Kaehler differentials for fat point schemes in P^1xP^1

Abstract

Let $X$ be a set of $K$-rational points in $P^1\times P^1$ over a field $K$ of characteristic zero, let $Y$ be a fat point scheme supported at $X$, and let $R_Y$ be the bihomogeneus coordinate ring of $Y$. In this paper we investigate the module of Kaehler differentials ${\Omega }_{R_Y/K}^1$. We describe this bigraded $R_Y$-module explicitly via a homogeneous short exact sequence and compute its Hilbert function in a number of special cases, in particular when the support $X$ is a complete intersection or an almost complete intersection in $P^1\times P^1$. Moreover, we introduce a Kaehler different for $Y$ and use it to characterize reduced fat point schemes in $P^1\times P^1$ having the Cayley-Bacharach property.

introduction expanded, Example 3.8 added, paper streamlined and improved