On two conjectures for curves on $K3$ surfaces

Abstract

We prove that the gonality among the smooth curves in a complete linear system on a $K3$ surface is constant except for the Donagi-Morrison example. This was proved by Ciliberto and Pareschi under the additional condition that the linear system is ample. As a consequence we prove that exceptional curves on $K3$ surfaces satisfy the Eisenbud-Lange-Martens-Schreyer conjecture and explicitly describe such curves. They turn out to be natural extensions of the Eisenbud-Lange-Martens-Schreyer examples of exceptional curves on $K3$ surfaces.