For a double solid $V\to P_3(C)$ branched over a surface $B\subset P_3(C)$ with only ordinary nodes as singularities, we give a set of generators of the divisor class group $Pic(\tilde{V}})$ in terms of contact surfaces of $B$ with only superisolated singularities in the nodes of $B$. As an application we give a condition when the integral cohomology of $\tilde{V}$ has no 2-torsion. All possible cases are listed if $B$ is a quartic surface. Furthermore we give a new lower bound for the dimension of the code of $B$.
Let M(2;0,3) be the moduli space of rank-2 stable vector bundles with Chern classes c_1=0, c_2=3 on the Fano threefold X, the double solid of index two. We prove that the vector bundles obtained by Serre's construction from smooth elliptic quintic curves on X form an open part of an irreducible component M' of M(2;0,3) and that the Abel-Jacobi map F:M'-->J(X) into the intermediate Jacobian J(X) defined by the second Chern class is generically finite of degree 84 onto a translate of the theta divisor. We also prove that the family of elliptic quintics on a general X is irreducible and of dimens…
We compute the classes of universal theta divisors of degrees zero and g-1 over the Deligne-Mumford compactification of the moduli space of curves, with various integer weights on the points, in particular reproving a recent result of Müller. We also obtain a formula for the class in the Chow ring of the moduli space of curves of compact type of the double ramification locus, given by the condition that a fixed linear combination of the marked points is a principal divisor, reproving a recent result of Hain. Our approach for computing the theta divisor is more direct, via test curves and the g…
Motivated by the realizability problem for principal tropical divisors with a fixed ramification profile, we explore the tropical geometry of the double ramification locus in $\mathcal{M}_{g,n}$.There are two ways to define a tropical analogue of the double ramification locus: one as a locus of principal divisors, the other as a locus of finite effective ramified covers of a tree. We show that both loci admit a structure of a generalized cone complex in $M_{g,n}^{trop}$, with the latter contained in the former. We prove that the locus of principal divisors has cones of codimension zero in $M_{…
Let $X^n \subset P^N$ be a nonsingular, nondegenerate projective variety of dimension $n$ and codimension $N-n \ge 2$. Let $|C_X|$ be the linear system determined by the double-point divisor obtained by generically projecting $X$ to a hypersurface in $P^{n+1}$. We classify those varieties for which $C_X$ is not ample, or equivalently, does not separate points of $X$. We call such varieties Roth varieties and prove that they exist for all dimensions $n \ge 2$ and give a description of their properties. For example, in many cases Roth varieties are Castelnuovo varieties. Positivity results for t…
EPW-sextics are special 4-dimensional sextic hypersurfaces (with 20 moduli) which come equipped with a double cover. We analyze the double cover of EPW-sextics parametrized by a certain prime divisor in the moduli space. We associate to the generic sextic parametrized by that divisor a K3 surface of genus 6 and we show that the double epw sextic is a contraction of the Hilbert square of the K3. This result has two consequences. First it gives a new proof of the following result of ours: smooth double EPW-sextics form a locally complete family of hyperkaehler projective deformations of the Hilb…
We show that the class of the affine line is a zero divisor in the Grothendieck ring of algebraic varieties over complex numbers. The argument is based on the Pfaffian-Grassmannian double mirror correspondence.
We give a log-geometric description of the space of twisted canonical divisors constructed by Farkas--Pandharipande. In particular, we introduce the notion of a principal rubber $k$-log-canonical divisor, and we study its moduli space. It is a proper Deligne--Mumford stack admitting a perfect obstruction theory whose virtual fundamental cycle is of dimension $2g-3+n$. In the so-called strictly meromorphic case with $k=1$, the moduli space is of the expected dimension and the push-forward of its virtual fundamental cycle to the moduli space of stable curves equals the weighted fundamental class…
The aim of this paper is to compute the class of the closure of the effective divisor in M_{6,1} given by pointed curves [C,p] with a sextic plane model mapping p to a double point. Such a divisor generates an extremal ray in the pseudoeffective cone of M_{6,1} as shown by Jensen. A general result on some families of linear series with adjusted Brill-Noether number 0 or -1 is introduced to complete the computation.
Double planes branched in 6 lines give a famous example of K3 surfaces. Their moduli are well understood and related to abelian fourfolds of Weil type. We compare these two moduli interpretations and in particular divisors on the moduli spaces. On the K3 side, this is achieved with the help of elliptic fibrations. We also study the Kuga-Satake correspondence on these special divisors.
We study the rationality problem for nodal quartic double solids. In particular, we prove that nodal quartic double solids with at most six singular points are irrational, and nodal quartic double solids with at least eleven singular points are rational.
Let C be a general connected, smooth, projective curve of positive genus g. For each nonnegative integer i we give formulas for the number of pairs (P,Q) em C x C off the diagonal such that (g+i-1)Q-(i+1)P is linearly equivalent to an effective divisor, and the number of pairs (P,Q) em C x C off the diagonal such that (g+i+1)Q-(i+1)P is linearly equivalent to a moving effective divisor.
Let $X \subseteq \mathbb{P}^r$ be a non-degenerate smooth projective variety of dimension $n$, codimension $e$, and degree $d$ defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. In this paper, we first show that $\text{reg} (\mathcal{O}_X) \leq d-e$, and classify the extremal and the next to extremal cases. Our result reduces the Eisenbud-Goto regularity conjecture for the smooth case to the problem finding a Castelnuovo-type bound for normality. It is worth noting that McCullough-Peeva recently constructed counterexamples to the regularity conjecture by showing that $\text{reg…
We study the projective normality of a minimal surface $X$ which is a ramified double covering over a rational surface $S$ with $\dim|-K_S|\ge 1$. In particular Horikawa surfaces, the minimal surfaces of general type with $K^2_X=2p_g(X)-4$, are of this type, up to resolution of singularities. Let $π$ be the covering map from $X$ to $S$. We show that the $\mathbb{Z}_2$-invariant adjoint divisors $K_X+rπ^*A$ are normally generated, where the integer $r\ge 3$ and $A$ is an ample divisor on $S$.
We study the mixed Hodge structure on the third homology group of a threefold which is the double cover of projective three-space ramified over a quartic surface with a double conic. We deal with the Torelli problem for such threefolds.
We study a double solid X branched along a nodal sextic surface in a projective space and the 2-torsion subgroup in the third integer cohomology group of a resolution of singularities of X. This group can be considered as an obstruction to rationality of X. Studying this group we conclude that all sextic double solids admitting non-trivial obstructions to rationality are branched along determinantal surfaces of very specific type and we provide an explicit list of them.
We consider the derived category of an Artin-Mumford quartic double solid blown-up at ten ordinary double points. We show that it has a semi-orthogonal decomposition containing the derived category of the Enriques surface of a Reye congruence. This answers affirmatively a conjecture by Ingalls and Kuznetsov.
A collection $S = \{D_1,\ldots, D_n\}$ of divisors in a smooth variety $X$ is an {\em arrangement} if intersections of all subsets of $S$ are smooth. We show that a double cover of $X$ ramified on an arrangement has a crepant resolution under additional hypotheses. Namely, we assume that all intersection components that change the canonical divisor when blown up satisfy are {\em splayed}, a property of the tangent spaces of the components first studied by Faber. This strengthens a result of Cynk and Hulek, which requires a stronger hypothesis on the intersection components. Further, we study t…
The aim of this short note is to give a simple proof of the non-rationality of the double cover of the three-dimensional projective space branched over a sufficiently general quartic.
For an affine double plane defined by an equation of the form z^2 = f, we study the divisor class group and the Brauer group. Two cases are considered. In the first case, f is a product of n linear forms in k[x,y] and X is birational to a ruled surface P^1 x C, where C is rational if n is odd and hyperelliptic if n is even. In the second case, f is the equation of an affine hyperelliptic curve. On the open set where the cover is unramified, we compute the groups of divisor classes, the Brauer groups, the relative Brauer group, as well as all of the terms in he exact sequence of Chase, Harrison…
Let $φ:Σ_1\longrightarrow \mathbb{P}^2$ be a blow up at a point on $\mathbb{P}^2$. Let $C$ be the proper transform of a smooth plane curve of degree $d\geq 4$ by $φ$, and let $P$ be a point on $C$. Let $π:\tilde{C}\longrightarrow C$ be a double covering branched along the reduced divisor on $C$ obtained as the intersection of $C$ and a reduced divisor in $|-2K_{Σ_1}|$ containing $P$. In this paper, we investigate the Weierstrass semigroup $H(\tilde{P})$ at the ramification point $\tilde{P}$ of $π$ over $P$, in the case where the intersection multiplicity at $φ(P)$ of $φ(C)$ and the tangent lin…
In this note we study the geometry of principally polarized abelian varieties (ppavs) with a vanishing theta-null (i.e. with a singular point of order two and even multiplicity lying on the theta divisor). We describe the locus within the theta-null divisor where this singularity is not an ordinary double point. By using theta function methods we first show that this locus does not equal the entire theta-null divisor (this was shown previously by O. Debarre). We then show that this locus is contained in the intersection of the theta-null divisor with the other irreducible components of the And…
We compute the class of the closure of the locus of canonical divisors in the projectivization of the Hodge bundle $\mathbb{P}\overline{\mathcal{H}}_g$ over $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_g$ which have a zero at a Weierstrass point. We also show that the strata of canonical and bicanonical divisors with a double zero span extremal rays of the respective pseudoeffective cones.
In this paper we calculate genaral n-canonical divisors on smoothable semi-log-terminal singularities in dimension 2, in other words, the full sheaves associated to the double dual of the nth tensor power of the dualizing sheaves of these singularities. And as its application we give the inequality which bound the Gorenstein index by the local self intersection number of the n-canonical divisor of these singularities.
We consider the class of singular double coverings $X \to \PP^3$ ramified in the degeneration locus $D$ of a family of 2-dimensional quadrics. These are precisely the quartic double solids constructed by Artin and Mumford as examples of unirational but nonrational conic bundles. With such quartic surface $D$ one can associate an Enriques surface $S$ which is the factor of the blowup of $D$ by a natural involution acting without fixed points (such Enriques surfaces are known as nodal Enriques surfaces or Reye congruences). We show that the nontrivial part of the derived category of coherent she…
Three-dimensional del Pezzo varieties of degree 2 are double covers of projective space $\mathbb{P}^{3}$ branced in a quadric. In this paper we prove that if a del Pezzo variety of degree 2 has exactly 15 nodes then the corresponding quadric is a hyperplane section of the Igusa quartic or, equivalently, all such del Pezzo varieties are members of one particular linear system on the Coble fourfold. Their automorphism groups are induced from the automorphism group of Coble fourfold. Also we classify all $G$-birationally rigid varieties of such type.
It is proved that the group of birational automorphisms of a three-dimensional double quadric with a singular point arising from a double point on the branch divisor is a semidirect product of the free group generated by birational involutions of a special form and the group of regular automorphisms. The proof is based on the method of `untwisting' maximal singularities of linear systems.
We study the codimension two locus H in A_g consisting of principally polarized abelian varieties whose theta divisor has a singularity that is not an ordinary double point. We compute the class of H in A_g for every g. For g=4, this turns out to be the locus of Jacobians with a vanishing theta-null. For g=5, via the Prym map we show that H in A_5 has two components, both unirational, which we completely describe. This gives a geometric classification of 5-dimensional ppav whose theta-divisor has a quadratic singularity of non-maximal rank. We then determine the slope of the effective cone of …
In this paper, we prove a stronger form of the Bogomolov-Gieseker (BG) inequality for stable sheaves on two classes of Calabi-Yau threefolds, namely, weighted hypersurfaces inside the weighted projective spaces $\mathbb{P}(1, 1, 1, 1, 2)$ and $\mathbb{P}(1, 1, 1, 1, 4)$. Using the stronger BG inequality as a main technical tool, we construct open subsets in the spaces of Bridgeland stability conditions on these Calabi-Yau threefolds.
A $K3$ surface with an ample divisor of self-intersection 2 is a double cover of the plane branched over a sextic curve. We conjecture that a similar statement holds for the generic couple $(X,H)$ with $X$ a deformation of $(K3)^{[n]}$ and $H$ an ample divisor of square 2 for Beauville's quadratic form. If $n=2$ then according to the conjecture $X$ is a double cover of a (singular) sextic 4-fold in $\PP^5$. It follows from the conjecture that a deformation of $(K3)^{[n]}$ carrying a divisor (not necessarily ample) of degree 2 has an anti-symplectic birational involution. We test the conjecture…
We classify all the irrational pencils over the surfaces of general type with p=q=2. This classification adds a new evidence to a Catanese conjecture which states that if S has p=q=2 but no irrational pencils then it is the double cover of a P.P. Abelian variety branched on a reduced divisor linearly equivalent to twice a theta divisor.
We prove birational superrigidity of Fano double hypersurfaces of index one with quadratic and multi-quadratic singularities, satisfying certain regularity conditions, and give an effective explicit lower bound for the codimension of the set of non-rigid varieties in the natural parameter space of the family. The lower bound is quadratic in the dimension of the variety. The proof is based on the techniques of hypertangent divisors combined with the recently discovered $4n^2$-inequality for complete intersection singularities.
Using the structure of the jet schemes of rational double point singularities, we construct "minimal embedded toric resolutions" of these singularities. We also establish, for these singularities, a correspondence between a natural class of irreducible components of the jet schemes centered at the singular locus and the set of divisors which appear on every "minimal embedded toric resolution". We prove that this correspondence is bijective except for the $E_8$ singulartiy. This can be thought as an embedded Nash correspondence for rational double point singularities.
In this paper, we prove that a pair of the minimal resolution of a del Pezzo surface with rational double points whose general anti-canonical member is smooth and its exceptional divisor lifts to the Witt ring. We also classify a del Pezzo surface with rational double points whose anti-canonical members are all singular. As a corollary, we determine all singularity types of del Pezzo surfaces with rational double points which only appear in positive characteristic.
Let $P \cup P'$ be the two component Prym variety associated to an étale double cover $\tilde{C} \to C$ of a non-hyperelliptic curve of genus $g \geq 6$ and let $|2Ξ_0|$ and $|2Ξ_0'|$ be the linear systems of second order theta divisors on $P$ and $P'$ respectively. The component $P'$ contains canonically the Prym curve $\tilde{C}$. We show that the base locus of the subseries of divisors containing $\tilde{C} \subset P'$ is scheme-theoretically the curve $\tilde{C}$. We also prove canonical isomorphisms between some subseries of $|2Ξ_0|$ and $|2Ξ_0'|$ and some subseries of second order theta …
For a smooth minimal surface of general type $S$ with $Albdim(S) = 2$, Severi inequality says that $K_S^2 \geq 4χ(S)$, which was proved by Pardini. It is expected that when the equality is attained, $S$ is birational to a double cover over an Abelian surface branched along a divisor having at most negligible singularities. This was proved when $K_S$ is ample by Manetti. In this paper, we applied Manetti's method to the canonical model of $S$, with some additional assumptions we proved Severi inequality and characterized the surfaces with $K_S^2 = 4χ(S)$.In addition, we gave a characterization …
It is shown that a smooth global deformation of quartic double solids, i.e. double covers of $\mathbb P^3$ branched along smooth quartics, is again a quartic double solid without assuming the projectivity of the global deformation. The analogous result for smooth intersections of two quadrics in $\mathbb P^ 5$ is also shown, which is, however, much easier. In a weak form this extends results of J. Kollár and I. Nakamura on Moishezon manifolds that are homeomorphic to certain Fano threefolds and it gives some further evidence for the question whether global deformations of Fano manifolds of Pic…
In this paper, we prove the irreducibility of the monodromy action on the anti-invariant part of the vanishing cohomology on a double cover of a very general element in an ample hypersurface of a complex smooth projective variety branched at an ample divisor. As an application, we study dominant rational maps from a double cover of a very general surface $S$ of degree$\geq 7$ in ${\mathbb P}^3$ branched at a very general quadric surface to smooth projective surfaces $Z$. Our method combines the classification theory of algebraic surfaces, deformation theory, and Hodge theory.
We study Hilbert schemes of points on a smooth projective Calabi-Yau 4-fold $X$. We define $\mathrm{DT}_4$ invariants by integrating the Euler class of a tautological vector bundle $L^{[n]}$ against the virtual class. We conjecture a formula for their generating series, which we prove in certain cases when $L$ corresponds to a smooth divisor on $X$. A parallel equivariant conjecture for toric Calabi-Yau 4-folds is proposed. This conjecture is proved for smooth toric divisors and verified for more general toric divisors in many examples. Combining the equivariant conjecture with a vertex calcul…
This paper suggests a new approach to questions of rationality of threefolds based on category theory. Following M. Ballard, D. Favero, L. Katzarkov (ArXiv:1012.0864) and D. Favero, L. Katzarkov (Noether--Lefschetz Spectra and Algebraic cycles, in preparation) we enhance constructions from A. Kuznetsov (arXiv:0904.4330) by introducing Noether--Lefschetz spectra --- an interplay between Orlov spectra (C. Oliva, Algebraic cycles and Hodge theory on generalized Reye congruences, Compos. Math. 92, No. 1 (1994) 1--22) and Hochschild homology. The main goal of this paper is to suggest a series of in…
Given a degree one del Pezzo surface with canonical singularities, the linear series generated by twice the anti-canonical divisor exhibits the surface as the double cover of the quadric cone branched along a sextic curve. It is natural to ask if this description extends to the boundary of a compactification of the moduli space of degree one del Pezzo surfaces. The goal of this paper is to show that this is indeed the case. In particular, we give an explicit classification of the boundary of the moduli space of anti-canonically polarized broken del Pezzo surfaces of degree one as double covers…
A generic K3 surface of degree 2t is a general complex projective K3 surface whose Picard group is generated by the class of an ample divisor whose with respect to the intersection form is 2t. We show that if X is the Hilbert square of a generic K3 surface of degree 2t, with $t > 2$, such that X admits an ample divisor with $q_X(D)=2$, where $q_X$ Beauville-Bogomolov-Fujiki form, then X is a double EPW sextic.
A cusp singularity is a surface singularity whose minimal resolution is a cycle of smooth rational curves meeting transversely. Cusp singularities come in naturally dual pairs. Looijenga proved in 1981 that if a cusp singularity is smoothable, the minimal resolution of the dual cusp is the anticanonical divisor of some smooth rational surface. In 1983, the second author and Miranda gave a criterion for smoothability of a cusp singularity, in terms of the existence of a K-trivial semistable model for the central fiber of such a smoothing. We study these "Type III degenerations" of rational surf…
We prove non-rationality and birational super-rigidity of a Q-factorial double cover X of P^3 ramified along a sextic surface with at most simple double points. We also show that the condition #|Sing(X)| < 15 implies Q-factoriality of X. In particular, every double cover of P^3 with at most 14 simple double points is non-rational and not birationally isomorphic to a conic bundle. All the birational transformations of X into elliptic fibrations and into Fano 3-folds with canonical singularities are classified. We consider some relevant problems over fields of finite characteristic. When X is de…
Let $X$ be a surface of general type with maximal Albanese dimension: if $K_X^2<\frac{9}{2}χ(\mathcal{O}_X)$, one has $K_X^2\geq 4χ(\mathcal{O}_X)+4(q-2)$. We give a complete classification of surfaces for which equality holds for $q(X)\geq 3$: these are surfaces whose canonical model is a double cover of a product elliptic surface branched over an ample divisor with at most negligible singularities which intersects the elliptic fibre twice. We also prove, in the same hypothesis, that a surface $X$ with $K_X^2\neq 4χ(\mathcal{O}_X)+4(q-2)$ satisfies $K_X^2\geq 4χ(\mathcal{O}_X)+8(q-2)$ and we …
In this paper we investigate Moishezon twistor spaces which have a structure of double covering over a very simple rational threefold. These spaces can be regarded as a direct generalization of the twistor spaces studied by Poon and Kreussler-Kurke to the case of arbitrary signature. In particular, the branch divisor of the double covering is a cut of the rational threefold by a single quartic hypersurface. A defining equation of the hypersurface is determined in an explicit form. We also show that these twistor spaces interpolate LeBrun twistor spaces and the twistor spaces constructed in mat…
In a recent paper (math.DG/0701278) we constructed a series of new Moishezon twistor spaces which is a kind of variant of the famous LeBrun twistor spaces. In this paper we explicitly give projective models of another series of Moishezon twistor spaces on nCP^2 for arbitrary n>2, which can be regarded as a generalization of the twistor spaces of a 'double solid type' on 3CP^2 studied by Kreussler, Kurke, Poon and the author. Similarly to the twistor spaces of 'double solid type' on 3CP^2, projective models of present twistor spaces have a natural structure of double covering of a CP^2-bundle o…
This paper is devoted to the classification of irregular surfaces of general type with $p_g=q=2$ and non birational bicanonical map. The main result is that, if $S$ is such a surface and if $S$ is minimal with no pencil of curves of genus 2, then $S$ is a double cover of a principally polarized abelian surface $(A,Θ)$, with $Θ$ irreducible. The double cover $S\to A$ is branched along a divisor $B\in |2Θ|$, having at most double points and so $K_S^2=4$.
We study the rational Picard group of the projectivized moduli space of holomorphic n-differentials on complex genus g stable curves. We define (n - 1) natural classes in this Picard group that we call Prym-Tyurin classes. We express these classes as linear combinations of boundary divisors and the divisor of n-differentials with a double zero. We give two different proofs of this result, using two alternative approaches: an analytic approach that involves the Bergman tau function and its vanishing divisor and an algebro-geometric approach that involves cohomological computations on the univer…
In this Thesis we study surfaces of general type with maximal Albanese dimension for which the quantity $K_X^2-4χ(\mathcal{O}_X)-4(q-2)$ vanishes or is "small", that is surfaces close to the Severi lines. Over the complex numbers, it is known that a surface $X$, provided that $K_X^2<\frac{9}{2}χ(\mathcal{O}_X)$, has to satisfy the inequality $K_X^2-4χ(\mathcal{O}_X)-4(q-2)\geq 0$. We give a constructive and complete classification of surfaces for which equality holds: these are surfaces whose canonical model is a double cover of an Abelian surface ($q=2$) or of a product elliptic surface ($q\g…
