On the number of moduli of extendable canonical curves

Abstract

AbstractLet C ⊂ ℙg−1 be a canonical curve of genus g. In this article we study the problem of extendability of C, that is when there is a surface S ⊂ ℙg different from a cone and having C as hyperplane section. Using the work of Epema we give a bound on the number of moduli of extendable canonical curves. This for example implies that a family of large dimension of curves that are cover of another curve has general member nonextendable. Using a theorem of Wahl we prove the surjectivity of the Wahl map for the general k-gonal curve of genus g when k = 5, g ≥ 15 or k = 6, g ≥ 13 or k ≥ 7, g ≥ 12.