Linear syzygies on curves with prescribed gonality

Abstract

We prove two statements concerning the linear strand of the minimal free resolution of a curve of fixed gonality. Firstly, we show that a general curve C of genus g of non-maximal gonality k\leq (g+1)/2 satisfies Schreyer's Conjecture, that is, b_{g-k,1}(C,K_C)=g-k, and all its highest order linear syzygies are of Eagon-Northcott type. This is a statement going beyond Green's Conjecture and predicts that all highest order linear syzygies in the canonical embedding of C are determined by the syzygies of the (k-1)-dimensional scroll containing C. Secondly, we formulate an optimal effective version of the Gonality Conjecture and prove it for general k-gonal curves. This generalizes the asymptotic Gonality Conjecture proved by Ein-Lazarsfeld and improves results of Rathmann in the case where C is a general curve of fixed gonality.