We study the structure of the relative Hilbert scheme for a family of nodal (or smooth) curves via its natural cycle map to the relative symmetric product. We show that the cycle map is the blowing up of the discriminant locus, which consists of cycles with multiple points. We discuss some applications and connections, notably with birational geometry and intersection theory on Hilbert schemes of smooth surfaces. Revised version corrects some minor errors.
In this paper, we show the full flag Hilbert scheme of points of nodal curves has only complete intersection singularities. We study the Hilbert scheme of points of the cusp curve and show the punctual Hilbert scheme is isomorphic to \mathbb{P}^1. Furthermore Hilbert scheme has only one singularty along the punctual one.
We study the existence of components with the expected number of moduli of the Hilbert scheme of integral nodal curves $C \subset \mathbb {P}^r$ with prescribed degree, arithmetic genus and number of singular points.
We study completely the Hilbert scheme and punctual Hilbert scheme of a nodal curve, and the relative Hilbert scheme of a family of curves acquiring a node. The results are then extended, less completely, to flag Hilbert schemes, parametrizing chains of subschemes. We find, notably, that if the total space $X$ of a family $X/B$ is smooth (over an algebraically closed field $\k$), then the relative Hilbert scheme $Hilb_m(X/B)$ is smooth over $\k$ and the flag Hilbert schemes are normal and locally complete intersection, but generally singular.
We study the relative Hilbert scheme of a family of nodal (or smooth) curves, over a base of arbitrary dimension, via its (birational) cycle map, going to the relative symmetric product. We show the cycle map is the blowing up of the discriminant locus, which consists of cycles with multiple points. We determine the relevant cotangent sheaves and complexes. We determine the structure of certain projective bundles called node scrolls, which play an important role in the geometry of Hilbert schemes.
We study the relative Hilbert scheme of a family of nodal (or smooth) curves, over a base of arbitrary dimension, via its (birational) cycle map, going to the relative symmetric product. We show the cycle map is the blowing up of the discriminant locus, which consists of cycles with multiple points. We work out the action of the blowup or 'discriminant' polarization on some natural cycles in the Hilbert scheme, including generalized diagonals and cycles, called 'node scrolls', parametrizing schemes supported on singular points. We derive an intersection calculus for Chern classes of tautologic…
We study the relative Hilbert scheme of a family of nodal (or smooth) curves via its (birational) cycle map, going to the relative symmetric product. We show the cycle map is the blowing up of the discriminant locus, which consists of cycles with multiple points. We derive an intersection calculus for Chern classes of tautological bundles on the relative Hilbert scheme, which has applications to enumerative geometry.
We study intersection theory on the relative Hilbert scheme of a family of nodal-or-smooth curves, over a base of arbitrary dimension. We introduce an additive group called 'discriminant module', generated by diagonal loci, node scrolls, and twists thereof, and determine the action of the discriminant or big diagonal divisor on this group by intersection. We show that this suffices to determine arbitrary polynomials in Chern classes, in particular Chern numbers, for the tautological vector bundles on the Hilbert schemes, which are closely related to enumerative geometry. The latest version inc…
We prove by Hilbert-Mumford criterion that a slope stable polarized weighted pointed nodal curve is Chow asymptotic stable. This generalizes the result of Caporaso on stability of polarized nodal curves, and of Hasset on weighted pointed stable curves polarized by the weighted dualizing sheaves. It also solved a question raised by Mumford and Gieseker to prove the Chow asymptotic stability of stable nodal curves by Hilbert-Mumford criterion.
Let V^{r}_{d,g, δ} be the Hilbert scheme of nodal curves in P^r of degree d and arithmetic genus g with δnodes. Under suitable numerical assumptions on d and g, for every 0 \le δ\le g we construct an irreducible component of V^{r}_{d,g, δ} having the expected number of moduli.
We develop a formula for tautological integrals over geometric subsets of the Hilbert scheme of points on complex manifolds. As an illustration of the theory, we derive a new iterated residue formula for the number of nodal curves in sufficiently ample linear systems.
In this paper, we study the higher codimensional cycle structure of the Hilbert scheme of three points in the projective plane. In particular, we compute all Chern (and Segre) classes of all tautological bundles on it and compute the nef (effective) cones of cycles in codimensions 2 and 3 (dimensions 2 and 3).
Suppose B=F[x,y,z]/h is the homogeneous coordinate ring of a characteristic p degree 3 irreducible plane curve C with a node. Let J be a homogeneous (x,y,z)-primary ideal and n -> e_n be the Hilbert-Kunz function of B with respect to J. Let q=p^n. When J=(x,y,z), Pardue (see R. Buchweitz, Q. Chen. Hilbert-Kunz functions of cubic curves and surfaces. J. Algebra 197 (1997). 246-267) showed that e_n=(7q^2)/3-q/3-R where R=5/3 if q is congruent to 2 (3), and is 1 otherwise. We generalize this, showing that e_n= (mu q^2) + (alpha q) - R where R only depends on q mod 3. We describe alpha and R in te…
In this note, we revisit the modified diagonal cycle of Gross and Schoen. We look at degenerations of this cycle, induced by a degeneration of the curve C, and explain how the specialization map with respect to the central fiber produces a higher Chow cycle. When C is non-hyperelliptic of genus three, and degenerates to a nodal curve, the degeneration of the cycle corresponds to an indecomposable higher Chow cycle on a curve of genus two.
We identify several classes of curves $C:f=0$, for which the Hilbert vector of the Jacobian module $N(f)$ can be completely determined, namely the 3-syzygy curves, the maximal Tjurina curves and the nodal curves, having only rational irreducible components. A result due to Hartshorne, on the cohomology of some rank 2 vector bundles on $\mathbb{P}^2$, is used to get a sharp lower bound for the initial degree of the Jacobian module $N(f)$, under a semistability condition.
Let $W\subset \mathbb {P}^n$, $n\ge 3$, be a degree $k$ hypersurface. Consider a "general" reducible, but connected, curve $Y\subset \mathbb {P}^n$, for instance a sufficiently general connected and nodal union of lines with $p_a(Y)=0$, i.e. a tree of lines. We study the Hilbert function of the set $Y\cap W$ with cardinality $k°(Y)$ and prove when it is the expected one. We give complete classification of the exceptions for $k=2$ and for $n=k=3$. We apply these results and tools to the case in which $Y$ is a smooth curve with $\mathcal {O}_Y(1)$ non-special.
Let S be a complex smooth projective surface and L be a line bundle on S. Göttsche conjectured that for every integer r, the number of r-nodal curves in |L| is a universal polynomial of four topological numbers when L is sufficiently ample. We prove Göttsche's conjecture using the algebraic cobordism group of line bundles on surfaces and degeneration of Hilbert schemes of points. In addition, we prove the the Göttsche-Yau-Zaslow Formula which expresses the generating function of the numbers of nodal curves in terms of quasi-modular forms and two unknown series.
We describe the counting of BPS states of Type II strings on K3 by relating the supersymmetric cycles of genus $g$ to the number of rational curves with $g$ double points on K3. The generating function for the number of such curves is the left-moving partition function of the bosonic string.
We study the cones of surfaces on varieties of lines on cubic fourfolds and Hilbert schemes of points on K3 surfaces. From this we obtain new examples of nef cycles which fail to be pseudoeffective.
In this paper we give some evidence for the Tate (and Hodge) conjecture(s) for a class of Hilbert modular fourfolds X, whose connected components arise as arithmetic quotients of the fourfold product of the upper half plane by congruence subgroups Γof SL(2, O_K), where O_K denotes the ring of integers of a quartic, Galois, totally real number field K. The expected relationship to the orders of poles of the associated L-functions is verified for abelian extensions of \Q. Also shown is the existence of homologically non-trivial cycles of codimension two which are not intersections of divisors.
Let $Y$ be a smooth complete intersection of a quadric and a cubic in $\mathbb{P}^n$, with $n$ even. We show that $Y$ has a multiplicative Chow-Künneth decomposition, in the sense of Shen-Vial. As a consequence, the Chow ring of (powers of) $Y$ displays K3-like behaviour. As a by-product of the argument, we also establish a multiplicative Chow-Künneth decomposition for the resolution of singularities of a general nodal cubic hypersurface of even dimension.
Under natural hypotheses we give an upper bound on the dimension of families of singular curves with hyperelliptic normalizations on a surface S with p_g(S) >0 via the study of the associated families of rational curves in Hilb^2(S). We use this result to prove the existence of nodal curves of geometric genus 3 with hyperelliptic normalizations, on a general K3 surface, thus obtaining specific 2-dimensional families of rational curves in its Hilbert square. We describe two infinite series of examples of general, primitively polarized K3's such that their Hilbert squares contain a IP^2 or a thr…
We express nested Hilbert schemes of points and curves on a smooth projective surface as "virtual resolutions" of degeneracy loci of maps of vector bundles on smooth ambient spaces. We show how to modify the resulting obstruction theories to produce the virtual cycles of Vafa-Witten theory and other sheaf-counting problems. The result is an effective way of calculating invariants (VW, SW, local PT and local DT) via Thom-Porteous-like Chern class formulae.
We determine the Hilbert-Kunz function of plane elliptic curves in odd characteristic, as well as over arbitrary fields the generalized Hilbert-Kunz functions of nodal cubic curves. Together with results of K. Pardue and P. Monsky, this completes the list of Hilbert-Kunz functions of plane cubics. Combining these results with the calculation of the (generalized) Hilbert-Kunz function of Cayley's cubic surface, it follows that in each degree and over any field of positive characteristic there are curves resp. surfaces taking on the minimally possible Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity.
Given an ample line bundle on a toric surface, a question of Donaldson asks which simple closed curves can be vanishing cycles for nodal degenerations of smooth curves in the complete linear system. This paper provides a complete answer. This is accomplished by reformulating the problem in terms of the mapping class group-valued monodromy of the linear system, and giving a precise determination of this monodromy group.
Given a map of vector bundles on a smooth variety, consider the deepest degeneracy locus where its rank is smallest. We show it carries a natural perfect obstruction theory whose virtual cycle can be calculated by the Thom-Porteous formula. We show nested Hilbert schemes of points on surfaces can be expressed as degeneracy loci. We show how to modify the resulting obstruction theories to recover the virtual cycles of Vafa-Witten and reduced local DT theories. The result computes some Vafa-Witten invariants in terms of Carlsson-Okounkov operators. This proves and extends a conjecture of Gholamp…
By using K-theory, we construct a map from the tangent space to the Hilbert scheme at a point Y to the local cohomology group. And we use this map to answer affirmatively(after slight modification) a question by Mark Green and Phillip Griffiths in [8] on constructing a map from the tangent space to the Hilbert scheme to the tangent space to the cycle group.
In this paper, we give three bases for the cohomology groups of the Hilbert scheme of two points on projective space. Then, we use these bases to compute all effective and nef cones of higher codimensional cycles on the Hilbert scheme. Next, we compute the class in one of these bases of the Chern classes of tautological bundles coming from line bundles. Finally, we provide an application of these results to the degrees of secant varieties of complete intersections.
For a relative effective divisor $\mathcal{C}$ on a smooth projective family of surfaces $q:\mathcal{S}\rightarrow B$, we consider the locus in $B$ over which the fibres of $\mathcal{C}$ are $δ$-nodal curves. We prove a conjecture by Kleiman and Piene on the univerality of an enumerating cycle on this locus. We propose a bivariant class $γ(\mathcal{C})\in A^*(B)$ motivated by the BPS calculus of Pandharipande and Thomas, and show that it can be expressed universally as a polynomial in classes of the form $q_*(c_1(\mathcal{O}(\mathcal{C}))^a c_1(T_{\mathcal{S}/B})^b c_2(T_{\mathcal{S}/B})^c)$. …
Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p > 3$. Let $X$ be an irreducible smooth projective surface over $k$. Fix an integer $n \geq 1$ and let ${\mathcal{H}{\it ilb}}_X^n$ be the Hilbert scheme parameterizing effective $0$-cycles of length $n$ on $X$. The aim of the present article is to find the $S$-fundamental group scheme and Nori's fundamental group scheme of the Hilbert scheme $\mathcal{H}{\it ilb}_X^n$.
This paper proposes a conjectural picture for the structure of the Chow ring of a (projective) hyper-Kähler variety, and the construction of a Beauville decomposition, with emphasis on the Chow group of $0$-cycles, which is endowed with a natural filtration of Brill-Noether type. Some of the conjectures are proved in the case of Hilbert schemes of K3 surfaces and Fano varieties of lines of cubic fourfolds.
We study the action of irreducible derivations X on some Hilbert's quasi-regular algebras QRH of germes at 0 of analytic functions on (U,0), where U is a semi-algebraic set: that is, we show that these algebras are X-finite or locally X-finite, ie. the degre of the integral projection is finite by restriction to fibers of elements of QRH, and the differential ideals are noetherian or locally noetherian. We then give an important application of this material to the Hilbert's 16th problem about limit cycles: there is no accumulation of limit cycles on hyperbolic polycycles, inside compact analyt…
In this text we prove that if a smooth cubic in $\PR^5$ has its Fano variety of lines birational to the Hilbert scheme of two points on a K3 surface, then there exists a smooth projective curve or a smooth projective surface embedded in the Fano variety, such that the kernel of the push-forward (at the level of zero cycles ) induced by the closed embedding is torsion.
We construct an action of the Neron--Severi part of the Looijenga-Lunts-Verbitsky Lie algebra on the Chow ring of the Hilbert scheme of points on a K3 surface. This yields a simplification of Maulik and Negut's proof that the cycle class map is injective on the subring generated by divisor classes as conjectured by Beauville. The key step in the construction is an explicit formula for Lefschetz duals in terms of Nakajima operators. Our results also lead to a formula for the monodromy action on Hilbert schemes in terms of Nakajima operators.
Göttsche gave a formula for the dimension of the cohomology of Hilbert schemes of points on a smooth projective surface $S$. When $S$ admits an action by a finite group $G$, we describe the action of $G$ on the Hodge structure. In the case that $S$ is a K3 surface, each element of $G$ gives a trace on $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\sum_{i=0}^{\infty}(-1)^{i}H^{i}(S^{[n]},\mathbb{C})q^{n}$. When $G$ acts faithfully and symplectically on $S$, the resulting generating function is of the form $q/f(q)$, where $f(q)$ is a cusp form. We relate the Hodge structure of Hilbert schemes of points to the Hodge struc…
The goal is to verify the Hodge conjecture (and some related conjectures) for certain moduli spaces. It is shown that the (generalized) Hodge conjecture holds for the projective moduli spaces of vector bundles over an abelian or K3 surface or a curve if it holds for all powers of the surface or curve. In the latter case, the curve can be replaced by its Jacobian. As a consequence the generalized Hodge conjecture holds for these moduli spaces when the curve is very general. A similar result is proved for the Hilbert schemes of points over an arbitrary surface.
We resume the study initiated in \cite{CL}. For a generic curve $C$ in an ample linear system $\vert \mathcal{L} \vert$ on a toric surface $X$, a vanishing cycle of $C$ is an isotopy class of simple closed curve that can be contracted to a point along a degeneration of $C$ to a nodal curve in $\vert \mathcal{L} \vert$. The obstructions that prevent a simple closed curve in $C$ from being a vanishing cycle are encoded by the adjoint line bundle $K_X \otimes \mathcal{L}$. In this paper, we consider the linear systems carrying the two simplest types of obstruction. Geometrically, these obstructio…
We prove that for a sufficiently ample line bundle $L$ on a surface $S$, the number of $δ$-nodal curves in a general $δ$-dimensional linear system is given by a universal polynomial of degree $δ$ in the four numbers $L^2,\,L.K_S,\,K_S^2$ and $c_2(S)$. The technique is a study of Hilbert schemes of points on curves on a surface, using the BPS calculus of [PT3] and the computation of tautological integrals on Hilbert schemes by Ellingsrud, Göttsche and Lehn. We are also able to weaken the ampleness required, from Göttsche's $(5δ-1)$-very ample to $δ$-very ample.
Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over a number field, fibered over a curve, with geometrically integral fibers. We prove that, supposing the finiteness of $\sha(Jac(C))$, if the fibers over a generalised Hilbertian subset satisfy the Hasse principle (resp. weak approximation), then the Brauer-Manin obstruction coming from the base curve is the only obstruction to the Hasse principle (resp. to weak approximation) for zero-cycles of degree 1 on $X$.
We show that the weights on a tropical variety can be recovered from the tropical scheme structure proposed by the Giansiracusas in arXiv:1308.0042, so there is a well-defined Hilbert-Chow morphism from a tropical scheme to the underlying tropical cycle. For a subscheme of projective space given by a homogeneous ideal I we show that this tropical scheme structure contains the same information as the set of valuated matroids of the vector spaces I_d for d \geq 0. We also give a combinatorial criterion to determine whether a given relation is in the congruence defining the tropical scheme struct…
