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# On the Moduli Scheme of stable Sheaves supported on cubic Space Curves

## 1. Introduction

Generalizing the Maruyama schemes of semi-stable torsionfree coherent sheaves, C. Simpson introduced in 1994 coarse projective moduli spaces $`M_P(X)`$ for arbitrary semi-stable sheaves with fixed Hilbert polynomial $`P`$ on a smooth projective variety $`X`$. If the degree $`d`$ of the Hilbert polynomial $`P`$ is strictly less than the dimension of $`X`$, all elements of the space $`M_P(X)`$ are sheaves supported on proper $`d`$-dimensional subvarieties of $`X`$.

One among many reasons for studying these Simpson moduli spaces is that they often contain structure sheaves of subvarieties of $`X`$ with Hilbert polynomial $`P`$. Thus, certain components of $`M_P(X)`$ can be viewed as compactifications of an open part of the corresponding Hilbert scheme $`\text{Hilb}_P(X)`$.

The structure of the spaces $`M_P(_2)`$ of semi-stable sheaves with linear polynomial $`P(m)=\mu m+\chi `$ and small multiplicities $`\mu 4`$ supported on plane curves has been described by J. Le Potier .

In this paper, we investigate the geometry of the space $`M_{3m+1}(_3)`$, one of the first nontrivial examples of a reducible moduli space of stable sheaves on $`_3`$ supported on space curves.

One might view $`M=M_{3m+1}(_3)`$ in some sense as an analogue of the Hilbert scheme $`\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$ containing the twisted cubics, which has been analyzed by R. Piene and M. Schlessinger . The two spaces share many similar properties. They consist for example both of two smooth rational components which intersect transversally. Indeed, even more is true: One component $`M_0`$ of the Simpson moduli space $`M`$ is isomorphic to the closure $`H_0`$ of the space of twisted cubic curves in $`\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$. On the other hand, the second component $`M_1M`$ consisting of Cohen-Macaulay modules on planar cubics is simpler than the “ghost” component $`H_1`$ of the Hilbert scheme.

The structure sheaves of cubic space curves $`𝒪_CM_0`$ specialize in direction towards the intersection $`M_0M_1`$ in a natural way to rank-$`1`$ Cohen-Macaulay sheaves with support on singular plane cubics.

We give a complete classification of the sheaves in the moduli space $`M`$ and of their resolutions. Furthermore, we characterize $`M`$ as a geometric quotient of a parameter space $`X`$ by a non-reductive algebraic group $`G`$. The points in $`X`$ are the matrices that occur in a common resolution for all the sheaves in $`M`$. This representation as a quotient is used to compute an explicit deformation of the sheaves in $`M_0M_1`$ into structure sheaves of space cubics, to prove the transversality of the intersection $`M_0M_1`$, and to identify $`M_0`$ as a blow up. We summarize our result in the following theorem.

###### 1.1 Theorem.

Let $`M:=M_{3m+1}(_3)`$ be the Simpson moduli space of semi-stable sheaves on $`_3`$ with Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$. Then

* $`M`$ is a fine moduli space representing the corresponding functor.
* All sheaves in $`M`$ are stable and admit a free resolution

$$\text{}.$$
* $`M`$ is a projective variety and consists of two nonsingular, irreducible, rational components $`M_0`$ and $`M_1`$ of dimension $`12`$ and $`13`$ respectively.
* $`M_0`$ is isomorphic to the component $`H_0`$ of the Hilbert scheme $`\text{Hilb}_{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}3}m+1}(_3)`$ which contains the twisted cubic curves. It is also isomorphic to the blow up of a space $`N`$ of nets of quadrics in $`_3`$ along the subvariety $`N_1`$ of degenerate nets, see  and 8.2.
* The component $`M_1`$ consists of isomorphism classes of stable sheaves $``$, supported on plane cubics $`C`$, which admit a non-split extension

$$\text{},$$

where $`pC`$. $`M_1`$ is isomorphic to the incidence variety of the relative Hilbert scheme of cubic curves contained in planes. As a subscheme of $`M`$, the component $`M_1`$ is characterized by the vanishing of the degree $`0`$ entry of the matrices $`A`$ in $`(2)`$.
* The two components $`M_0`$ and $`M_1`$ intersect transversally and the intersection is smooth, rational of dimension $`11`$. It is isomorphic to the exceptional divisor $`(𝒩_{N_1/N})`$ of the blow up $`M_0\text{Bl}_{N_1}(N)`$. The elements of $`M_0M_1`$ are Cohen-Macaulay sheaves supported on plane singular cubics with a section vanishing exactly in one of the singularities of the curve.
* There is a quasi–affine scheme $`X`$ acted on by a non-reductive algebraic group $`G`$ and a $`G`$–equivariant morphism $`X\stackrel{𝜋}{}M`$ such that

1. the pullback to $`X\times _3`$ of the universal sheaf $`𝓤`$ on $`M\times _3`$ has a universal resolution which restricts to the resolution of $`𝓤_{\pi (x)}`$ of $`(2)`$ at any $`x`$.
    2. $`X\stackrel{𝜋}{}M`$ is a geometric quotient.

The description of $`M_0`$ as a blow up of $`N`$ is used in section 9 to compute the Chow groups of $`M`$ based on a result of G. Ellingsrud and S.A. Strømme  on the Chow ring of the space of nets of quadrics, see theorem 9.2.

Acknowledgements. The first author wants to thank Michael Thaddeus for useful discussions and his encouragement. The second author was partially supported by the DFG–Schwerpunktprogramm “Globale Methoden in der komplexen Geometrie”.

Notations. We work over a fixed, algebraically closed field $`k`$ of characteristic $`0`$ and denote projective $`n`$-space by $`=_n=V`$, where $`V`$ is an $`(n+1)`$-dimensional vector space over $`k`$. Let $`S`$ be a Noetherian (base-)scheme of finite type over $`k`$. For any (not necessarily reduced or irreducible) projective variety $`X`$ with very ample line bundle $`𝒪_X(1)`$, we denote the two projections from $`S\times _kX`$ to $`S`$ and $`X`$ by $`p`$ and $`q`$ respectively.

Let $`𝓕\text{Coh}(S\times _kX)`$, $`𝒢\text{Coh}(S)`$ and $`\text{Coh}(X)`$ be coherent sheaves. We will use the following abbreviations: $`𝒢=p^{}𝒢q^{}`$, $`\stackrel{~}{𝒢}(m)=𝒢𝒪_X(m)=p^{}𝒢q^{}𝒪_X(m)`$, $`𝓕(m)=𝓕p^{}𝒪_X(m)`$ and $`𝓕_s=𝓕|_{X_s}`$ for the fibers. If $`f:S^{}S`$ is a morphism we write $`f_X`$ for $`f\times id:S^{}\times _kXS\times _kX`$. Usually, we will use bold letters for $`S`$-flat families $`𝓕`$ on $`S\times _kX`$. Finally, we denote the support of $`\text{Coh}(X)`$ defined by the annihilator ideal sheaf $`\text{Ann}()`$ by $`Z()`$.

## 2. Schemes of stable sheaves

We recall the theorem of C. Simpson  on the existence of a coarse moduli scheme for semi-stable sheaves on a smooth projective variety $`X`$. A coherent $`𝒪_X`$–module is called purely $`d`$–dimensional if its support is purely $`d`$–dimensional and if it has no torsion in dimension $`<d`$. The Hilbert polynomial of a purely $`d`$–dimensional sheaf $``$ can be written as

$$P_{}(m):=\underset{\nu =0}{\overset{d}{}}(1)^\nu dim_kH^\nu (X,𝒪_X(m))=\underset{\nu =0}{\overset{d}{}}a_\nu ()\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{m+\nu 1}{\nu }\right)=\frac{a_d()}{d!}m^d+\mathrm{}$$

with integers $`a_\nu ()`$. The number $`\mu ()=a_d()`$ is positive and is called the multiplicity of $``$. The polynomial

$$R_{}(m)=P_{}(m)/a_d()$$

is called the reduced Hilbert polynomial of $``$. We write $`R_{}R_{}`$ resp. $`R_{}<R_{}`$ if $`R_{}(m)R_{}(m)`$ resp. $`R_{}(m)<R_{}(m)`$ for large $`m`$. A coherent sheaf $``$ of pure dimension $`d`$ is called semi-stable resp. stable if for any proper subsheaf $`0\underset{}{}`$,

$$R_{}R_{}\text{ resp. }R_{}<R_{}.$$

It is easy to prove that $``$ is (semi)-stable if and only if for any proper quotient sheaf $`𝒢`$ of $``$ which is also purely $`d`$–dimensional,

$$R_{}R_𝒢\text{ resp. }R_{}<R_𝒢,$$

see , proposition 1.2.6.

Given a numerical polynomial $`P[T]`$, a contravariant functor

$$_P(X):\text{(schemes)}\text{ (sets) }$$

is defined as follows. For a scheme $`S`$, the set $`_P(X)(S)`$ is the set of all classes $`[𝓕]`$ of coherent sheaves $`𝓕`$ on $`S\times X`$ which are $`S`$–flat and for which all fibers $`_s`$, $`sS`$, are semi-stable with Hilbert polynomial $`P__s(m)=P(m)`$. Here the class $`[𝓕]`$ is defined to be the class of $`𝓕`$ under the equivalence relation $`𝓕𝓕p^{}`$ for a line bundle $``$ on $`S`$. For a morphism $`T\stackrel{𝑓}{}S`$ the map

$$_P(X)(S)_P(X)(T)$$

is defined by $`[𝓕][f_X^{}𝓕]`$.

###### 2.1 Theorem (Simpson).

Let $`X`$ be a smooth projective variety and $`P`$ a numerical polynomial. Then there exists a projective variety $`M_P(X)`$ which is a coarse moduli space corepresenting the functor $`_P(X)`$.
The closed points of $`M_P(X)`$ parametrize the $`S`$-equivalence classes of semi-stable sheaves on $`X`$ with fixed Hilbert polynomial $`P`$.
Furthermore, there is an open subset $`M_P^s(X)M_P(X)`$ parametrizing the isomorphism classes of stable sheaves.

For proofs, see ,,. If the integers $`a_\nu ()`$ in the Hilbert polynomial are pairwise coprime, then any semi-stable sheaf is already stable and thus $`M_P(X)=M_P^s(X)`$. Moreover, in this case there exists a universal sheaf $`𝓤`$ on $`M_P(X)\times X`$ such that $`M_P(X)`$ becomes a fine moduli space and represents the functor $`_P(X)`$, see , corollary 4.6.6. There is also a relative version of Simpson’s theorem, see , theorem 4.3.7.

###### 2.2 Proposition.

The tangent space at a stable sheaf $`[]`$ in $`M_P^s(X)`$ is isomorphic to $`\text{Ext}_{𝒪_X}^{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}1}}(X,,)`$ and the germ of $`M_P^s(X)`$ at $`[]`$ is a universal deformation of $``$. If $`\text{Ext}_{𝒪_X}^{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}}(X,,)=0`$, then $`M_P^s(X)`$ is smooth at $`[]`$.

A proof can be found in , corollary 4.5.2. For the polynomial $`P(m)=3m+1`$ we obtain in particular:

###### 2.3 Proposition.

a) Any semi-stable sheaf on $`_3`$ with Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$ is stable and locally Cohen-Macaulay on its support, and $`M=M_{3m+1}(_3)=M_{3m+1}^s(_3).`$

b) $`M`$ represents the functor $`_{3m+1}(_3)`$ and there is a universal sheaf $`𝓤`$ over $`M\times _3`$.

## 3. Stable sheaves supported on cubics

The Hilbert Scheme $`H:=\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$ consists of two smooth, rational components. One of them is the $`12`$-dimensional Zariski closure $`H_0`$ of the space of twisted cubic curves in $`H`$. The other $`15`$-dimensional component $`H_1`$ contains the planar cubics with an additional point in $`_3`$. Piene and Schlessinger showed in  that $`H_0H_1`$ is smooth, rational of dimension $`11`$ and that the two components intersect transversally. The curves in the intersection are planar, singular cubics with an embedded point at one of the singularities.

Now we determine the types of the sheaves in $`M`$ and their resolutions.

We recall first a few facts about locally Cohen-Macaulay curves $`C_3`$ of degree $`d`$:

* The arithmetic genus satisfies $`p_a(C)\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{d1}{2}\right)`$ with equality if and only if $`C`$ is contained in a plane $`H_3`$.
* If $`C`$ is not planar then $`h^1(_C(n))\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{d2}{2}\right)p_a(C)`$ for all $`n`$.
* $`\text{reg}(_C)\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{d}{2}\right)+1p_a(C)`$, where reg denotes the Mumford-Castelnuovo regularity.

###### 3.1 Lemma.

For any cubic curve $`C`$ in $`H_0H_1`$ the structure sheaf $`𝒪_C`$ is stable.

###### Proof.

The curves in $`H_0H_1`$ are precisely the connected locally Cohen-Macaulay curves of degree $`3`$ in $`_3`$ which are not contained in a plane and have Hilbert polynomial $`P_{𝒪_C}(m)=3m+1`$, see e.g.  or . Given a proper quotient $`𝒪_C𝒬`$ of pure dimension $`1`$, $`𝒬`$ is the structure sheaf $`𝒪_C^{}`$ of a locally Cohen-Macaulay curve $`C^{}C`$ of $`\mathrm{deg}(C^{})2`$. If $`\mathrm{deg}(C^{})=1`$, then $`C^{}`$ is a line with $`R_{𝒪_C^{}}(m)=m+1`$ and thus $`R_{𝒪_C}<R_𝒬`$. If $`\mathrm{deg}(C^{})=2`$, then $`C^{}`$ is a union of two skew lines or a conic and thus $`P_{𝒪_C^{}}(m)=2m+2`$ or $`2m+1`$. In both cases $`R_{𝒪_C}<R_𝒬`$. ∎

###### 3.2 Lemma.

Let $``$ be a stable sheaf on $`_3`$ with Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$. Then the support $`C=Z()`$ of $``$ is a connected locally Cohen-Macaulay curve of degree 3.

* If $`C`$ is contained in a plane $`H_3`$ then there exists a non-split extension

$$0𝒪_C\stackrel{s}{}k_p0,$$

where $`pC`$ and $`k_p`$ denotes the skyscraper sheaf supported on that point.
* If $`C`$ is not contained in a plane, then $`CH_0H_1\text{Hilb}_{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}3}m+1}(_3)`$ and $``$ is isomorphic to the structure sheaf $`𝒪_C`$.

###### Proof.

Because $`P_{}(0)=1`$, the sheaf $``$ has a non-zero section $`s`$. Let $`C`$ denote the support of $`s`$. The corresponding homomorphism $`𝒪`$ induces an embedding $`𝒪_C`$. Since $``$ is purely $`1`$-dimensional Cohen-Macaulay sheaf, also $`C`$ is purely $`1`$-dimensional and a locally Cohen-Macaulay curve. We have $`P_{𝒪_C}(m)P_{}(m)`$ for large $`m`$ and thus $`1\mathrm{deg}(C)3`$. If $`\mathrm{deg}(C)2`$, then $`P_{𝒪_C}(m)=m+1`$, $`2m+1`$ or $`2m+2`$, depending on whether $`C`$ is a line, a conic or a union of two skew lines. But this is excluded by the stability of $``$. Therefore, $`C`$ is a cubic curve. It is connected, because any proper connected component of it would violate stability, too.

(i) If $`C`$ is contained in a plane, then $`P_{𝒪_C}(m)=3m`$. It follows that the cokernel $`/𝒪_C`$ is a skyscraper sheaf $`k_p`$. Because $``$ is stable, it cannot be isomorphic to the direct sum $`𝒪_Ck_p.`$ This proves (i). Furthermore, the ideal sheaf $`_C`$ also annihilates $``$, because, if g is germ in $`_C`$, then $`g`$ has 0-dimensional support and must vanish because $``$ has no 0-dimensional torsion. This proves that $`C=Z()`$ in the planar case.

(ii) Assume now that $`Z()`$ is not contained in a plane. Then also $`C`$ is not contained in a plane by the previous part (i). Then $`1P_{𝒪_C}(0)=p_a(C)<1`$ or $`0<P_{𝒪_C}(0)`$, see (C1). On the other hand, the stability of $``$ implies $`P_{𝒪_C}(0)/31/3`$ and hence $`P_{𝒪_C}(0)=1`$. Therefore $`P_{𝒪_C}(m)=3m+1=P_{}(m)`$, which yields $`𝒪_C=`$. Moreover, $`C=Z()`$ must be contained in $`H_0H_1`$. This completes the proof. Note, that in both cases $`h^0()=1`$. ∎

###### 3.3 Lemma.

Let $``$ be a stable sheaf on $`_3`$ with Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$ and let $`C=Z()`$ be its supporting cubic curve. Then the following are equivalent:

* There exists a non-split extension of type $`0𝒪_Ck_p0`$ with $`pC`$.
* $``$ is supported on a plane $`H`$ and has a free resolution

$$02𝒪_H(2)\underset{\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{q_1l_1}{q_2l_2}\right)}{}𝒪_H𝒪_H(1)0,$$
(1)

Remark: It can easily be verified that the resolution (1) is the Beilinson resolution of $``$ on the plane $`H`$.

###### Proof.

(i) to (ii): The extension sequence implies that $`P_{𝒪_C}(m)=3m`$ and hence $`p_a(C)=1`$. Then $`C`$ is contained in a plane $`H`$. Because $`C`$ is the support of $``$, the extension sequence is a sequence of $`𝒪_H`$-modules. By standard homological algebra, a resolution of $``$ can be obtained from the Koszul resolution of $`k_p`$ twisted by $`𝒪_H(1)`$ and the resolution of $`𝒪_C`$ by its cubic form $`f`$. The result is the resolution

$$0𝒪_H(3)\stackrel{𝐵}{}𝒪_H(3)2𝒪_H(2)\stackrel{𝐴}{}𝒪_H𝒪_H(1)0$$

with

$$A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}f& 0\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)\text{ and }B=(\lambda ,l_2,l_1),$$

such that in particular $`\lambda f=q_1l_2q_2l_1`$. Suppose $`\lambda =0`$. Then $`l_1|q_1`$ and $`l_2|q_2`$ since $`l_1`$ and $`l_2`$ are independent. Hence there exists a linear form $`w`$ such that $`q_1=wl_1`$ and $`q_2=wl_2`$, and it would follow that $`A`$ is equivalent to $`\left(\begin{array}{cc}f& 0\\ 0& l_1\\ 0& l_2\end{array}\right)`$. But then $``$ decomposes into $`𝒪_Ck_p`$ contradicting the stability of $``$. Consequently, we can assume $`\lambda =1`$. Then

$$A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}q_1l_2q_2l_1& 0\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)\text{ is equivalent to }\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 0\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right),$$

and thus one can delete the ghost summand $`𝒪_H(3)`$. The homomorphism of the matrix $`\left(\begin{array}{cc}q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)`$ is injective because $`q_1l_2q_2l_10`$.

(ii) to (i): Since the cokernel of the composition of the projection $`𝒪_H𝒪_H(1)𝒪_H(1)`$ with the matrix of the resolution (1) is $`k_p`$, we obtain a surjective map $`k_p`$. It follows easily that its kernel is $`𝒪_C`$.

###### 3.4 Lemma.

Let $`C`$ be a curve in $`H_0H_1\text{Hilb}_{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}3}m+1}(_3)`$. Then $`𝒪_C`$ has a free resolution

$$\begin{array}{ccccccccccc}0& & 2𝒪__3(3)& & 3𝒪__3(2)& & 𝒪__3& & 𝒪_C& & 0\end{array}.$$
(2)
###### Proof.

Since $`C`$ is not contained in a plane we get $`h^0_C(1)=0`$. The ideal sheaf $`_C`$ is $`4`$-regular and $`h^1_C(2)`$ vanishes, cf. remarks (C1) – (C3). Hence $`P__C(m)=\frac{1}{6}m^3+m^2\frac{7}{6}m`$ is equal to $`h^0_C(m)`$ for all $`m2`$. This implies that the saturated homogeneous ideal $`I=H_{}^0(_C)`$ of the curve is minimally generated by three independent quadratic forms $`I=(q_1,q_2,q_3)`$. The structure sheaf $`𝒪_C`$ is stable according to lemma 3.1 and consequently $`C`$ is locally Cohen-Macaulay. Therefore, we get an exact sequence

$$\begin{array}{ccccccccc}0& & & & 3𝒪__3& \underset{\varphi =\left(\begin{array}{c}q_1\\ q_2\\ q_3\end{array}\right)}{}& _C(2)& & 0,\end{array}$$

where $``$ is a locally free sheaf of rank $`2`$ on $`_3`$. $`H_{}^1()=0`$ because the map $`\varphi `$ is already surjective on global sections. Furthermore, (C2) implies $`H^2(m)H^1_C(2+m)=0`$ for all $`m`$. Thus, due to Horrock’s criterion, see , the vanishing of the intermediate cohomology implies that the bundle $``$ splits, i.e. $`=𝒪__3(a)𝒪__3(b)`$. We know that $`a,b<0`$. Using Riemann-Roch, we get $`c_1(_C(2))=2`$ since $`\text{rk}(_C(2))=1`$ and $`P_{_C(2)}(m)=\frac{1}{6}m^3+2m^2+\frac{29}{6}m+3`$. It follows that $`a=b=1`$ because $`0=c_1()+c_1(_C(2))=a+b+2`$. ∎

###### 3.5 Proposition.

Every stable sheaf $``$ on $`_3`$ with $`P_{}(m)=3m+1`$ has a free resolution

$$02𝒪__3(3)\stackrel{𝐵}{}𝒪__3(1)3𝒪__3(2)\stackrel{𝐴}{}𝒪__3𝒪__3(1)0.$$
$`(CR)`$
If $`C=Z()`$ is contained in a plane $`H=Z(w)`$ the matrices can be chosen in normal form

$$B=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}q_1& l_1& w& 0\\ q_2& l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right)\text{ and }A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}w& 0\\ 0& w\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right),\text{where }I_C=(q_1l_2q_2l_1,w)\text{ and }l_1l_20.$$

If $`Z()`$ is not contained in any plane then the normal forms are

$$B=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& l_1& l_2& l_3\\ 0& l_4& l_5& l_6\end{array}\right)\text{ and }A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ q_1& 0\\ q_2& 0\\ q_3& 0\end{array}\right)$$

with linear forms $`l_i`$ and quadratic forms $`q_i.`$

###### Proof.

Say, $`Z()H`$. Then by lemma 3.2.(i) and lemma 3.3.(ii), there exists a resolution

$$02𝒪_H(2)\underset{\left(\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{q_1l_1}{q_2l_2}\right)}{}𝒪_H𝒪_H(1)0$$

of $``$. Since the equation $`w`$ of the plane $`H`$ is annihilated by $``$ also the map $`𝒪__3(1)3𝒪__3(2)\stackrel{A}{}𝒪__3𝒪__3(1)`$ has $``$ as cokernel. It is then easy to verify that the matrix of relations for $`A`$ is indeed $`B`$. The non-planar case follows immediately from lemma 3.2.(ii) and lemma 3.4. ∎

Remark: From the resolution (CR) in 3.5 we see that the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity of any stable sheaf with Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$ is equal to $`1`$ and hence $`H^1=0`$. This fact and the Beilinson-II spectral sequence

$$H^s(_3,\mathrm{\Omega }__3^r(r))_k𝒪__3(r)=:E_1^{rs}E_{\mathrm{}}^i\{\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{\text{gr}(),}{0,}\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{\text{ for }i=0}{\text{ otherwise }}$$

induce an exact sequence

$$0H^1(1)𝒪__3(3)H^0(\mathrm{\Omega }__3^1(1))𝒪__3(1)H^0(\mathrm{\Omega }__3^2(2))𝒪__3(2)$$

$$H^0𝒪__3H^1(\mathrm{\Omega }__3^1(1))𝒪__3(1)0$$
(3)
because the cohomology groups $`H^0(j),j>0`$, vanish due to the stability of $``$.

Using the two sequences (1) and (2), it is an easy exercise in cohomology to check that

$$\begin{array}{ccc}h^0(\mathrm{\Omega }^3(3))=0\hfill & ,& h^1(\mathrm{\Omega }^3(3))=2\hfill \\ h^0(\mathrm{\Omega }^2(2))=0\hfill & ,& h^1(\mathrm{\Omega }^2(2))=3\hfill \\ \multicolumn{3}{c}{h^0(\mathrm{\Omega }^1(1))=h^1(\mathrm{\Omega }^1(1))=\{\begin{array}{cc}1& \text{ if }Z()\text{ is planar.}\\ 0& \text{otherwise.}\end{array}}\end{array}$$

Hence, the resolution (CR) is the Beilinson resolution (3) if the sheaf is supported on a plane. In the case of non-planar sheaves, the terms $`𝒪__3(1)`$ can be cancelled from (CR) to give the Beilinson resolution (3) in that case. Furthermore, due to the explicit construction in this section we also know exactly which types of matrices $`A`$ and $`B`$ can occur.

The relative version of Beilinson’s theorem, see , p. 306, specializes in our case to

###### 3.6 Proposition.

1) Let $`𝓕\text{Coh}(S\times _3)`$ be an $`S`$-flat family of semi-stable sheaves $`𝓕_s`$ with Hilbert polynomial $`P_{𝓕_s}(m)=3m+1`$ for all $`sS`$. Then there is an exact sequence

$`0_2𝒪__3(3)𝒜_1𝒪__3(1)_1𝒪__3(2)`$

$`𝒜_0𝒪__3_0𝒪__3(1)𝓕0`$

with

$$\begin{array}{cc}& _2=R^1p_{}(𝓕\mathrm{\Omega }^3(3))\hfill \\ 𝒜_1=p_{}(𝓕\mathrm{\Omega }^1(1))\hfill & _1=R^1p_{}(𝓕\mathrm{\Omega }^2(2))\hfill \\ 𝒜_0=p_{}𝓕\hfill & _0=R^1p_{}(𝓕\mathrm{\Omega }^1(1))\hfill \end{array}$$

2) The sheaves $`_2,_1,𝒜_0`$ are locally free of rank $`2,3,1`$ respectively.

3) The sheaves $`𝒜_1`$ and $`_0`$ are supported on the subscheme $`S_1S`$ of points $`sS`$ for which $`𝓕_s`$ is planar.

###### Proof.

The first part follows from the relative Beilinson spectral sequence and the vanishing of cohomology groups $`H^0(𝓕_s(j))`$ of the stable sheaves $`𝓕_s,sS`$. The second part follows from the base change theorem for the points of $`S`$ using that $`h^1(𝓕_s\mathrm{\Omega }^3(3))=2`$, $`h^1(𝓕_s\mathrm{\Omega }^2(2))=3`$ and $`h^0(𝓕_s)=1`$ for any $`s`$ and the vanishing $`h^0(𝓕_s\mathrm{\Omega }^3(3))=h^0(𝓕_s\mathrm{\Omega }^2(2))=0`$ (the scheme $`S`$ might be non–reduced).

Because $`𝓕`$ is $`S`$–flat, the function $`sh^0(𝓕_s\mathrm{\Omega }^1(1))=h^1(𝓕_s\mathrm{\Omega }^1(1))`$ is upper semi-continuous and defines a reduced, closed subscheme $`S_1S`$ as its support. Then $`S_1=Z(𝒜_1)=Z(_0)`$. ∎

There arise two non–standard problems from the last two propositions: The resolution of type (CR) is not the Beilinson resolution if the sheaf is the structure sheaf $`𝒪_C`$ of a non-planar cubic. Therefore, the Beilinson construction cannot be used directly in order to describe the parameters for the moduli space. Secondly, the automorphism group of a complex (CR) is not reductive. Both problems are overcome in section 5.

## 4. The two components

Let $`M=M_{3m+1}(_3)`$. As stated in proposition 2.3, there is a universal sheaf $`𝓤`$ on $`M\times _3`$. By proposition 3.6, 3), there exists a closed subscheme $`M_1M`$ with reduced structure consisting of all sheaves with planar support. We will show in section 6 that $`M_1`$ is irreducible, smooth and rational of dimension $`13`$. Let now $`M_0`$ denote the closure of the open subscheme $`MM_1`$ of non–planar sheaves. Then we have

$$M=M_0M_1.$$

###### 4.1 Lemma.

$`MM_1`$ is isomorphic to $`H_0H_1`$, the open part of non–planar cubics of the Hilbert scheme $`\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$.

###### Proof.

There is a set-theoretical bijection $`\varphi :M_0M_1H_0H_1`$ due to lemma 3.2, (ii). This bijection is indeed an isomorphism: Let $`Z_0(H_0H_1)\times _3`$ be the universal cubic of $`\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$ restricted to $`H_0H_1`$. Then there is a resolution

$$0_1𝒪__3(3)_0𝒪__3(2)𝒪_{(H_0H_1)\times _3}𝒪_{Z_0}0$$

with $`_1`$ and $`_0`$ locally free on $`H_1H_0`$ of rank $`2`$ and $`3`$. It restricts to the resolution from lemma 3.4 along the fibers. On the other hand, let $`𝓤_0`$ denote the restriction of the universal sheaf $`𝓤`$ to $`(MM_1)\times _3`$. Since the sheaves $`𝒜_1`$ and $`_0`$ in the resolution of $`𝓤`$ vanish on $`MM_1`$ (cf. proposition 3.6), we get

$$0(_2𝒜_0^{})𝒪__3(3)(_1𝒜_0^{})𝒪__3(2)𝒪_{(MM_1)\times _3}𝓤_0p^{}𝒜_0^{}0.$$

Because $`𝓤_0p^{}𝒜_0^{}`$ represents a family of cubic curves in $`H_0H_1`$, it follows from the universal property of H and its open subset $`H_0H_1`$, that there is a unique morphism $`M_0M_1\stackrel{𝛼}{}H_0H_1`$ such that $`𝓤_0p^{}𝒜_0^{}`$ is the pullback of $`𝒪_{Z_0}`$. Since on the other hand $`𝒪_{Z_0}`$ is also a family of stable sheaves belonging to $`M_0M_1`$, there is a unique morphism $`H_0H_1\stackrel{𝛽}{}M_0M_1`$ such that conversely $`𝒪_{Z_0}`$ is the pullback of $`𝓤_0p^{}𝒜_0^{}`$. By uniqueness $`\alpha `$ and $`\beta `$ are inverse to each other. The underlying map of $`\alpha `$ is exactly the bijection $`\varphi `$ above. ∎

Piene and Schlessinger’s result  on $`H_0\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$ implies then the following corollary.

###### 4.2 Corollary.

The subscheme $`M_0`$ is an irreducible component of $`M`$ of dimension $`12`$ and smooth along $`M_0M_1`$.

We will show in section 8 that the component $`M_0`$ as a whole is isomorphic to $`H_0`$ and that it can be identified with a blowup of the space of nets of quadrics as described in  such that $`M_0M_1`$ is the exceptional divisor.

## 5. A parameter space

The Beilinson resolution of proposition 3.6 over $`M\times _3`$ of the universal sheaf contains the sheaves $`𝒜_1`$ and $`_0`$ which are supported on $`M_1`$ and so are not locally free on $`M`$. On the other hand, they do not cancel because the homomorphism between them is zero. In the following, we construct a quasi–affine variety $`X`$ consisting of the matrices which occur in the resolution in proposition 3.5 such that the moduli space $`M`$ is a geometric quotient of $`X`$ and such that the variety $`X`$ is the minimal one allowing a locally free resolution of the lifted universal sheaf. To begin with, we prove the following

###### 5.1 Lemma.

Any $``$ in $`M`$ has an open neighbourhood $`UM`$ such that there is a resolution

$$02\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(3)\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(2)\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)𝓤|_{U\times _3}0,$$

where $`\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(d)=𝒪_U𝒪__3(d)`$ and $`𝓤`$ denotes the universal sheaf on $`M\times _3`$.

###### Proof.

Consider the relative Beilinson resolution of $`𝓤`$ from proposition 3.6. If $`M_0M_1`$ choose an open neighbourhood $`UM_0M_1`$ of $``$ and add the complex $`0\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)=\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)0`$ to the restriction of the resolution to $`U\times _3`$. In the case $`M_1M_0`$, the restriction of the resolution to some open neighbourhood $`UM_1M_0`$ is already of the proposed type since $`𝒜_1`$ and $`_0`$ are locally free on their support $`M_1`$.

So let $`M_0M_1`$. There exists an open neighbourhood $`U_1M_1`$ of $``$ with

$$02\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(3)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{B}_1}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(2)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{A}_1}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(1)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{\phi }_1}{}𝓤|_{U_1\times _3}0.$$

Here the component of $`\stackrel{~}{A}_1`$ from $`\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(1)`$ to $`\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(1)`$ is zero. We are going to extend this resolution to a resolution of $`𝓤`$ on an open set $`U`$ in $`M`$ with $`UM_1=U_1`$.

For that let $``$ denote the ideal sheaf of $`M_1M`$. The exact sequence $`0p^{}𝓤𝓤𝓤|_{M_1\times _3}0`$ induces

$$H^0(U\times _3,𝓤(i))H^0(U_1\times _3,𝓤(i)|_{M_1\times _3})H^1(U\times _3,p^{}𝓤(i)),i=0,1$$

where $`UM`$ is some open affine with $`U(M_0M_1)\mathrm{}`$ and $`UM_1=U_1`$.

Claim: For any coherent sheaf $`𝒢`$ on $`M`$, $`R^1p_{}(p^{}𝒢𝓤(i))=0`$ for $`i=0,1`$.

Note that $`R^1p_{}𝓤(i)=0`$ since $`\text{reg}()=1`$ for all $`M`$. If $`𝒢`$ is locally free the claim follows from the projection formula: $`R^1p_{}(p^{}𝒢𝓤(i))=𝒢R^1p_{}𝓤(i)`$. Otherwise take a free resolution $`_{}𝒢0`$ and split it into short exact sequences. Then apply $`p^{}`$ to the building blocks and tensor them with $`𝓤(i)`$. Due to the flatness, exactness is preserved. A look at the long exact sequence associated to $`p_{}`$ finishes the proof of the claim.

In particular, we obtain

$$H^1(U\times _3,p^{}𝓤(i))H^0(U,R^1p_{}(p^{}𝓤(i))=0$$

from Leray’s spectral sequence and the claim above. It follows that $`\stackrel{~}{\phi }_1`$ can be extended:

After possibly shrinking $`U`$, we can assume that $`\stackrel{~}{\phi }`$ is surjective. Let $`𝒦`$ denote the kernel of $`\stackrel{~}{\phi }`$. By flatness, $`𝒦𝒪_{M_1}=𝒦_1=\text{Im}(\text{res}|_𝒦)`$. The process of extending $`\stackrel{~}{\phi }_1`$ can be repeated for the situation

$$\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(2)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{A}_1}{}𝒦_10$$

in order to obtain the first part of the resolution in the lemma. The last part of the resolution is obtained by the same procedure applied to the kernel of $`\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_{U_1}(2)𝒦_1`$. ∎

###### 5.2.

The Parameter space.
The space of parameters for $`M`$ will be the space of resolutions described in proposition 3.5. To be precise, let $`=V=_3`$ and let

$$W\text{Hom}(2𝒪_{}(3),𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2))\times \text{Hom}(𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2),𝒪_{}𝒪_{}(1))$$

be the locally closed subvariety of pairs $`(B,A)`$ for which the induced sequence

$$0k^2\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{B}}{}S^2V^{}(k^3V^{})\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{A}}{}S^3V^{}S^2V^{},\stackrel{~}{B}=H^0B(3),\stackrel{~}{A}=H^0A(3)$$
$`(E)`$
is exact. $`W`$ is acted on by the automorphism group

$$G=\text{Aut}(2𝒪_{}(3))\times \text{Aut}(𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2))\times \text{Aut}(𝒪_{}𝒪_{}(1)),$$

the non–reductive group of triples of matrices

$$g_1,g_2=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}\alpha & 0& 0& 0\\ & & & \\ u_1& & & \\ u_2& & g& \\ u_3& & & \end{array}\right),g_3=\left(\begin{array}{cc}\beta & 0\\ u& \gamma \end{array}\right)$$

with $`g_1\text{GL}_2(k)`$, $`g\text{GL}_3(k)`$, $`u,u_iV^{}`$ and $`\alpha ,\beta ,\gamma k^{}`$, the action being given by $`(g_1Bg_2^1,g_2Ag_3^1).`$ The pair $`(B,A)W`$ is called stable if

$$A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}z& \lambda \\ q_1& z_1\\ q_2& z_2\\ q_3& z_3\end{array}\right)$$

satisfies $`\lambda 0`$ or $`z_1z_2z_30`$. We let $`XW`$ be the open subset of stable pairs.

###### 5.3 Lemma.

For any $`(B,A)X`$ the sheaf $`_A=\text{Coker}(A)`$ is stable and has the resolution by $`(B,A)`$ as in proposition 3.5.

###### Proof.

The pair $`(B,A)`$ defines the complex

$$02𝒪_{}(3)\stackrel{𝐵}{}𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2)\stackrel{𝐴}{}𝒪_{}𝒪_{}(1)_A0$$
$`(S)`$
which is already exact except possibly at $`𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2)`$, because $`\stackrel{~}{B}`$ has rank $`2`$. In order to prove exactness and stability, we distinguish the cases $`\lambda 0`$ and $`\lambda =0`$ for the degree $`0`$ entry of $`A`$. If $`\lambda 0`$, it follows that $`(B,A)`$ is $`G`$–equivalent to a pair

$$\begin{array}{cc}\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& l_1\hfill & l_2\hfill & l_3\hfill \\ 0& l_4\hfill & l_5\hfill & l_6\hfill \end{array}\right),\hfill & \left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ q_1& 0\\ q_2& 0\\ q_3& 0\end{array}\right)\hfill \end{array}.$$

In that case the matrix $`B`$ of rank 2 cannot be equivalent to one with $`l_3=l_6=0`$, because then $`q_1=q_2=0`$ and $`\stackrel{~}{A}`$ would have a higher dimensional kernel. Then the linear part $`B^{}`$ of $`B`$ is a stable point of $`\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})`$ for the action of $`\text{GL}_2(k)\text{GL}_3(k)`$, see  and 8.2. It follows that the forms $`q_i`$ are the minors of this matrix $`B^{}`$, that $`_A𝒪_C𝒪_{}/(q_1,q_2,q_3)𝒪_{}`$ is stable and that $`(S)`$ is exact. If $`\lambda =0`$, one proves by an elementary procedure that $`(B,A)`$ is $`G`$–equivalent to a pair

$$\left(\begin{array}{cccc}q_1\hfill & l_1\hfill & w& 0\\ q_2\hfill & l_2\hfill & 0& w\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{cc}\hfill w& \hfill 0\\ \hfill 0& \hfill w\\ \hfill q_1& \hfill l_1\\ \hfill q_2& \hfill l_2\end{array}\right)$$

with $`wl_1l_20`$. Then also $`q_1l_2q_2l_10,`$ because otherwise the sequence (E) would not be exact. In this case the sheaf $`_A`$ has support contained in the plane $`H=Z(w)`$ and has the resolution

$$02𝒪_H(2)\underset{\left(\begin{array}{cc}q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)}{}𝒪_H𝒪_H(1)_A0.$$

Therefore $`_A`$ is one of the stable sheaves of the moduli space $`M_{3m+1}(H),`$ see 6.1 and 6.3. Moreover, due to the shape of the matrix pair, the complex $`(S)`$ is also exact in this case. ∎

The lemma above shows that $`XM,(B,A)[_A]`$ is $`G`$–equivariant and surjective. It follows from the existence of the universal family constructed next that the map is also a morphism.

###### 5.4.

The universal sheaf on $`X`$.
On $`H_1:=\text{Hom}(2𝒪_{}(3),𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2))`$, we are given the tautological homomorphism

$$k^2𝒪_{H_1}\stackrel{𝑏}{}(S^2V^{}k^3V^{})𝒪_{H_1}$$

and on $`H_2:=\text{Hom}(𝒪_{}(1)3𝒪_{}(2),𝒪_{}𝒪_{}(1))`$ we have the tautological maps

$$\begin{array}{cccc}𝒪_{H_2}\hfill & \stackrel{a_1}{}& (V^{}k)𝒪_{H_2}\hfill & \text{(first component)}\hfill \\ k^3𝒪_{H_2}\hfill & \stackrel{a_2}{}& (S^2V^{}V^{})𝒪_{H_2}\hfill & \text{(second component)}.\hfill \end{array}$$

Combining these three maps with the corresponding evaluation homomorphisms $`S^mV^{}𝒪_{}𝒪_{}(m)`$, we obtain homomorphisms

$$k^2𝒪_{H_1}𝒪_{}(3)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{B}}{}𝒪_{H_1}(𝒪_{}(1)k^3𝒪_{}(2))$$

and

$$𝒪_{H_2}(𝒪_{}(1)k^3𝒪_{}(2))\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{A}}{}𝒪_{H_2}(𝒪_{}𝒪_{}(1)).$$

Finally, restricting to $`X\times W\times H_1\times H_2\times `$ and using the notation $`\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_X(m)=𝒪_X𝒪_{}(m)`$, we get the complex

$$02\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_X(3)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{B}}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_X(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_X(2)\stackrel{\stackrel{~}{A}}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_X\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_X(1)𝓕0$$
$`(R)`$
with $`𝓕=\text{Coker}(\stackrel{~}{A})`$. It is exact after restriction to a point $`(B,A)`$ of $`X`$, giving $`𝓕_{(B,A)}=\text{Coker}(A)=_A`$. This proves that the complex (R) is exact and that $`𝓕`$ is a flat family of sheaves over $`X`$. Now the above family defines a unique morphism $`X\stackrel{𝜇}{}M`$ such that $`𝓕\mu _{}^{}𝓤`$, whose underlying map is $`(B,A)[_A]`$, which is surjective. It is easy to verify that the fibers of $`\mu `$ coincide with the $`G`$–orbits.

Remark: The variety $`X`$ consists of two irreducible components $`X_1=\mu ^1(M_1)`$ and $`X_0=\mu ^1(M_0)`$ with $`X_1=\{(B,A)X|\lambda =0\}`$ and $`X_0`$ the closure of $`XX_1`$.

###### 5.5 Theorem.

The morphism $`X\stackrel{𝜇}{}M`$ is a geometric quotient of $`X`$ by the (non–reductive) group $`G`$ in the sense of Geometric Invariant Theory, see , .

###### Proof.

Since the fibers of $`\mu `$ coincide with the $`G`$–orbits, it is sufficient to prove that $`\mu `$ admits local sections (slices) through any point $`(B,A)`$ in $`X`$. Let $`(B,A)X`$ be given and let $`a:=[_A]M`$. By lemma 5.1 there is an open neighbourhood $`U(a)M`$ with a resolution

$$02\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(3)\stackrel{\mathrm{\Psi }}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(2)\stackrel{\mathrm{\Phi }}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)𝓤|_{U\times }0$$

of the universal sheaf. Define a morphism $`s:UX`$ by $`b(\mathrm{\Psi }(b),\mathrm{\Phi }(b))`$. Since $`𝓤_a_A`$ we have $`\mathrm{\Phi }(a)A`$. Then there is an element $`gG`$ with $`g.s(a)=(B,A)`$ and $`g.s`$ is then a section of $`\mu `$ through $`(B,A)`$. ∎

Remark 1: The definition of a geometric quotient in  does not include that the quotient map has to be affine. In our case we do not know whether the action is proper or whether the quotient map is affine.

Remark 2: There is no common stabilizer for all the points of $`X`$. The stabilizers for the points of $`X_1`$ are all the same and isomorphic to $`k^{}\times k`$, whereas the stabilizers for the points of $`X_0X_1`$ are all isomorphic to $`k^{}\times k^{}.`$ Therefore, the action of $`G`$ modulo a subgroup cannot be free and $`X\stackrel{𝜇}{}M`$ is not a principal fibration.

Remark 3: In  polarizations $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ have been introduced by which open sets $`W^s(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })W^{ss}(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })W`$ of stable and semi-stable points for a non–reductive group $`G`$ can be defined in such a way that $`W^{ss}(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })`$ admits a good and projective quotient $`W^{ss}(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })//G`$. Moreover, $`W^s(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })`$ and closed invariant subsets of $`W^s(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })`$ have a geometric quotient.

In the above case $`XW`$, one can prove that there exists no polarization $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ in the sense of , such that $`X`$ is a closed subset of $`W^s(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })`$, cf. .

## 6. The component $`M_1`$

Intuitively, the component $`M_1`$ of $`M_{3m+1}(_3)`$ should be fibered by the schemes $`M_{3m+1}(H)`$ of stable sheaves on a plane $`H`$ in $`_3`$, cf. proof of lemma 5.3. In fact, $`M_1`$ is isomorphic to the relative Simpson scheme over $`_3^{}`$ as we will see. Therefore, we first digress to the moduli space $`M_{3m+1}(_2)`$, see also .

###### 6.1.

The moduli space $`M_{3m+1}(_2)`$.
Let $`M(_2)=M_{3m+1}(_2)`$. Because of the multiplicity $`3`$, this scheme is a fine moduli space with a universal sheaf $`𝓥`$ over $`M(_2)\times _2`$ and it consists entirely of stable sheaves. By lemma 3.3, any sheaf $``$ in $`M(_2)`$ has a resolution

$$02𝒪__2(2)\underset{\left(\begin{array}{cc}q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)}{}𝒪__2𝒪__2(1)0$$
$`(PR)`$
with independent linear forms $`l_1,l_2`$ and quadratic forms $`q_1,q_2`$ such that $`f=q_1l_2q_2l_10`$. The plane cubic $`C=Z()`$ has the equation $`f`$.

###### 6.2 Lemma.

With the above notation let $`pC`$ be the point determined by $`l_1(p)=l_2(p)=0`$. Then the following are equivalent for the stalk $`_p`$.

1. $`_p`$ is not free.
2. $`p`$ is a singular point of $`C`$.
3. $`q_1`$ and $`q_2`$ vanish both at $`p`$.

The elementary proof is left to the reader.

Remark: This lemma shows that the sheaf $``$ is a line bundle on $`C`$, even if the support $`C`$ is singular, if and only if the point $`p`$ is not a singular point. If $`p`$ is a singular point, $``$ is a Cohen–Macaulay sheaf on $`C`$ of rank $`1`$. We call the sheaves $``$ in $`M(_2)`$ that are not locally free on their support singular sheaves.

Now we consider a parameter space $`Y`$ for $`M(_2)`$, using the same method as in section $`5`$. We define $`Y`$ to be the quasi–affine variety of $`2\times 2`$ matrices as in (PR). It is acted on by the group

$$G=\text{Aut}(2𝒪_V(2))\times \text{Aut}(𝒪_V𝒪_V(1))=\text{GL}_2(k)\times \left\{\left(\begin{array}{cc}\alpha & z\\ 0& \beta \end{array}\right)\right|\alpha \beta 0,zV^{}\}$$

via $`(g,h).A=gAh^1.`$

It is clear from the description (PR) of the sheaves $``$ in $`M(_2)`$ that the isomorphism classes $`[]`$ correspond bijectively to the orbits of this action on $`Y`$. So we expect that $`Y/G=M(_2),`$ if the quotient exists. Indeed, as in 5.4 we can construct a universal sheaf $`𝓖`$ over $`Y\times V`$ with a presentation

$$0k^2𝒪_Y𝒪_V(2)\stackrel{\Phi }{}𝒪_Y𝒪_V𝒪_Y𝒪_V(1)𝓖0.$$

For any $`yY`$, the restricted homomorphism $`\mathrm{\Phi }_y=A`$ is one of the matrices above and $`𝓖_y`$ belongs to $`M(_2)`$. Thus $`𝓖`$ is a flat family and defines a surjective morphism $`Y\stackrel{𝜈}{}M(_2)`$ with $`𝓖\nu __2^{}𝓥`$. By the same method as in the proof of theorem 5.5 one can directly construct local slices of $`\nu `$ using the relative Beilinson resolution of the universal sheaf $`𝓥`$, which is locally free in this case. We so obtain the

###### 6.3 Proposition.

The scheme $`M(_2)=M_{3m+1}(_2)`$ together with the morphism $`Y\stackrel{𝜈}{}M(_2)`$ is a geometric quotient of $`Y`$ by the action of the (non-reductive) group $`G`$.

Let now $`ZS^3V^{}\times V`$ denote the universal cubic given by pairs $`(f,x)`$ with $`f(x)=0`$. The map

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\left(\begin{array}{cc}q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)\hfill & & (q_1l_2q_2l_1,l_1l_2)\hfill \end{array}$$

is a surjective morphism $`Y\stackrel{𝛾}{}Z,`$ where we identify $`l_1l_2`$ with the point $`p`$ defined by $`l_1(p)=l_1(p)=0`$ via $`V\mathrm{\Lambda }^2V^{}`$. It is not difficult to see that $`\gamma `$ is a geometric quotient, cf. also . Together with proposition 6.3, this implies

###### 6.4 Corollary.

$`M_{3m+1}(_2)`$ is isomorphic to the universal cubic $`ZS^3V^{}\times V`$.

Remark 1: The isomorphism $`M_{3m+1}(_2)Z`$ has already been mentioned in .

Remark 2: A universal sheaf $`𝓕`$ on $`Z\times _2`$ can also directly be defined as follows. Let $`H=S^3V^{}`$. The dual of the ideal sheaf sequence $`0_\mathrm{\Delta }𝒪_{Z\times _HZ}𝒪_\mathrm{\Delta }0`$ of the diagonal $`\mathrm{\Delta }Z\times _HZ`$ is

$$0𝒪_{Z\times _HZ}𝓕xt^1(𝒪_\mathrm{\Delta },𝒪_{Z\times _HZ})0.$$

The $`xt`$–sheaf is in this case isomorphic to $`𝒪_\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and the sequence does not split. For a single cubic we get back the sequence $`0𝒪_C_Ck_p0`$, see lemma 3.2. This construction is motivated by the classical construction of the Poincaré bundle for a single elliptic curve. Using the embedding $`Z\times _HZZ\times _2`$ determined by $`((C,x),(C,y))((C,x),y)`$, the sheaf $`𝓕`$ can be considered as a sheaf on $`Z\times _2`$ which is flat over $`Z`$. It is isomorphic to the universal sheaf.

Remark 3: One has $`Y=W^s(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })=W^{ss}(G,\mathrm{\Lambda })`$ for the polarization $`\mathrm{\Lambda }=(\frac{1}{2};\frac{3}{4},\frac{1}{4})`$ in the sense of , cf. .

###### 6.5.

The relative case.
We prove now that the component $`M_1`$ is fibered by the spaces $`M_{3m+1}(H),`$ $`H`$ a plane in $`_3.`$ Let $`S:=_3^{}=V^{}`$ and let $`S`$ be the bundle of planes, induced by the tautological subbundle $`V𝒪_S.`$ We denote by

$$M_S=M_{3m+1}(/S)S$$

the relative Simpson scheme, such that each fiber $`M_sM_{3m+1}(_s)`$. See , theorem 4.3.7, for the general situation. This scheme $`M_S`$ is again a fine moduli space with a universal sheaf

$$𝓥_S\text{ over }M_S\times _SM_S\times V.$$

Since $``$ is locally trivial over $`S`$, also $`M_S`$ is locally trivial over $`S`$ with fiber $`M_{3m+1}(_2)`$. Corollary 6.4 implies that $`M_S`$ is smooth, irreducible and rational of dimension $`13`$. Consider now the relative universal cubic

$$Z_S(S^3^{})\times _S.$$

It is easy to show that there exists an isomorphism $`M_SZ_S`$ which extends the isomorphisms $`M_sZ_s`$ of the fibers from 6.4.

###### 6.6 Proposition.

The subscheme $`M_1M`$ is isomorphic to $`M_S`$ and $`Z_S`$ and therefore smooth, rational of dimension $`13`$.

###### Proof.

Let $`𝓤_1`$ be the restriction of the universal sheaf $`𝓤`$ to $`M_1\times V`$. It has a presentation

$$𝒜_1𝒪_V(1)_1𝒪_V(2)\stackrel{𝐴}{}𝒜_0𝒪_V_0𝒪_V(1)𝓤_10$$

with locally free sheaves $`𝒜_1,_1,𝒜_0,_0`$ on $`M_1`$ of ranks $`1,3,1,1`$ respectively, see proposition 3.6. Note that the component $`𝒜_1𝒪_V(1)_0𝒪_V(1)`$ of the homomorphism $`A`$ vanishes identically and that the component $`𝒜_1𝒪_V(1)𝒜_0𝒪_V`$ corresponds to a map

$$𝒪_{M_1}\stackrel{𝜔}{}𝒜_0𝒜_1^{}V^{}.$$

This section $`\omega `$ of $`𝒜_0𝒜_1^{}V^{}`$ is nowhere zero, because $`A`$ can be expressed locally by a matrix

$$\left(\begin{array}{cc}w\hfill & 0\hfill \\ q_1\hfill & z_1\hfill \\ q_2\hfill & z_2\hfill \\ q_3\hfill & z_3\hfill \end{array}\right)$$

of linear and quadratic forms where $`w`$ is the local expression of $`\omega `$. But the linear form $`w`$ is nowhere vanishing because the cokernel sheaves are supported in $`M_1`$. So $`\omega `$ induces a morphism

$$M_1\stackrel{𝜔}{}V^{}=S,$$

which is locally given by $`mw(m)`$, where $`w(m)`$ is the equation of the plane which contains the support of $`(𝓤_1)_m`$. It is now clear from this description that $`𝓤_1`$ is also a relative sheaf. Therefore there exists a unique morphism

with $`𝓤_1f_V^{}𝓥_S`$. Conversely, $`𝓥_S`$ is a flat family of stable sheaves with Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$ on $`M_S\times V`$ and thus defines a morphism $`M_S\stackrel{𝑔}{}M`$ with $`𝓥_Sg_V^{}𝓤`$. Now $`g`$ factors through $`M_1`$ and hence $`𝓥_Sg_V^{}𝓤_1.`$ It follows that $`f`$ and $`g`$ are inverse to each other. ∎

## 7. Deformations and tangent spaces

In this section we show that the elements of the intersection of the two components $`M_0`$ and $`M_1`$ are exactly the singular planar sheaves in $`M_1`$, i.e. the planar sheaves which are not locally free on their support. Furthermore, the two components, defined as reduced subschemes, meet transversally.

Let $`M_1^{}M_1`$ denote the locus of singular sheaves. By lemma 6.2 and proposition 3.5 any $``$ in $`M_1^{}`$ has a resolution

$$02𝒪__3(3)\stackrel{B_0}{}𝒪__3(1)3𝒪__3(2)\stackrel{A_0}{}𝒪__3𝒪__3(1)0$$

with

$`B_0=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}q_1& l_1& w& 0\\ q_2& l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right)`$ and $`A_0=\left(\begin{array}{cc}w& 0\\ 0& w\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)`$
and $`q_i=a_il_1+b_il_2`$ for suitable linear forms $`a_i,b_i`$, $`i=1,2`$.

Using the same method as in the proof of 5.1 one can prove that for any flat deformation $`𝓕\text{Coh}(V\times _3)`$ of $`=𝓕_0`$ over an open neighbourhood $`V𝔸^1`$ of $`0`$ there is an open neighbourhood $`UV`$ over which $`𝓕`$ can be represented by a resolution

$$02\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(3)\stackrel{B_0+tB_1}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)3\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(2)\stackrel{A_0+tA_1}{}\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(1)𝓕0,$$

where $`\stackrel{~}{𝒪}_U(d):=𝒪_U𝒪__3(d)`$ and where $`B_1`$ and $`A_1`$ are matrices which may depend on the parameter $`t`$ of $`𝔸^1`$. (To see this, note that $`H^1(_3,)=H^1(_3,(1))=0`$ and that then also the direct images $`R^1p_{}𝓕,R^1p_{}𝓕(1)`$ vanish on a neighbourhood $`U`$ of 0 by the base change theorem. Assuming $`U`$ to be affine after shrinking, also $`H^1(U\times _3,𝓕)=H^1(U\times _3,𝓕(1))=0.`$ This implies that the homomorphism $`A_0`$ can be lifted and that its lifting is still surjective aftereventually shrinking $`U`$. Then use the same argument for the kernels.)

###### 7.1 Lemma.

$`M_1^{}M_0M_1`$.

###### Proof.

Let $`[]M_1^{}`$ be arbitrary with corresponding matrices $`A_0`$ and $`B_0`$ as above. The ideal of the support $`Z()`$ is given by $`(q_1l_2q_2l_1,w)`$.

We construct explicitly a deformation $`𝓕`$ of the sheaf $``$ over $`𝔸^1`$ with $`𝓕_0`$ and $`𝓕_tM_0M_1`$ for $`t0`$ by choosing the following first order deformation matrices:

$`B_1=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& 0& a_1& b_1\\ 0& 0& a_2& b_2\end{array}\right)`$ and $`A_1=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a_1+b_2& 1\\ b_1a_2b_2a_1& 0\\ 0& 0\\ 0& 0\end{array}\right)`$
Consider the diagram:

It is straightforward to check that the first row in the diagram is exact for all $`t𝔸_1`$. Thus, the cokernel of $`A_t`$ is our $`𝔸_1`$-flat deformation $`𝓕`$. For $`t0`$, we choose the transformation matrices $`T_i`$ in the diagram as:

$$T_{0,t}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 0\\ a_1b_2t^1w& t^2\end{array}\right),T_{1,t}=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}t& 0& 0& 0\\ w& t& 0& 0\\ l_1& 0& t& 0\\ l_2& 0& 0& t\end{array}\right)\text{ and }T_{2,t}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}t^1& 0\\ 0& t^1\end{array}\right)$$

Using those, we obtain the matrices in the second row:

$`\stackrel{~}{B}_t=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& l_1& ta_1+w& tb_1\\ 0& l_2& ta_2& tb_2+w\end{array}\right)`$ , $`\stackrel{~}{A}_t=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ t^2b_1a_2t^2b_2a_1ta_1wtb_2ww^2& 0\\ tq_1ta_1l_1tb_2l_1l_1w& 0\\ tq_2ta_1l_2tb_2l_2l_2w& 0\end{array}\right)`$
Again, one can verify the exactness of that row for $`t0`$. Consequently, we get as cokernel of $`\stackrel{~}{A}_t`$ a family $`𝓖\text{Coh}(_3\times 𝔸_1)`$ with $`𝓕_t𝓖_t=𝒪_{C_t},t0`$ where the curves $`C_t`$ are given by the ideal $`(t^2b_1a_2t^2b_2a_1ta_1wtb_2ww^2,tq_1ta_1l_1tb_2l_1l_1w,tq_2ta_1l_2tb_2l_2l_2w)`$. Therefore the isomorphism classes $`[𝓕_t]`$ are elements of $`MM_1H_0H_1`$ for non-vanishing $`t`$.∎

In order to show that in fact $`M_1^{}=M_0M_1`$, we determine the dimension of the tangent spaces at different points of $`M`$. This will also be used for the proof of the transversality.

###### 7.2 Proposition.

Let $``$ be any sheaf in $`M`$.

1. If $`MM_1`$, then $`dimT_{}M=12`$.
2. If $`M_1M_1^{}`$, then $`dimT_{}M=13`$.
3. If $`M_1^{}`$, then $`dimT_{}M=14`$.

Preparations. The parameter space $`X`$ defined in section 5 is reduced. Therefore, also $`M`$ is reduced as a geometric quotient. $`X`$ consists of matrix pairs $`(B,A)`$ with $`BA=0`$ and $`\text{rk}(\stackrel{~}{B})=2`$.

Let $`p:=(B_0,A_0)X`$ and denote by $`F_p=G.p`$ the $`G`$–orbit through $`p`$ which coincides with the fiber of $`:=\mu (p)`$ under the map $`\mu :XM`$. Standard arguments show that

$`T_pX`$ $`=`$ $`\{(B_1,A_1)X|B_1A_0+B_0A_1=0\},`$
$`T_pF_p`$ $`=`$ $`\{(RB_0B_0S,SA_0A_0T)|(R,S,T)\text{Lie}(G)\}.`$
Every $`[𝒢]\text{Ext}^1(,)`$ has a resolution

$$\begin{array}{ccccccccccc}0& & _2_2& \stackrel{\left(\begin{array}{cc}B_0& 0\\ B_1& B_0\end{array}\right)}{}& _1_1& \stackrel{\left(\begin{array}{cc}A_0& 0\\ A_1& A_0\end{array}\right)}{}& _0_0& & 𝒢& & 0,\end{array}$$

obtained by adding two copies of the resolution 3.5 of $``$. Moreover,

* $`\left(\begin{array}{cc}B_0& 0\\ B_1& B_0\end{array}\right)\text{ }\left(\begin{array}{cc}A_0& 0\\ A_1& A_0\end{array}\right)=0`$ is equivalent to $`B_1A_0+A_0B_1=0`$.
* $`𝒢`$ if and only if $`A_1=SA_0A_0T`$ and $`B_1=RB_0B_0T`$ for some matrices $`S,T,R`$.

Therefore we get an exact sequence $`0T_pF_pT_pX\text{Ext}^1(,)0`$, where the second map is given by $`(B_1,A_1)[𝒢]`$. Since the Zariski tangent space $`T_{}M`$ is isomorphic to the extension group $`\text{Ext}^1(,)`$, cf. proposition 2.2, we obtain

$$T_{}MT_pX/T_pF_p.$$
$`()`$
###### Proof.

Part (i) is an immediate consequence of lemma 4.1: $`MM_1H_0H_1`$ is smooth of dimension $`12`$. For (ii) and (iii) consider $`X_1=\mu ^1(M_1)=\{(B,A)X|\lambda (A)=0\}`$, where $`\lambda (A)`$ is the degree $`0`$ entry of $`A`$. Let $`X_1^{}`$ denote the preimage of the subset $`\mu ^1(M_1^{})`$ of singular sheaves in $`M_1`$. Clearly, $`T_pX_1T_pX`$ for $`pX_1`$.

(1) For $`p=(B_0,A_0)X_1X_1^{}`$, we have $`T_pX_1=T_pX`$. To see this, let $`(B_1,A_1)T_pX`$. The equation $`B_1A_0+B_0A_1=0`$ can be written more explicitly as

$$\left(\begin{array}{cccc}r_1& x_1& x_3& x_5\\ r_2& x_2& x_4& x_6\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{cc}w& 0\\ 0& w\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)+\left(\begin{array}{cccc}q_1& l_1& w& 0\\ q_2& l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{cc}u& \lambda \\ h& v\\ h_1& v_1\\ h_2& v_2\end{array}\right)=0.$$

The two entries $`(1,2)`$ and $`(2,2)`$ of this matrix modulo the three linear forms $`w,l_1`$ and $`l_2`$ yield the equations

$$\overline{q}_1\lambda =0\text{and}\overline{q}_2\lambda =0.$$

Since $`pX_1^{}`$, the quadratic forms $`q_1`$ and $`q_2`$ are not contained in the ideal $`(l_1,l_2,w)`$ and therefore $`\overline{q}_1`$ and $`\overline{q}_2`$ cannot both be equal to zero. Hence $`\lambda =0`$ and $`(B_1,A_1)T_pX_1`$.

(2) On the other hand, if $`pX_1^{}`$ there exists in addition the tangent vector

$$(B_1,A_1)=(\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& 0& a_1& b_1\\ 0& 0& a_2& b_2\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{cc}a_1+b_2& 1\\ b_1a_2b_2a_1& 0\\ 0& 0\\ 0& 0\end{array}\right))$$

from lemma 7.1 which is not contained in $`T_pX_1`$. A direct computation shows that $`T_pX_1`$ and the vector $`(B_1,A_1)`$ span $`T_pX`$. Therefore $`dimT_pX=dimT_pX_1+1`$ in this case. Since $`F_pX_1`$ for all $`pX_1`$, we obtain from $`()`$ that

$$T_{}M/T_{}M_1T_pX/T_pX_1.$$

According to proposition 6.6, $`M_1`$ is smooth of dimension $`13,`$ and we get

$$dimT_{}M=dimT_{}M_1+dimT_pX/T_pX_1=\{\begin{array}{cc}14\text{ if }\hfill & M_1^{}\hfill \\ 13\text{ if }\hfill & M_1M_1^{}.\hfill \end{array}$$

###### 7.3 Corollary.

The intersection $`M_0M_1`$ coincides with the set $`M_1^{}`$ of singular planar sheaves.

###### Proof.

By lemma 7.1, $`M_1^{}M_0M_1`$. Then $`dimT_{}M>dimM=13`$ for any $``$ in $`M_0M_1M_1^{}`$. By proposition 7.2 (ii), this is not possible. ∎

###### 7.4 Proposition.

For any point $`pM_0M_1`$,

1. $`T_pM_0+T_pM_1=T_pM`$
2. $`T_p(M_0M_1)=T_pM_0T_pM_1`$

###### Proof.

We have $`T_pM_0+T_pM_1T_pM`$ and therefore $`13dim(T_pM_0+T_pM_1)dimT_pM=14`$ by proposition 7.2. If $`dim(T_pM_0+T_pM_1)=13`$, then $`T_pM_0T_pM_1`$ since $`dimT_pM_1=13`$ because of the smoothness of $`M_1`$. But this is not possible because there are deformation paths from $`p`$ to points $`qM_0M_1`$ as we saw in the proof of lemma 7.1. Part (b) is a general fact for intersections of subvarieties. ∎

Remark: We will show in section 8 that $`M_0M_1`$ is smooth of dimension 11. Then it follows already from (a) and (b) that $`M_0`$ is also smooth along $`M_0M_1`$ and that the components $`M_0`$ and $`M_1`$ intersect transversally.

## 8. The component $`M_0`$ and transversality

We will now prove that the isomorphism $`M_0M_1H_0H_1`$ from lemma 4.1 extends to an isomorphism $`M_0H_0`$ and that moreover $`M_0`$ is isomorphic to a blowup of the smooth variety $`N`$ of nets of quadrics as described in , see 8.2 below. Each of these two statements implies that $`M_0`$ is smooth and rational of dimension $`12`$ due to the results in  and . The blowup structure of $`H_0`$ has been mentioned without proof in . We include a nice explicit description for $`M_0`$ using the deformation matrices of section 7.

###### 8.1 Proposition.

The component $`M_0`$ is isomorphic to the component $`H_0`$ of the Hilbert scheme $`\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$.

###### Proof.

We extend the isomorphism $`f^{}:M_0M_1H_0H_1`$ using Fitting ideals. The Fitting ideal of a sheaf $`M`$ is the ideal $`\text{Fitt}()`$ generated by the $`2`$–minors of the presentation matrix $`A`$ in the resolution of $``$. Recall from proposition 3.5 that $`A`$ has the form

$$\left(\begin{array}{cc}w& 0\\ 0& w\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)\text{ or }\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ q_1& 0\\ q_2& 0\\ q_3& 0\end{array}\right)$$

depending on whether the support $`Z()`$ is contained in a plane or not. By corollary 7.3, the elements of $`M_0M_1`$ are exactly the singular planar sheaves which are characterized by matrices $`A`$ of the first type with the additional condition $`(q_1,q_2)(l_1,l_2)`$. Therefore we obtain

$`\text{Fitt}()`$ $`=`$ $`(q_1,q_2,q_3)\text{if }M_0M_1`$
$`\text{Fitt}()`$ $`=`$ $`(w^2,wl_1,wl_2,l_1q_2l_2q_1)\text{if }M_0M_1`$
Note, that on the other hand $`(w^2,wl_1,wl_2,l_1q_2l_2q_1)`$ is exactly the normal form for ideals of cubics in $`H_0H_1`$, see . Therefore we get a surjective, set-theoretical map $`f:M_0H_0,𝒪_{Z(\text{Fitt}())}`$ extending the isomorphism $`f^{}`$. It is indeed bijective, the injectivity on $`M_0M_1`$ is easy to check. Applying $`𝒪_{Z(\text{Fitt}())}`$ to each fiber $`=𝓤_{}`$ of the universal sheaf $`𝓤|_{M_0\times _3}`$, we obtain a family $`𝓖\text{Coh}(H_0\times _3)`$. It is straightforward to see that $`𝓖`$ is $`H_0`$–flat with constant Hilbert polynomial $`3m+1`$ along the fibers. The morphism induced by $`𝓖_{3m+1}(_3)(H_0)`$ is exactly the set-theoretical map $`f`$. Since $`H_0`$ is smooth the bijective morphism $`f`$ is an isomorphism by Zariski’s main theorem. ∎

Remark: The above Fitting map cannot be extended to a morphism $`M_{3m+1}(_3)\text{Hilb}_{3m+1}(_3)`$, because the family of Fitting ideals of all the matrices $`A`$ is not flat over $`M`$.

###### 8.2.

Nets of quadrics.
Let $`Vk^4`$ and let $`N`$ denote the geometric quotient

$$\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})^s/\text{GL}_2(k)\times GL_3(k)$$

as described in . An adhoc definition of the stability of a matrix

$$Q=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}x_1& x_2& x_3\\ y_1& y_2& y_3\end{array}\right)$$

in $`\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})`$ is that $`Q`$ is not equivalent to a matrix with two zeros in a row or in a column. The scheme $`N`$ is projective, smooth, rational of dimension 12. Its tangent space at $`[Q]`$ is isomorphic to

$$T_{[Q]}N\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})/F_Q\text{with}F_Q=\{SQQR|S𝔤𝔩_2,R𝔤𝔩_3\},$$

as in the proof of proposition 7.2. Let $`N_1N`$ be the subvariety whose points are of the form

$$\left[\begin{array}{ccc}l_1& w& 0\\ l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right]$$

with linear independent forms $`w,l_1,l_2V^{}`$. $`N_1`$ is the subvariety of classes of matrices, whose $`3`$ minors have a common linear factor and thus do not determine a cubic space curve. On the other hand

$$NN_1H_0H_1MM_1$$

because the 3 quadrics of a matrix in $`NN_1`$ generate the ideal of a cubic space curve in $`_3=V`$, see .

Let $`qN_1`$ be defined by the matrix $`Q=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}l_1& w& 0\\ l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right)`$ and let $`l_3`$ be a fourth linear form independent of $`w,l_1,l_2`$, and let

$$T_Q^{}\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})$$

be the $`5`$–dimensional subspace spanned by the matrices

$$\left(\begin{array}{ccc}\rho l_3& \lambda _1l_1+\lambda _2l_2+\lambda _3l_3& 0\\ & & \\ \sigma l_3& 0& \lambda _1l_1+\lambda _2l_2+\lambda _3l_3\end{array}\right)$$

with $`\rho ,\sigma ,\lambda _1,\lambda _2,\lambda _3k`$. We have the

###### 8.3 Lemma.

1. $`T_Q^{}F_Q=0`$
2. $`T_qN_1=T_Q^{}F_Q/F_Q`$
3. $`T_qN/T_qN_1\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})/T_Q^{}F_Q`$

###### Proof.

(i) follows by a direct computation in linear algebra. Because the matrices of $`T_q^{}`$ define a slice over $`N_1`$ by $`Q+T_Q^{}`$ and cover a neighbourhood of $`q`$ in $`N_1`$, we obtain that $`T_Q^{}F_Q/F_QT_QN_1T_Q^{}F_Q/F_Q`$. (iii) is a consequence of (ii). ∎

Remark: The above lemma implies also that $`N_1`$ is smooth of dimension $`5`$ because $`dimT_Q^{}=5`$, $`dimF_Q=12`$. It is actually isomorphic to the tautological plane bundle over $`_3^{}`$, in other words, to the flag manifold $`𝔽lag(1,3,V^{})`$.

###### 8.4.

The morphism $`M\stackrel{𝜌}{}N`$.
Recalling the definition of the parameter space $`X=X_0X_1`$ of $`M`$, as a space of pairs $`(B,A)`$ with

$$B=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}f& x_1& x_2& x_3\\ g& y_1& y_2& y_3\end{array}\right),A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}z& \lambda \\ & \\ q_1& z_1\\ q_2& z_2\\ q_3& z_3\end{array}\right),$$

we know that the component $`X_1`$ is defined by the condition $`\lambda =0`$. It follows that $`M_1M`$ and then also $`M_0M_1M_0`$ is a Cartier divisor in its reduced structure. Moreover, the submatrix $`\left(\begin{array}{ccc}x_1& x_2& x_3\\ y_1& y_2& y_3\end{array}\right)`$ of $`B`$ is stable, see last part of the proof of lemma 5.3. Thus

$$(B,A)\left(\begin{array}{ccc}x_1& x_2& x_3\\ y_1& y_2& y_3\end{array}\right)$$

is an equivariant morphism $`X\text{Hom}(k^2,k^3V^{})^s,`$ which induces a morphism $`M\stackrel{𝜌}{}N`$ of the geometric quotients. It maps $`M_1`$ and $`M_0M_1`$ onto $`N_1`$ as follows from the normal form of pairs $`(B,A)X_1`$, see proposition 3.5. Moreover, the restriction

$$MM_1\underset{}{\overset{𝜌}{}}NN_1$$

is an isomorphism, using the normal form with $`\lambda =1`$.

###### 8.5 Proposition.

$`M_0\stackrel{𝜌}{}N`$ is isomorphic to the blowup $`\text{Bl}_{N_1}N`$ of $`N`$ along $`N_1`$, and $`M_0M_1`$ is isomorphic to the projective normal bundle $`(𝒩_{N_1/N})`$.

###### Proof.

a) Because $`M_0M_1`$ is a Cartier divisor in $`M_0`$ which is mapped onto $`N_1`$, there is the unique natural morphism

mapping $`M_0M_1`$ to the exceptional divisor $`E(𝒩_{N_1/N})`$, where we use that $`N_1`$ is smooth. In our case $`\phi |_{M_0(M_0M_1)}`$ is already an isomorphism. We are now going to prove that the induced morphism

$$M_0M_1\stackrel{𝜏}{}(𝒩_{N_1/N})$$

is an isomorphism. For that it is sufficient, that the induced map

$$(M_0M_1)_q\stackrel{\tau _q}{}(T_qN/T_qN_1)$$

is bijective for the fibers over a point $`qN_1`$. Then $`\phi `$ is bijective and an isomorphism because $`\text{Bl}_{N_1}(N)`$ is smooth.

b) The map $`\tau _q`$ is defined as follows. For any point $`[B_0,A_0]M_0M_1`$ over $`q`$ choose a tangent vector

$$\xi T_{[B_0,A_0]}M_0T_{[B_0,A_0]}M_1.$$

Its image in $`T_qNT_qN_1`$ and then its image in $`(T_qN/T_qN_1)`$ is the image $`\tau _q([B_0,A_0])`$. More explicitly, if

$$q=\left[\begin{array}{ccc}l_1& w& 0\\ l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right]N_1,$$

the points $`[B_0,A_0]`$ over $`q`$ are of the form

$$B_0=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}q_1& l_1& w& 0\\ q_2& l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right),A_0=\left(\begin{array}{cc}w& 0\\ 0& w\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)$$

with $`q_1,q_2(l_1,l_2)`$, see section 7. Then

$$q_1=a_1l_1+b_1l_2\text{ and }q_2=a_2l_1+b_2l_2$$

as in section 7, and for the tangent vector $`\xi `$ we can choose the image of the pair

$$B_1=\left(\begin{array}{cccc}0& 0& a_1& b_1\\ 0& 0& a_2& b_2\end{array}\right),A_1=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a_1+b_2& 1\\ b_1a_2b_2a_1& 0\\ 0& 0\\ 0& 0\end{array}\right)$$

as in the proof of lemma 7.1. The image of this tangent vector in $`(T_qN/T_qN_1)`$ is simply the class of the matrix $`\left(\begin{array}{ccc}0& a_1& b_1\\ 0& a_2& b_2\end{array}\right).`$ Hence, the map $`\tau _q`$ is given in notation of classes by

$$[\left(\begin{array}{cccc}q_1& l_1& w& 0\\ q_2& l_2& 0& w\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{cc}w& 0\\ 0& w\\ q_1& l_1\\ q_2& l_2\end{array}\right)]\overline{\left(\begin{array}{ccc}0& a_1& b_1\\ 0& a_2& b_2\end{array}\right)}.$$

It is now an easy exercise to verify that this map is well-defined and bijective. This completes the proof of proposition 8.5. ∎

###### 8.6 Corollary.

$`M_0`$ is rational and smooth of dimension 12 and $`M_0M_1`$ is a smooth rational divisor in $`M_0`$.

###### 8.7 Corollary.

The components $`M_0`$ and $`M_1`$ intersect transversally in $`M_0M_1`$ and for any $`pM_0M_1`$

$$T_pM_0+T_pM_1=T_pM$$

has dimension $`14`$, whereas $`dimT_pM_0T_pM_1=11`$.

## 9. The Chow groups of the moduli space

Let $`k=`$ and $`Vk^4`$. Using the descriptions of $`M_1`$ as the relative universal cubic $`M_1=𝒵V^{}`$ and of $`M_0`$ as the blow up $`\text{Bl}_{N_1}(N)`$ with exceptional divisor $`M_0M_1(𝒩_{N_1/N})`$, we determine now the Betti numbers of the Chow groups of the moduli space $`M=M_{3m+1}(_3)`$. Key ingredient is the following result on the Chow groups $`A_{}(N)`$ of the space $`N`$ of nets of quadrics, see :

###### 9.1 Proposition (Ellingsrud, Strømme).

The Betti numbers are

$$\begin{array}{cccccccccccccc}& & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ i& 0& 1& 2& 3& 4& 5& 6& 7& 8& 9& 10& 11& 12\\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ b_i(N)& 1& 1& 3& 4& 7& 8& 10& 8& 7& 4& 3& 1& 1\end{array}$$

In particular, the topological Euler characteristic is $`e(N)=58`$.

###### 9.2 Theorem.

The Chow groups of $`M_{3m+1}(_3)`$, of its components $`M_0,M_1`$ and of the intersection $`M_0M_1`$ are free and have the following topological Betti numbers $`b_i`$:

$$\begin{array}{cccccccccccccccc}& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ i& 0& 1& 2& 3& 4& 5& 6& 7& 8& 9& 10& 11& 12& 13& e()\\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ b_i(M_0M_1)& 1& 3& 6& 9& 11& 12& 12& 11& 9& 6& 3& 1& & & 84\\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ b_i(M_0)& 1& 2& 6& 10& 16& 19& 22& 19& 16& 10& 6& 2& 1& & 130\\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ b_i(M_1)& 1& 3& 6& 9& 11& 12& 12& 12& 12& 11& 9& 6& 3& 1& 108\\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & \\ b_i(M_{3m+1}(_3))& 1& 2& 6& 10& 16& 19& 22& 20& 19& 15& 12& 7& 4& 1& 154\end{array}.$$

Furthermore, the Chow ring $`A^{}(M_1)`$ is isomorphic to $`[s,t,u]/𝔞`$, where the ideal $`𝔞`$ is given by

$$𝔞=(s^4,t^3st^2+s^2ts^3,u^9+(10s3t)u^8+(55s^230st+9t^2)u^7+(220s^3165s^2t+90st^2)u^6+$$

$$+(495s^2t^2660s^3t)u^5+1980s^3t^2u^4).$$

###### Proof.

Since $`N_1𝔽lag(1,3,V^{})`$ we obtain immediately

$$A^{}(N_1)A^{}(V)[t]/(t^3+c_1(𝒬)t^2+c_2(𝒬)t+c_3(𝒬))[s,t]/(s^4,s^3+st^2+s^2t+s^3),$$

where $`𝒬`$ is the tautological quotient in the sequence $`0𝒪_V(1)𝒪_VV^{}𝒬0.`$ We get the Betti numbers for $`M_0M_1`$ using

$$A_i(M_0M_1)A_i((𝒩_{N_1/N}))\underset{k=0}{\overset{6}{}}A_{i6+k}(N_1)$$

and the presentation of the ring $`A^{}(N_1)`$. But then it is straightforward to compute the numbers for $`M_0`$ from

since we know $`b_i(N)`$, $`i=1,\mathrm{},12`$ from proposition 9.1.

Now recall the construction of the relative universal cubic $`𝒵V^{}`$ parametrizing triples $`(p,C,H)`$ of points $`p`$ on cubic curves $`C`$ contained in planes $`HV^{}`$: Consider the exact sequence

$$0𝒪_V^{}V\stackrel{eval}{}𝒪_V^{}(1)0.$$

The plane bundle $`()\stackrel{p}{}V^{}`$ comes with a surjective map $`p^{}^{}𝒪_{}(1)0`$ which in turn induces

$$0𝒦p^{}S^3^{}𝒪_{}(3)0.$$

Then $`𝒵=(𝒦)()V^{}`$ is the desired incidence variety.

Using this description of $`𝒵`$, we compute the Chow ring of $`M_1𝒵`$ as follows: The total Chern class of $``$ is $`c()=1s+s^2s^3`$ and consequently

$$A^{}(())=[s,t]/(s^4,t^3st^2+s^2ts^3).$$

One can easily check that $`c(S^3^{})=1+10s+55s^{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}}+220s^{\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}3}}`$. Then $`c(𝒦)=(1+10s+55s^2+220s^3)(1+3t)^1`$ implies

$$A^{}(M_1)A^{}(())[u]/(u^9+c_1(𝒦)u^8+\mathrm{}+c_9(𝒦))[s,t,u]/(s^4,t^3st^2+s^2ts^3,f),$$

where $`f=u^9+(10s3t)u^8+(55s^230st+9t^2)u^7+(220s^3165s^2t+90st^2)u^6+(495s^2t^2660s^3t)u^5+1980s^3t^2u^4`$. This allows us also to determine the Betti numbers of $`M_1`$. Finally, since $`k`$, we get the following diagram

where we use homology with locally compact supports. Note that in our case the cycle maps $`cl`$ are isomorphisms. Using this Mayer–Vietoris sequence, we obtain immediately the Betti numbers of the moduli space $`M=M_{3m+1}(_3)`$. ∎