Weak and strong Lefschetz properties for Hartshorne-Rao modules of curves in $\mathbb P^3$

Abstract

Let $C\subset \mathbb P^3$ be a curve over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, and let $M(C)$ denote its Hartshorne-Rao module. We study how the geometry of $C$ influences whether $M(C)$ satisfies the Weak and Strong Lefschetz Properties. We first consider unions of general skew lines and prove that multiplication by $L^i$, for a general linear form $L$, has maximal rank on $M(C)$ for $i=1,2,3$. The proof uses a specialization to zero-dimensional schemes that can be written as a union of curvilinear schemes, each of a particular type and of degree at most three, together with generic Hilbert function results for such schemes, which are of independent interest. We then examine how special geometric configurations can affect the Weak Lefschetz Property. In particular, we show that curves on a smooth quadric surface have Hartshorne-Rao modules with the Weak Lefschetz Property, and that the property persists for unions of skew lines with all but one line on a quadric. By contrast, for $r\geq 10$, we construct configurations of $r$ skew lines with all but two lines on a quadric whose Hartshorne-Rao modules fail the Weak Lefschetz Property. Finally, we study smooth irreducible curves. We prove the Weak Lefschetz Property in several low-degree cases, construct a degree 15 curve for which it fails, and show that general nondegenerate rational curves have Hartshorne-Rao modules with the Weak Lefschetz Property. These results illustrate both the strength and the limitations of geometric hypotheses in controlling Lefschetz properties of Hartshorne-Rao modules.