Jet schemes and singularities of W^r_d(C) loci

Abstract

Kempf proved that the theta divisor of a smooth projective curve C has rational singularities. In this paper we estimate the dimensions of the jet schemes of the theta divisor and show that all these schemes are irreducible. In particular, we recover Kempf's theorem in this way. For general projective smooth curves, our method also gives a formula for the log canonical threshold of the pair (\pic^d(C), W^r_d(C)).

26 pages