An infinitesimal approach to a conjecture of Eisenbud and Harris

Abstract

Eisenbud and Harris conjectured in 1982 that an algebraic curve of high genus lies on a surface of low degree (which they proved for curves of very large degree). They observed constraints on the Hilbert function of a general hyperplane section which imply that the hyperplane section lies on a curve of low degree. We investigate this situation under deformation. Given a set of sufficiently many points (as postulated by the conjecture) on a linearly normal curve, we show that if the number of conditions on quadrics remains constant, then for every deformation of the points the curve deforms along with them.

arXiv comment14 pages