nonsingular projective stable curves to a nonsingular projective variety with prescribed ramification indices at the points. It is shown to be a proper Deligne-Mumford stack equipped with a natural virtual fundamental class.
We give an informal survey, emphasizing examples and open problems, of two interconnected research programs in moduli of curves: the systematic classification of modular compactifications of $M_{g,n}$, and the study of Mori chamber decompositions of $\M_{g,n}$.
Let $R_4$ be the space of rational plane curves of degree $4$. In this paper, we obtain a sheaf theoretic compactification of $R_4$ via the space of $α$-semistable pairs on $\mathbb{P}^2$ and its birational relations through wall-crossings of semistable pairs. We obtain the Poincaré polynomial of the compactified space.
We construct modular compactifications of the universal Jacobian stack over the moduli stack of reduced curves with marked points depending on stability parameters obtained out of fixing a vector bundle on the universal curve. When restricted to the locus of stable marked curves, our compactifications are Deligne-Mumford irreducible smooth stacks endowed with projective moduli spaces and, following Esteves approach to the construction of fine compactifications of Jacobians, they parametrize torsion-free rank-1 simple sheaves satisfying a stability condition with respect to the fixed vector bun…
Consider a simple algebraic group G of adjoint type, and its wonderful compactification X. We show that X admits a unique family of minimal rational curves, and we explicitly describe the subfamily consisting of curves through a general point. As an application, we show that X has the target rigidity property when G is not of type A_1 or C.
We construct a new compactification of the moduli space H_g of smooth hyperelliptic curves of genus g. We compare our compactification with other well-known remarkable compactifications of H_g .
We construct a sequence of modular compactifications of the space of marked trigonal curves by allowing the branch points to coincide to a given extent. Beginning with the standard admissible cover compactification, the sequence first proceeds through contractions of the boundary divisors and then through flips of the so-called Maroni strata, culminating in a Fano model for even genera and a Fano fibration for odd genera. While the sequence of divisorial contractions arises from a more general construction, the sequence of flips uses the particular geometry of triple covers. We explicitly desc…
In this paper, we study all ways of constructing modular compactifications of the moduli space $\mathcal{M}_{g,n}$ of $n$-pointed smooth algebraic curves of genus $g$ by allowing markings to collide. We find that for any such compactification, collisions of markings are controlled by a simplicial complex which we call the collision complex. Conversely, we identify modular compactifications of $\mathcal{M}_{g,n}$ with essentially arbitrary collision complexes, including complexes not associated to any space of weighted pointed stable curves. These moduli spaces classify the modular compactifica…
We study normal analytic compactifications of C^2 and describe their singularities and configuration of curves at infinity, in particular improving and generalizing results of (Brenton, Math. Ann. 206:303--310, 1973). As a by product we give new proofs of Jung's theorem on polynomial automorphisms of C^2 and Remmert and Van de Ven's result that CP^2 is the only smooth analytic compactification of C^2 for which the curve at infinity is irreducible. We also give a complete answer to the question of existence of compactifications of C^2 with prescribed divisorial valuations at infinity. In partic…
Necessary and sufficient conditions are given (in terms of monodromy) for extending a family of smooth curves over an open subset U of S to a family of stable curves over S. More precisely, we introduce the abelian monodromy extension (AME) property and show that the standard Deligne-Mumford compactification is the unique, maximal AME compactification of the moduli space of curves. We also show that the Baily-Borel compactification is the unique, maximal projective AME compactification of the moduli space of abelian varieties.
Following our previous work, we develop an algorithm to compute a presentation of the fundamental group of certain partial compactifications of the complement of a complex arrangement of lines in the projective plane. It applies, in particular, to homology planes arising from arrangements of lines. This permits to determine the infinitude of the fundamental group of homology planes of log-general type that may be the first examples of this type.
We construct a family of compactifications of the affine cone of the Grassmannian variety of 2-planes. We show that both the tropical variety of the Plücker ideal and familiar valuations associated to the construction of Newton-Okounkov bodies for the Grassmannian variety can be recovered from these compactifications. In this way, we unite various perspectives for constructing toric degenerations of flag varieties.
We construct several modular compactifications of the Hurwitz space $H^d_{g/h}$ of genus $g$ curves expressed as $d$-sheeted, simply branched covers of genus $h$ curves. These compactifications are obtained by allowing the branch points of the covers to collide to a variable extent. They are very well-behaved if $d = 2, 3$, or if relatively few collisions are allowed. We recover as special cases the spaces of twisted admissible covers of Abramovich, Corti and Vistoli and the spaces of hyperelliptic curves of Fedorchuk.
For any odd $n$, we describe a smooth minimal (i.e. obtained by adding an irreducible hypersurface) compactification $\tilde S_n$ of the quasi-projective homogeneous variety $S_{n}=PGL(n+1)/SL(2)$ that parameterizes the rational normal curves in $P^n$. We show that $\tilde S_{n}$ is isomorphic to a component of the Maruyama scheme of the semi-stable sheaves on $P^n$ of rank $n$ and Chern polynomial $(1+t)^{n+2}$ and we compute its Betti numbers. In particular $\tilde S_{3}$ is isomorphic to the variety of nets of quadrics defining twisted cubics, studied by G. Ellinsgrud, R. Piene and S. Strøm…
We classify the Deligne-Mumford stacks M compactifying the moduli space of smooth $n$-pointed curves of genus one under the condition that the points of M represent Gorenstein curves with distinct markings. This classification uncovers new moduli spaces $\bar{\mathcal{M}}_{1,n}(Q)$, which we may think of coming from an enrichment of the notion of level used to define Smyth's $m$-stable spaces. Finally, we construct a cube complex of Artin stacks interpolating between the $\bar{\mathcal{M}}_{1,n}(Q)$'s, a multidimensional analogue of the wall-and-chamber structure seen in the log minimal model …
In this article, we give the classification of normal del Pezzo surfaces of rank one with at most log canonical singularities containing the affine plane defined over an algebraically non-closed field of characteristic zero. As an application, we have a criterion for del Pezzo fibrations with canonical singularities whose generic fibers are not smooth to contain vertical $\mathbb{A}^2$-cylinders.
We prove that the moduli spaces of n-pointed m-stable curves introduced in our previous paper have projective coarse moduli. We use the resulting spaces to run an analogue of the Hassett-Keel log minimal model program for the moduli space of n-pointed stable curves of genus one.
The space of smooth rational curves of degree $d$ in a projective variety $X$ has compactifications by taking closures in the Hilbert scheme, the moduli space of stable sheaves or the moduli space of stable maps respectively. In this paper we compare these compactifications by explicit blow-ups and -downs when $X$ is a projective homogeneous variety and $d\leq 3$. Using the comparison result, we calculate the Betti numbers of the compactifications when $X$ is a Grassmannian variety.
The goal of the present paper is to construct a smooth compactification of the moduli superstack classifying pointed $\mathcal{N} =1$ SUSY (= $\text{SUSY}_1$) curves. This construction is based on the Abramovich-Jarvis-Chiodo compactification of the moduli stack classifying spin curves. First, we give a general framework of a theory of log superschemes (or more generally, log superstacks). Then, we introduce the notion of a pointed (stable) log twisted $\text{SUSY}_1$ curve; it may be thought of as a logarithmic and twisted generalization of the classical notion of a pointed $\text{SUSY}_1$ cu…
By definition, the del Pezzo $3$-fold $V_5$ is the intersection of $\mathrm{Gr}(2,5)$ with three hyperplanes in $\mathbb{P}^9$ under the Plücker embedding. Rational curves in $V_5$ have been studied in various contents of Fano geometry. In this paper, we propose an explicit birational relation of the Kontsevich and Simpson compactifications of twisted cubic curves in $V_5$. As a direct corollary, we obtain a desingularized model of Kontsevich compactification which induces the intersection cohomology group of Kontsevich's space.
We generalize a compactification technique due to C. Simpson in the context of $\mathbb{G}_m$-actions over the ground field of complex numbers, to the case of a universally Japanese base ring. We complement this generalized compactification technique so that it can sometimes yield projectivity results for these compactifications. We apply these projectivity results to the Hodge, de Rham, and Dolbeault moduli spaces for curves, with special regards to ground fields of positive characteristic.
In 1969, P. Deligne and D. Mumford compactified the moduli space of curves. Their compactification is a projective algebraic variety, and as such, it has an underlying analytic structure. Alternatively, the quotient of the augmented Teichmueller space by the action of the mapping class group gives a compactification of the moduli space. We put an analytic structure on this compact quotient and prove that with respect to this structure, it is canonically isomorphic (as an analytic space) to the Deligne-Mumford compactification.
Let $M_C(G)$ be the moduli space of semistable principal $G-$bundles over a smooth curve $C$. We show that a flat degeneration of this space $M_{C_Γ}(G)$ associated to a singular stable curve $C_Γ$ contains the free group character variety $\mathcal{X}(F_g, G)$ as a dense, open subset, where $g = genus(C).$ In the case $G = SL_2(\mathbb{C})$ we describe the resulting compactification explicitly, and in turn we conclude that the coordinate ring of $M_{C_Γ}(SL_2(\mathbb{C}))$ is presented by homogeneous skein relations. Along the way, we prove the parabolic version of these results over stable, …
Given a smooth curve with weighted marked points, the Abel-Jacboi map produces a line bundle on the curve. This map fails to extend to the full boundary of the moduli space of stable pointed curves. Using logarithmic and tropical geometry, we describe a modular modification of the moduli space of curves over which the Abel-Jacobi map extends. We also describe the attendant deformation theory and virtual fundamental class of this moduli space. This recovers the double ramification cycle, as well as variants associated to differentials.
We study a compactification of the configuration space of n distinct labeled points on an arbitrary nonsingular variety. Our construction provides a generalization of the original Fulton-MacPherson compactification that is parallel to the generalization of the moduli space of n-pointed stable curves carried out by Hassett.
In this article we continue from \cite{sub2-1} the study of normal analytic compactifications of $\cc^2$ from the point of view of their associated pencils of jets of curve germs centered at infinity. If $\bar X$ is a normal analytic compactification of $\cc^2$ which is {\em primitive}, i.e.\ $\bar X \setminus \cc^2$ is irreducible curve, then we show that $\bar X$ is projective iff $\bar X$ is algebraic iff at least one of the jets in the associated pencil of jets of curve-germs can be represented by a planar curve with one place at infinity. As a result we show that there are primitive norma…
We construct a compactification of the universal moduli space of semistable principal $G$-bundles over $\overline{\textrm{M}}_{g}$, the fibers of which over singular curves are the moduli spaces of $δ$-semistable singular principal G-bundles.
This is mostly* a non-technical exposition of the joint work arXiv:1212.0373 with Caporaso and Payne. Topics include: Moduli of Riemann surfaces / algebraic curves; Deligne-Mumford compactification; Dual graphs and the combinatorics of the compactification; Tropical curves and their moduli; Non-archimedean geometry and comparison. * Maybe the last section is technical.
We study non-commutative degenerations of elliptic curves over local fields. The corresponding objects are close relatives of non-commutative tori of Connes and Rieffel.
Projective duality identifies the moduli spaces $\mathbf{B}_n$ and $\mathbf{X}(3,n)$ parametrizing linearly general configurations of $n$ points in $\mathbb{P}^2$ and $n$ lines in the dual $\mathbb{P}^2$, respectively. The space $\mathbf{X}(3,n)$ admits Kapranov's Chow quotient compactification $\overline{\mathbf{X}}(3,n)$, studied also by Lafforgue, Hacking, Keel, Tevelev, and Alexeev, which gives an example of a KSBA moduli space of stable surfaces: it carries a family of certain reducible degenerations of $\mathbb{P}^2$ with $n$ "broken lines". Gerritzen and Piwek proposed a dual perspectiv…
S. Kondō defined a birational period map from the moduli space of genus three curves to a moduli space of degree four polarized K3 surfaces. In this paper we extend the period map to a surjective morphism on a suitable compactification of $\mathcal M_3$ and describe its geometry.
We define a natural compactification of an arrangement complement in a ball quotient. We show that when this complement has a moduli space interpretation, then this compactification is often one that appears naturally by means of geometric invariant theory. We illustrate this with the moduli spaces of smooth quartic curves and rational elliptic surfaces.
We study the moduli space of triples $(C, L_1, L_2)$ consisting of quartic curves $C$ and lines $L_1$ and $L_2$. Specifically, we construct and compactify the moduli space in two ways: via geometric invariant theory (GIT) and by using the period map of certain lattice polarized $K3$ surfaces. The GIT construction depends on two parameters $t_1$ and $t_2$ which correspond to the choice of a linearization. For $t_1=t_2=1$ we describe the GIT moduli explicitly and relate it to the construction via $K3$ surfaces.
One can consider the Hilbert scheme as a natural compactification of the space of smooth projective curves with fixed Hilbert polynomial. Here we consider a different modular compactification, namely the functor CM parameterizing curves together with a finite map to $\mathbb{P}^n$ that is generically a closed immersion. We prove that CM is an algebraic space by contructing a scheme W and a representable, surjective and smooth map W -> CM. Moreover, we show that CM satisfies the valuative criterion for properness.
Consider a primitive polynomial $f$ in two variables, thought of as a map from the affine plane to the affine line. We study the minimimal compactification of $f$; from our result one deduces in particular that if one of the fibers of $f$ has only one fiber at infinity, then all the fibers of $f$ have a simultaneous resolution of singularities at infinity. From this one gets a very simple proof of the Suzuki-Abhyankar-Moh theorem on the embeddings of the affine line in the plane.
We study a compactification of the moduli space of theta characteristics, giving a modular interpretation of the geometric points and describing the boundary stratification. This space is different from the moduli space of spin curves. The modular description and the boundary stratification of the new compactification are encoded by a tropical moduli space. We show that this tropical moduli space is a refinement of the moduli space of spin tropical curves. We describe explicitly the induced decomposition of its cones.
Consider the moduli space M^0 of arrangements of n hyperplanes in general position in projective (r-1)-space. When r=2 the space has a compactification given by the moduli space of stable curves of genus 0 with n marked points. In higher dimensions, the analogue of the moduli space of stable curves is the moduli space of stable pairs: pairs (S,B) consisting of a variety S (possibly reducible) and a divisor B=B_1+..+B_n, satisfying various additional assumptions. We identify the closure of M^0 in the moduli space of stable pairs as Kapranov's Chow quotient compactification of M^0, and give an e…
A compactification over $\overline{M}_g$ of $M_{g,n}$ is obtained by considering the relative Fulton-MacPherson configuration space of the universal curve. The resulting compactification differs from the Deligne-Mumford space $\overline{M}_{g,n}$. In case $n=2$, the compactification constructed here and the Deligne-Mumford compactification are essentially the distinct minimal resolutions of the fiber product over $\overline{M}_g$ of the universal curve with itself.
In this paper we describe the compactification of the Drinfeld modular curve. This compactification is analogous to the compactification of the classical modular curve given by Katz and Mazur. We show how the Weil pairing on Drinfeld modules that we defined in earlier work gives rise to a map on the Drinfeld modular curve. We introduce the Tate-Drinfeld module and show how this describes the formal neighbourhood of the scheme of cusps of the Drinfeld modular curve.
We present an effective criterion to determine if a normal analytic compactification of C^2 with one irreducible curve at infinity is algebraic or not. As a by product we establish a correspondence between normal algebraic compactifications of C^2 with one irreducible curve at infinity and algebraic curves contained in C^2 with one place at infinity. Using our criterion we construct pairs of homeomorphic normal analytic surfaces with minimally elliptic singularities such that one of the surfaces is algebraic and the other is not. Our main technical tool is the sequence of "key forms" - a 'glob…
We introduce and study smooth compactifications of the moduli space of n labeled points with weights in projective space, which have normal crossings boundary and are defined as GIT quotients of the weighted Fulton-MacPherson compactification. We show that the GIT quotient of a wonderful compactification is also a wonderful compactification under certain hypotheses. We also study a weighted version of the configuration spaces parametrizing n points in affine space up to translation and homothety. In dimension one, the above compactifications are isomorphic to Hassett's moduli space of rational…
We describe sequences of blowups of $\overline{M}_{0,5} \times \overline{M}_{0,5}$ and $\mathbf{P}^2 \times \mathbf{P}^2$ yielding a small resolution of the stable pair compactification $\overline{M}(3,6)$ of the moduli space $M(3,6)$ of six lines in $\mathbf{P}^2$. These blowup sequences can be viewed, respectively, as generalizations of Keel's and Kapranov's constructions of $\overline{M}_{0,n}$. We use these blowup sequences to describe the intersection theory of $\overline{M}(3,6)$. In particular, we show that the Chow ring of any small resolution of $\overline{M}(3,6)$ has a presentation …
