On the second gaussian map for curves on a K3 surface

Abstract

By a theorem of Wahl, for canonically embedded curves which are hyperplane sections of K3 surfaces, the first gaussian map is not surjective. In this paper we prove that if C is a general hyperplane section of high genus (greater than 280) of a general polarized K3 surface, then the second gaussian map of C is surjective. The resulting bound for the genus g of a general curve with surjective second gaussian map is decreased to g >152.